It looked like a game against the Pels…

…until Knicks captain Jalen Brunson took over.

Here’s what was said before and after New York won its seventh consecutive game.

Mike Brown

On Brunson’s clutch performance against New Orleans:

“That’s what great players do. Great players, when it matters the most, when the pressure’s the highest, sometimes that means drawing two and kicking it out to OG for a wide-open three or someone else. He was great at that tonight. For who he is and for me as a coach, I never put a cap on those guys. You don’t put a cap on Steph Curry in Golden State. Jalen Brunson here, and Jaylen Brown in Boston. You let those guys be who they are.

“Great players, when it counts the most, when the pressure is the highest, they make the game easier for everyone else.”

On a high-scoring back-and-forth game against the Pelicans:

“It was a funky game. Both teams offensively were really good, nobody could really get a stop.”

On the Pelicans’ physical challenge:

“Zion is on another level, in terms of his drives to the rim. Physically, athletically, extremely powerful. It takes all five guys being in the right position to try and make it tough on him. And they might not even be able to make it tough on him, he’s that powerful, athletic, strong. They’ve been playing fast, you know, as of late. Getting out in transition and been doing a good job overall, defensively. And even offensively since the All-Star Break, Dejounte Murray just takes them to another level, with his ability to run their team and to score. Think since the All-Star Break, they’re like 10-5. So they’ve been playing some really good basketball.”

On OG Anunoby’s defense on Zion:

“Our defensive player of the game was OG. He guarded a lot of different players throughout the game, but to close the game the way he did against Zion, he’s a monster. He’s a handful for anybody but for OG to be able to do the job that he did on him down the stretch was huge.”

On adjusting the offense for Karl-Anthony Towns:

“I had to adjust to him…and that’s what a season’s about. We’re not playing the same way offensively as we did to start the year. So I had to make some adjustments to try to figure out how I can get him involved a little bit better, get him to feel a little more comfortable and it’s showing a little bit. He’s obviously put in the work but … it’s a two-way street and it’s good to see him playing at the level he’s playing at right now.”

On simplifying Towns’ role at the four:

“When he is at the four spot, we’ve really simplified it so that he doesn’t have to think as much. And when he doesn’t have to think as much, he can just react.”

On spacing and preferred spots for Towns:

“He loves being at the top of the floor; he’s not always there, but we’ve added a couple more things that put him there with appropriate space. And then we found a post-up and an iso situation for him that is pretty good from a spacing standpoint in how he likes to operate. Those things, we didn’t have at the beginning of the year for him. So again, he’s made adjustments, he’s kept working, he continues to work, but as the head coach, I have to make adjustments, too. Especially with him being one of our two best players.”

On Jordan Clarkson’s two-way impact:

“Jordan has been playing well on both ends of the floor. He’s giving it to us defensively and he’s giving it to us offensively. I tell ya, his ability to read the defense and make timely cuts and finish in that painted area is a lot of fun to watch. It just adds another dimension to what we’re trying to do.”

On Clarkson’s defensive play:

“You can see the level of awareness and sense of urgency that he plays with now, especially on that end of the floor. What I like more than anything else is his physicality on the ball. You feel him. He’s relentless with it.”

On letting his assistants lead in huddles:

“It’s great for the guys to hear different voices. It’s like with your kids, if you’re the one talking all the time, sooner or later they tune you out. I have the utmost confidence in all of my assistants. So, for them to have a voice or a presence in what we’re doing, I’m all for it because they handle their business the right way. It also gives me an opportunity to save my voice. Maybe when I’m speaking, it can be magnified a little louder if you have that around you. All of my guys on the front of the bench, all of my guys on the back of the bench, I’ll close my eyes and let them coach and be OK with it.”

Jalen Brunson

On having a shot at clinching the No. 2 seed:

“Just focus on playing as best we can, control what we can control. That’s what’s most important to us right now.”

On sticking to his habits late in games:

“Just trying to be myself. I stick to my habits, focus on my work ethic and what got me here, and keep it that way.”

On Brown’s assistants gaining experience by leading huddles:

“I feel like it helps us but also helps the coaches. They get more experience and put in positions where they’re leading. I think it’s all-around good for everybody.”

Josh Hart

On Brunson embracing clutch moments:

“That’s a position he wants to be in. We want him in that position. You learn when you watch his game and play this game that the last 3-4 minutes of a game are winning time. That’s where your superstars show why they are at that level. That’s what he did.”

On hearing different voices in huddles:

“Sometimes it’s good to hear different voices. I think there is a sweet spot because you don’t want to hear too many different voices, but I think he does a good job of holding guys accountable but letting other coaches have our attention and mixing in other voices.”

OG Anunoby

On defending Zion Williamson:

“I was just trying to make it difficult for him. Trying to make the catches difficult, push them out further and then just play one-on-one defense. I have great teammates who help me out, communicating what’s behind me. Just executing.”

On the team’s defensive execution on Tuesday:

“We have great defensive pieces all over the floor, so we’ve just been executing, communicating better and it’s been showing on the court.”