Mavs’ Dereck Lively II, Derrick Jones Jr Speak After Win vs. Suns: Dec. 25, 2023

Mavs’ Dereck Lively II, Derrick Jones Jr Speak After Win vs. Suns: Dec. 25, 2023

Got any words to descri what did tonight amazing magic how do you how how does a man up when team much the entire game I wish I knew I mean I guess I guess it helps when you know he trusts his teammates that as as much as he does and you know

We when we play and get downhill and make plays for others and and do what we’re supposed to do it makes his job a lot easier they can’t help as much and they can’t leave everybody to to go double like they want to so I mean that

And then that gives him those one-on-one uh situations and we all know how he thrives with those one-on-one situations so Luca with anybody guarding him I’m living with it that that kind of summed up your game where you did miss some threes early you miss some some shots in

The corner then he hit some Jason kid credited you as you know hitting a huge three that kind of led to you guys searching back in the lead you know finish drop some drives what is what is this environment you know playing next to L playing on

This team playing in this coaching step led to just the confidence to to stick with it and you know not turn down uh for me like I said since day one since I got here I mean they’ve been they’ve been pushing me to be who I want

To be and and they they tell me to take the shots that I get and if I ain’t got the shot then drive make a play for somebody else if I don’t got that then try to get to a dho and get in the

Pocket if I can but I mean for the most part I just like I said I just take all the easy shots that I get and keep it a real simple game mrly you missed a couple games recently now you’re coming back first of all how do

You feel out there obviously look like you you know just being able to know that my teammates trust me to make plays you know there was times where I caught the ball in some uncomfortable situations but I still got to be able to tack the rim you know there’s sometimes

Where I’m passing the ball out and people are yelling me yelling at me because I’m passing it you know they just want me to put pressure on the rim and just to go dunk the ball so being able to know that people are yelling at

Me to pass it just makes me be that much more confident to just go school the ball you did you have obviously you had hopes but did you realistically expect that you were going to become this important Cog at such a tender Age and what 20 games into your 30 games into

Your career uh no you just got to be thankful thankful for the work thankful for my teammates thankful for my coaches just being able to know that the work works you know being in the gym twice a day every day being able to watch film

Every day work on your body work on your mind work on your timing it all Stacks up so whenever you stack the days it kind of makes everything fall into place want to ask you Dame uh keep him try to keep him off his spots the same thing for him and Kevin

Um just try to keep them off their spots always throw bodies at them make sure that they got a crowd in front of them so that they don’t just get a easy straight line drive to the rim um it was just basically just to put put bodies in

Front of them make it a make it a crowded game you talking about Grayson uh and he just was hitting the shots that he got and and congratulations to him he he he did what he supposed to do yeah I mean we you got to live with some of that honestly if if

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant isn’t the ones that thought there getting 40 I’m living with it you guys 30 games into it right now your thoughts just on where this team is in big picture I think we’re an amazing team you know I feel like we have a lot of

Trust in each other I feel like we no matter what moments it seemed like the seem like a lot of things are going on the court seems like a lot of emotions seem like a lot of energy is just going higher and higher and higher that just

Makes us go together you know I feel like there was a there were some moments whenever they went on a run tonight and we just brought it together and be like look you know we’re only down a couple points we’ve been in this position many

Times and we know what to do we trust the pass we trust the next pass and we trust each player to make the right decision one thing that seemed to happen throughout the game especially in the fourth quarter was you guys were able to get the pain close you talk about how you

Guys well I mean if they going to double Luca it’s a four on three you know it’s a simple math being able to know that there’s a there’s a lot of people who’s going to try to stop Luca from scoring the ball so it’s our turn to score the

Ball whenever he gives it to us so being able to know that either we’re going to get Corner threes we’re going to get one more threes we’re going to get dunks or layups at The Rim is just kinding of just finding an open finding an open man and making the right

Play as as Defenders is is it important that you now have a a defensive player of the year candidate in uh in Luca he seems to think that he’s telling us that he wants some yes yeah to check just wanted to check as long as I get on first or second team

I’m fine with it y y’all could give him defensive player the year taller Derek Luka Luka also thinks that your hook shot isn’t as I think he doesn’t think it counts as H shot is a hook shot he says yours is a half hook baby hook he

Says he might teach you baby hooks go in I’ll live with that baby hooks going in you know he did have 50 I had 20 so you know you know he might be right he’s probably right so I guess I’ll listen it seemed like he’s a better Defender too man got

Four steals three blocks Dam I know he pointed that out oh trust me he pointed that out well man if he’s gonna have a game like that we’ll keep living like that you know he can be the best defensive player and the best offensive player out there MVP

Two-way player yes sir you’ve seen a lot in this league what do you think about the Grove that in right now that’s amazing uh honestly me personally I have never been on a team where someone is scoring the ball like this at such a high rate and also getting his teammates

Involved and making sure that everybody feels comfortable on the floor uh like I said it’s it’s incredible it’s amazing I have never seen this before thanks guys thank you

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II and forward Derrick Jones Jr. spoke to reporters after the 128-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Christmas Day.

Video Credit: Dallas Mavericks

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