00:00Do you have thoughts on Cleveland and finally knowing your opponent?
00:05Yeah, tough team, well coached, a lot of guys over there full of experience.
00:15It's going to be a tough battle.
00:17Jalen, how has James Harden achieved what they've been able to do?
00:26He does a lot for their team.
00:28Obviously, he's able to score the ball.
00:29He's able to pass.
00:30He's able to create a lot of offense for them.
00:37I think that it's like a pressure release for Donovan as well.
00:44Obviously, Donovan does so much for their team, and then you have James in there,
00:47and then you have a whole other person you have to worry about as well.
00:50They have so many different weapons, so many options and ways that they can beat you.
00:55They're really dynamic.
00:56What kind of respect do you have for Donovan as a player?
01:00Yeah, most respect.
01:04Got to know him since really maybe my first year.
01:10We had mutual friends, and then getting to know him, the dude works really hard, loves the game.
01:18I think he approaches it the right way.
01:20Just got a lot of respect for him.
01:23Jaylen, you guys clinched your spot over a week ago, but did it feel different waking up today, knowing your
01:27opponent, knowing when the game and what the game is going to be?
01:32Not really different, but I just think that now that since we know obviously the time and schedule and everything
01:38now, it's go time now.
01:40I mean, yeah.
01:45How do you think your experience from the past?
01:47Maybe last year being at a conference finals helps you this time around, or does it?
01:52I think experience always is able to teach you a lot of lessons.
01:59I think this time around, obviously we know what we have to do.
02:05It's obviously not going to be easy at all, but I think being able to close games and close quarters
02:11are going to be really important for us.
02:16Obviously, last year with game one, we didn't do that, and then game two, obviously losing as well.
02:22So it kind of really just, it changed a lot.
02:25So for us, we just got prepared and got understandably what to do the entire game for 48 minutes and
02:30just be locked in.
02:33Win or lose, have short term memory.
02:36With the short term memory, how much has last year weighed on you, you know, the disappointment of losing the
02:41conference finals to now?
02:42I mean, I've thought about it, but like every journey is different. Every year is different.
02:46You know, you have to kind of restart and reset.
02:49And so, yes, you learn from it.
02:52You're very disappointed in the result, but you move forward.
02:57First playoff series I think you had when you got here was against them.
02:59And the Knicks hadn't had any playoff success for a long time until then.
03:04What did it mean not only to win that one, but to keep it going every year now?
03:08That's kind of became a launching point a little bit.
03:11I mean, we want to win whenever we step on the court.
03:14And so, obviously, that being my first playoff series with this team was special.
03:22But we're far removed from that. I think both teams are different as well.
03:25What happened in game one in the conference finals last year?
03:28And I'm sure you know the importance of the game.
03:31But does that kind of reiterate they would let you get your foot off the pedal,
03:37play until the very end, that kind of stuff after what happened last year?
03:41Yeah, definitely.
03:44And obviously, I think it happened this year as well when we played Atlanta.
03:49No. We let our foot off the gas. Even in game one we won, but also game two obviously we
03:55lost.
03:56And so it's something that we continue, that we need to continue to get better at.
04:00And I think we have, but we can't be satisfied.
04:04All right. What kind of honor is it to represent this club in front of these fans for a game
04:09that's this important in this series?
04:12I don't take it for granted. It means the world to me. I mean, this place has done wonders for
04:18myself and my family.
04:23Yeah, I don't take it for granted.
04:24I don't want no wonder.
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