Lakers/Suns Postgame Analysis, J.Worthy, Bron, AD, Nurkic, Allen Reactions | Feb 25, 2024

Lakers/Suns Postgame Analysis, J.Worthy, Bron, AD, Nurkic, Allen Reactions | Feb 25, 2024

Lakers lose a crucial one to the Phoenix Suns they fell behind by 20 in that first quarter and it just seemed like it was an uphill battle the rest of the way they got themselves back in the game but they were never able to get over the

Hump uh a frustrating game for Anthony Davis we’ll get into that in a little bit for me and I think you guys were watching the game together and in real time the most frustrating thing and a big part of that game was the rebounding outrebounded by 17 and 14 offensive

Rebounds for the Phoenix Suns led to 22 Second Chance points and big game in brez the Lakers didn’t get their first offensive rebound till ad got it with two minutes left in the third quarter because when you look at the three-point percentage is Right equal 42% both of

Them Lakers shot 52% from the field to 47% from the field for the Suns the suns were better from the free throw line they got more calls that’s fine it happens uh this game on the boards Lakers got crushed yeah they got killed on the boards yeah it was about you know

Who’s King of the Hill and AD got going later but we talked about the importance of having a quick start and the Lakers didn’t didn’t do that they gave up too many offensive rebounds 14 when they were right there neck and neck good defense only to give up so many and and

When they got those offensive rebounds they usually scored now we talked about Bill being out Gordon being out how the role players were going to step out I said Allen I said watch out for him he’s a Duke he’s nasty 6 three pointers 24 points and you know pretty nasty on

Defense B 11 points we’ll give him that O’Neal 20 points 10 rebounds he also had six so you know it was like they just kind of got outplayed they got outplayed I you know they were trying hard and but but nkit set the tone he just he

Dominated like I mean he played like yish tonight yeah and so that’s something that’s something that you got to match early you got to know his style you got to know what up against and I think ad got a slow start and when nurk started to get physical and they allowed

It to go he just continued to you know play bully ball and you know rest of the I mean I don’t think ad I mean AD KD and Booker really you know they had a good gam but I don’t think they really you know hurt us they if they had done

Everything they were supposed to do against the role players Allen nurkic o Neil they would have won the game because I thought overall they did okay on Booker and and uh and KD but it was just disappointing uh to see them you know give up so many offensive rebounds

Which they’ve been doing uh you know quite quite a lot in in in the last few games so they got to correct that with without Christian Wood who had size Vanderbilt who’s a great rebounder and a great energy guy and a guy guy that get gets those 50-50 loose balls brez

Richard Jefferson talked about this in the broadcast uh RJ we talked about what a load yurk is and nurkic is and you have to get your work done early and so many times you you saw ad just trying to battle with nerkish and then other guys

Getting the rebound so it’s a team thing yeah everyone has to be boxing out everyone has to be going for the balls but I agree with James and I have it right here nurkic has a career game 18 points 22 boards seven assists seven of those offensive but big game hit it on

The head he set the tone early he’s been solid for them yeah this is a career game career game the problem for the Lakers is okay nurkic you know had seven offensive rebounds you only had three your whole team so he more than doubled you in that category and the suns are

Not a good offensive rebounding team yeah 14 total yeah they’re 21st in the league coming into today so to get beat like that I thought the Lakers did a lot of things well they they won the three-point game they were plus six behind the arc uh they had 30 plus

Assists yes yet again but big picture G there’s problems yeah cuz now golden state has now tied the Lakers for ninth in the West Golden State plays later against Denver we’ll have to see what happens there and uh the Lakers schedule they have the fifth hardest schedule the

Rest of the way golden state has the fifth easiest schedule the rest of the way so big picture the Lakers they don’t want to slide to 10 James if you slide you finished 10th in the west you got two Road games in the playin tournament they’ve already played the one extra

Game in the inseason tournament you want to play as few extra games as possible and if you do play the playin tournament you want to be at home like they were last season yeah listen we we called it a crucial game for a number of reasons

And the one at the top was because of where they are in the standings you look at the Western Conference and it is absolutely brutal and the teams that you’re chasing or that you’re side by side with the golden Warriors are veteran teams that are great Phoenix

Suns uh Golden State Warriors then you got Luca and Kyrie in Dallas who’ve won seven in a row that are ahead of you Sacramento is the one team that’s Fallen back but they’re still five games in front of you uh when it comes to the L

Call so you do play them twice New Orleans who hasn’t slipped they’re eight and 10 and then you get to the top of the league you got the Clippers you got Denver you got Minnesota you got OKC they’re not going anyway they’re on their own Island yeah so you know you’re

Five games separated between Sixth and Fifth and seventh and now you’re four four games back of eight so big game the reality is in 23 games it’s going to be really hard to make so now it’s basically we’re going to watch the Warriors because this is a race to see

Who gets that 910 spot yeah you’re not catching anybody unless you’re winning yeah and I’m but I mean winning a lot I’m talking about winning like running off five six games in a row you got to win now this is this is uh what February almost March you don’t have that many

Games left you know what your schedule is you got to make up your mind whether you’re going to come into Phoenix take that game I thought they fought back I thought they fought back they got it to what a two three but then when you do that you cannot give up extra

Possessions you got to guard your yard if your if your yard is in the paint and you can’t give up Second Chance shots there’s certain things you know you can’t do after you play 24 seconds of good defense and that just like I said it’ll demoralize your defense good

Defense extra possession pops out Allan shoots a three it it’ll it’ll demoralize you it kills you by the way this is exactly what the NBA wants right I mean think about that matchup in a 910 game with everybody healthy Lakers and Warriors that’s not a good draw for

Anybody then the winner can maybe go play the Phoenix Suns yeah possibly all in the play tournament all in the playing tournament so it’s it’s shaping up to be pretty epic down the stretch not fun if you’re a Laker fan because every single game would be elimination but it is it is insane

Funny I just saw something I where the league really loves the Lakers they they want the Lakers to and the biggest matchup was the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers they really was that the first ever playing game where they played each other remember step hit the

Shot LeBron hit the shot Lakers won yeah the Lakers have been in the play in tournament quite saw three rims cuz he had a hit in the head and right said I’m shoot to one in the middle yeah you know G and keep in mind the Lakers were

Starting a very crucial stretch of their schedule today yeah okay including today nine of 10 against teams over 500 and by the way brother they’re seven and three in their last 10 the Lakers they’ve been playing well seven and three and it’s hard to make up ground that that’s why

I’m saying with 23 games left it’s it’s tough yeah they’re seven and three in in are lost lost a little ground yeah exactly you know they play The Warriors two more times they play the the Kings two more times there’s chance I think they can catch the Kings maybe maybe

They can slide up to eight you know um I’ll take it but they got they got to go four and0 in those games two against the Warriors two against the Kings you can’t you can’t lose those games and a lot of tough games still coming up a lot of

Home games for the Lakers so that’s nice but G they got to be better at home over the next three weeks James than they were in January they went 6 and5 at crypto.com that includes a loss in a Clipper home game by the way Grayson Allen 63s Royce O’Neal 63 that is 12

Threes combined so the others and we talked a lot about others for both teams going into this game pregame show those guys were huge let’s hear from Darin ham he’s speaking with M impactors yesik well Darin that 45o first quarter for Phoenix uh ton of offensive rebounds

What what did you see as that quarter went on and what wasn’t there for you guys uh just you know for us defensively fouling too many fouls they they had nine free throw attempts in the first quarter alone uh and offensively we were a little indecisive uh but you know you can’t

Give up 45-point quarters you you’re going to be playing behind the eight ball the entire rest of the way if you don’t get in turn get hot or get stops but we’re able to put together a couple good defensive quarters in the second in the third specifically um you know we

Just again coming out a little slow fouling bad fouls um giving up offensive rebounds in the second quarter uh but again you know our guys competed they competed hard uh we tried to play downhill as much as possible but you know only eight free throw attempts I

Guess uh it wasn’t good enough we weren’t playing as physical as we normally do which I in my mind I thought we were earlier in the year in this matchup I know what had a a couple big rebounding games he’s not available Vanderbilt not available what were you

Trying to figure out in terms of the glass and then still you know get the the Whittle the rot rotation down a little bit as you did today you know just they they they put a lot of pressure on you man with the lineup that they have um you know they’re going

Through some injury issues as well but you know they they have a big physical lineup That lineup of book O’Neal uh bbo KD and um nerk you know they they they that’s a huge lineup and that’s very skilled as well so just try to tighten

Up play guys a little bit longer a got in some early fou trouble so we had to mix and match some pieces um but you know all in all just trying to slow them down those those two heads of the snake in terms of book and and

Durant Darin kind of twofold you you mentioned the free throws I think eight is a season well for you guys in attempts um did you feel like frustration with the officiating set in for your guys um in terms of transition and different things like

That at at moments yeah I mean I I just think you know it seems that the whistle for us is is is quick you know it it’s we’re playing defense or we play good defense someone falls down missed the shot as we’re getting a rebound the

Whistle goes off so it’s it’s just you know I’m not one to use referees as excuses as an excuse I should say um but it’s it’s it’s it’s become increasingly tough because of the inconsistency I’m seeing our guys get the same contact on them as we’re supposedly committing and

The whistle is not being blown and that’s something we focus on is like trying to win the free throw line every game and so that’s tough when we I’m telling my guys to drive downhill you know we’re trying to love and live in the paint and you know you’re not

Getting calls you’re not I see guys with the hands in our guys’ ribs or swinging swinging swiping at their heads trying to block the shot but not getting the ball but getting a piece of the body and it for not it’s not being called as

Simple as that so we have to figure out ways to you know not let that be a problem but it’s tough again it’s frustrating when it’s not inconsist when it’s when there’s so much inconsistency the um the other thing I’d ask is when when you fall behind 20 in the first

Quarter like I mean obviously the margins get really really tight in games but you guys had a couple of really big shots um the DLo in the corner he misses a three Grayson Allen comes back he hits one uh Lebron had a drive I think when

You guys were down five or six ball bounces in and out yeah Suns come back hit two big threes um is that just kind of sort of is that b the way it’s the way the ball bounces sometimes we got great looks we were just the coaching staff and I were just

Talking about that um Spencer had some really good looks DLo had some good looks as you mentioned Brun we had guys you know TP you know Bobo’s close out I think he did actually tip the ball though but AR I mean we had guys that

Had some good looks and at times I felt like we held the ball a little bit too much um didn’t play with enough Pace in the half court but all that said you know you just got to go back look to the drawing board look at the film see where

You can get better uh and keep working man keep chipping at the Rock ad had a a quiet first half but really got going in that second half what did you make of his performance tonight and kind of what were you seeing I guess that was limiting up for Stu I

Mean just you know nerk is a handful he’s a physical kid he’s he’s he’s he’s well he’s not a kid anymore he’s physical as hell um big body skilled knows how to work his angles um he always going to you know you’re always going to feel them on both sides of the

Ball so that that’s that’s you know a tough tough uh situation in its own right individually and then you know just him recalibrating um after having a tough first half and stepping this game up doing what great players do uh really start attacking the glass rebounding

Wise and trying to play more toward the paint and I think that got going and couple offensive rebounds you know it was able to get him in a good Rhythm and then his his mid-range shots start going down so he just kept fighting through the individual adversity and adversity

For our team you know just trying to be aggressive and trying to find offense and and again withstand the onslaught of Firepower that Phoenix presents when you guys are trapping or having ad come up higher and picker roles just how much more focus is that put on the low man or

Even maybe your undersiz guys on the backline you have to be on point you know with with with your off ball defense as we always talk about shifts and activity what’s happening on the ball definitely triggers uh the guys that’s off the ball you know we have our

Mig our most important guy which is our Baseline weak side help um and then our V back the guy that’s on the uh weak side on the elbow those guys we got to be on high alert uh when you they know a is up because it’s so easy for that

Roller to get behind uh when we’re focusing on a ball handler to get behind and and and so we have to have people in place to cover for one another what’s the balance for you in terms of you have a guy in Spencer who obviously a

Talented player and you want to get him up to speed and get him into Rhythm but you’ve also had Max who’s been an important part of your rotation for the last 20 games there’s only so many minutes um what’s kind of the decision making with those two guys and is that a

Tough line to walk it tough I mean because a got into early fou trouble um it kind of altered our rotation um because of the size they had out there right and so we try to have it at you know either Brun or ad on the floor at all times if

Not both of them and so um you know Brun had to run a longer stretch ad get in early fou trouble you know it shifted the timing of some of our rotations early on but you know we were able to get them in there in the second half and

He came in and impacted the game in a positive way um but it’s just something we’re going to have to figure out you know that’s what we get paid to do figure those things out and we’ll put our heads together and and and you know

Again we come in with a plan uh well thought out plan but things happen within the game and circumstances changed and so uh that was basically an example of that in the first half thanks coach thank you Austin a couple big disc discrepancies all game the rebounding

And free throws the free throw attempts and usually those things are in your advantage where did you see that shift in the first quarter especially and then you know how did you guys try to respond um nurs you know a big body that physical um and we didn’t do a good job helping

Ad um you know cuz he’s you know battling trying to box him out um and you know they shoot a lot of jump shots so a lot of those rebounds come off off a little um you know um further away from the basket so uh we got to do a

Better job of that and then got to do a better job to not foul and um yeah that’s really it with with the not fing did you think was like was Phoenix a little more aggressive going to the rim or what what do you think was behind that no

Um I don’t know the exact statistics on it but I I would figure you know with uh you know KDM book that uh you know they shoot a lot of jump shots uh and you know um I don’t think you know that changed T night uh I just thought um you

Know I guess we fouled I don’t know D defensively in the first quarter you mentioned the following but they scored 45 points is the most you guys have given up in a quarter of this year um and I’m sorry in the first quarter of this year just I mean this probably goes

Without saying but how tight do the margins get like how how bad of a position does that put you guys in when when you spot them that much yeah it’s tough um you know you never want to you know start the game off like that obviously um but

Uh I thought we did a good job battling back uh after that but that like you said it put yourself in a tough situation to where um you know you almost had to play Perfect the rest of the game and uh you know like I said we

Did a good job to battle back but uh you know had a couple you know uh mishaps when you almost had to be perfect there was a couple sequences um I can think of it in the fourth D had a open three in the corner like 11 minutes

Ago next Poss down Grayson Allen off a corner hits of three so it’s six points Wing another time when uh it might have been LeBron missed one um the contestant shot in the paint and then they come down Swing Swing Swing and may Allan again or maybe it

Was Royce O’Neal with a three in the corner did it feel like that it was you know when you guys you know battled back to to make it a couple ssession game it just kind of came down to a couple sequences like that in the fourth yeah

Um you know they they shot the ball you know really well 17 for 40 from three um and know like you said a couple of those possessions uh you know we had opportunities uh on the offensive end for us to you know put points on the

Board um and we didn’t which gave them maybe a run out to what you name a Swing Swing uh three so um yeah those are tough but I mean it’s it’s the way way of basketball and like I said uh starting off like that you almost had to be perfect and um you

Know we weren’t after that Austin uh Ed got off to a slow start but what did you see from him in the first half and then how did you see him kind of bounce back and and respond well in the second half to get going uh I just you

Know so many times uh you know everybody wants to be like ad didn’t play well did slow start which you know if you look statistically you know probably obviously was a slow start for him uh but you know what he demands on the floor the tension the defensive

You know effort uh contestant shots uh you know regardless of you know what shows up on here you know I don’t honestly think you know ad can have you know just a horrible half or a horrible game game uh cuz he means so much to us

On defense but I think you know we just did a better job to find him and help him get in the Rhythm and um you know that’s really it you said when you think of this game uh Grayson Allen hitting clutch threes how big was he tonight huge both him and

Um Royce what they say six threes I mean that’s Grayson has a hell of a year shooting you know as a sniper for real but um just big he does pretty much every game I feel like the making shots you know making teams pay for the mistakes leave him an

Open i b was it to get a win considering not only the last two games but the way it’s gone against the Lakers so far this season I mean every time we step on the floor home we want to protect the home um obviously didn’t play last game so

Felt like the whole group was pissed they lost to you know even kind of schedule you know messed up back to back before allar back to back after allar so looking like like a video game coming back and play early game so it’s kind of good and bad in certain ways you know

They have a early game so you can go back on the floor again and play basketball but um we love you know playing as Lakers or anybody you know who going to be in playoffs and for us it’s just perfect for rest of the year way we have a toughest schedule

So I love it you know all the games going to be like a playoff type of games and everybody ready for it what was maybe for you not only coming back from the injury what you feel like you did to get yourself going today and have kind

Of impact you had on the game today didn’t play a lot of four quarters this couple weeks so I want couldn’t get a cold you know with my ankle so I said Frank I’m going to keep a simple I’m not going to give you reason to S me

Out so but give him credit he trusted me even in some sloppy turnovers and you know you don’t want to turn over but you know my intentional was good so but didn’t cost us a win which is great how’s the ankle feeling h a couple days off we’ll see

But you know that’s kind of you know you running out up and down and it’s just something you know it’s common injury in sport so I got to deal with that but I’m glad I be able to play so what was working for you on the glass tonight you

Almost had your career high in rebounds career high almost what I got career high 22 your career high is 23 yeah I don’t know so sorry um yeah I mean just try to be aggressive as possible being bill is out so knowing that you know just trying to

Be um out there aggressive and took a chance when I have a chance um kind of played a little better role than than than I used to and coaches and you know they kind of give me thumbs up so I was happy with that n what was it like to go

Up against you had a couple place where you kind of pushed him under the basket early what was that batch up play I mean I feel that way against anyone but ad is a hell of a player man just um have a great great season you know being able

To be healthy for whole season pretty much you know all NBA Ty player so it’s always great to play against him and and you know great um nothing you know against him but I feel like I’m just you know that big that I can you know post

Up anybody but depends what team need and that’s what I’m tring do what have you thought of Bobo’s big two two G in a row I love it man everybody love Bobo we love him too so I think the the best part about him is just to make everybody excited I feel

Like no one in the league does that as far as getting crowd involved so I think that’s a special boost for us is a getting crowd involved more in the games and Bobo does the whatever he does running up and down I feel like everybody was so happy so hyper and but

But he just a so long length he just soon as he get that hand out it’s over so I mean he just happy for him to have a chance working hard and and waiting for his minutes what is it like playing next to him when he’s at the four what

Does that kind of open up for you yet I told you he’s not a five but he’s good man he just didn’t give you extra like Security in the in the in a al man spot you know contesting threes and he’s you know such a unique

Player in a certain ways the you just got to learn how to play basketball in in winning situations and good teams right now as we are um you have no room to mistakes and I think he going to he obviously more comtent right now but he getting better each

Game what’s it like for you I know it’s fun to watch but to play out there with Durant and LeBron at their age playing at the level they still play it yeah don’t take that for greatness I mean the Grant I mean just so amazing players man

And you can arguably you know one of the best ever you know both of them um playing at that age that high level that they play it’s just fun to watch them go against and and you know LeBron making those threes and just you know that stigma that LeBron can’t shoot it’s kind

Of funny but but just you know you know one of the alltime great and and you know I’m happy that I’m part of the this league league and and see them and play against them compete but nothing like respect both sides but it’s just amazing to watch

Them Royce got his first start today he had a big game and seems like all the new additions are starting to come together what have you thought of just your team it’s current state bit now after the trade I mean just Royce is so experienced as far as you know playing

With Durant and playing with the with the teams and not afraid to shot the ball I feel like you know you know he did he should have well tonight but even in past games he was shooting those you know open shots and I think that’s the

Main reason we brought him here you know when they swing that ball that he’s not in a way hesitant but I think he’s great defensively give us a you know extra available body to switch and and guard multiple positions so you know love the addition and and you know

Hopefully we can just build on this thanks than Lo rooms open for obviously the six threes I thought there were three that you hit were huge late in the third and a two in the fourth uh was a more conscious effort to get you looks considering the last couple games you

Didn’t get as many looks from three um a little bit coach was preaching us that we needed to shoot more threes that was a big emphasis pregame um and then a little bit in the spots like we ran a lot of action up top

With me and Kev uh when book was out and I felt like just the positioning that I was in up there being one pass away from the guy who’s creating the plays usually that helped to get a few more up curious just what’s that feeling like for you to

Be in those moments and and to be able to deliver uh when shots were particular that one like shot clocks expiring and you were able to hit it how big is that for you to be able to be in those moments and deliver like that um yeah I

Mean I I feel very comfortable in those moments I feel like I’ve been in them for 10 years now even though I’ve only been in the league for six so uh feels like just another shot to me Bull’s been putting together some really good basketball over the last few

Weeks I know you guys have seen a lot more of him behind the scenes and we have what’s it like to see the hard work that he’s put in start to kind of pay off in this way uh yeah he’s been great um it was awesome kind of looking back

To earlier in the season when he wasn’t getting as much of a chance him to stay ready and keep working and now he’s taking full advantage of it um he’s playing great basketball he’s really helping us out a lot um on the boards offensively being another weapon that

Can score in the paint and kind of attack on slashes and drives um and he’s knocking down three so um he does a little bit of everything out there he’s really helping it feels like he’s kind of just come in and fit in seamlessly what have you liked about him so far uh

I mean he’s a super easy guy to play with uh he’s one of those guys you can plug right in and he helps the team um he’s been great defensively for us we’ve asked him to guard bunch of different matchups one through five and he’s been

Good and um helping us out on the boards even if it’s not him getting rebounds he’s really physical with blocking guys out and uh he’s not afraid to take shots and make them and that was big tonight and then big when he hit into the game

There to kind of seal the game put him away Grayson this is a tough team to drive on with ad down there but how consistently are you keeping that approach the Same by just like at least getting it in there to kickart things for the offense yeah they’re they’re

Tough because he protects the rim and uh he’s one of the handful of bigs in the league that can stay all the way back like doesn’t have to step up and he can protect the rim and kind of guard the dump off forces it into a tough angle so

But you have to keep attacking the paint and um trying to make the read either the dump off if it’s there or you know kicking it out opposite um just so that we’re not becoming stagnant around the perimeter and with him in there you got to at least get those paint touches you

Obviously have a lot of experience playing with superstars like even before you came here what’s what’s the balance between obviously you know the Box the Suns that need your three-point shooting but you also want to make sure you know book or KD is getting the ball some too

How do you balance those two things you’re out there uh well it it’s a little bit of a feel but a lot of it is um like I understand our team goes where those guys go they’re going to lead us on both ends of the floor um so offensively with whatever shot making

I’m doing it has to be like helping out our offense as a whole and kind of being in the positions I can to help them succeed offensively whether you know a lot of times we go to the KD post UPS I try to get one pass away um to be in a

Position to shoot because those are the shots that we need whoever’s in that position to shoot and knock down um you know there’s other times where you have to be aggressive in transition and it’s not always to go score it’s to draw Defenders and push the pace of our

Offense and make a play and maybe it’s kicking it to the next guy maybe KD gets a opportunity to attack a close out which he doesn’t get much of um and it makes the game a little bit easier for those guys so it’s a feel and it it gets

Better as the year goes on especially since I’ve played with a lot of talented players and all of them have been pretty different um with how they score the ball how they attack offensively um but the positions that I am like sometimes it’s like a lot of people say

Like if you’re shooting 40% from three it’s good but there’s a lot of shots where you’re when you’re out there you’re like you have to make that one when you’re one pass away from them when it’s that nice one in transition where the the guy draws two it’s like okay

These are the ones you have to make and um I just try to have that mentality of being in that position to be the guy receiving those shots Grayson can you talk about where it’s just all around game just in general 22 rebounds and he also had seven assists and regarding

Anthony Davis said that so can you talk about yeah he did great uh Garden ad one-on one on the Block um especially in the first half um 80 is another guy who’s one of the best offensive rebounders in the league and a tough cover and ner coming up with that many

Defensive rebounds is huge for us um also offensively I mean seven offensive rebounds is is big and um ner nur’s really good for our offense when he’s at the top as a passer and we got Kev going back door kind of playing the two-man game with book and then once we get into

Our action he’s rolling so um he’s a guy we trust up there to to make decisions and um he did a great job finishing at The Rim today too Grayson D all five starters fall somewhere between 18 and 24 points and 32 assists does that kind

Of match up with what it felt like out there as far as a group effort yeah it did I mean it felt like the ball was moving around we had a lot of different guys making shots um we were just playing good basketball the ball was

Fineing the open Guy and um they were knocking it down Roy stepped up big with those six threes um like we said with nerk finishing and he had some timely finishes at The Rim like those ones that you needed late in the shot clock dump offs and offensive rebound so uh great

Offensive game in terms of moving the ball around thanks LeBron finished with 28 points that’s 58 combined over his last two games and he’s closing in on 40,000 for his career let’s go inside the Laker locker room braon is standing by with Mike 45 points for the Suns in that

First quarter LeBron what did you see there and and did you feel like that was the difference in the game even as you guys tried to fight out of it yeah super slow start for us um offensively and defensively um you know you give a team 45 points in a quarter you playing

Uphill battle you know especially if you’re not uh scoring 45 as well so um but I thought from from that point on we play some really good basketball but they role players did a great job um of shooting the ball um you know Royce O’Neal uh Grayson Allen those boys um

They they shot the heck out of the ball tonight and uh nerk had a had a monster 2020 game pretty much um so um you know we did a pretty good job on their on their Superstars but that’s what that’s what good teams do the other guys step

UPS anytime U sometimes when your stars are I want to say struggling cuz those guys didn’t struggle but it wasn’t like the monster games that we accustomed to seeing from Katie and um and book but a good game for them Yeah you mentioned six threes a piece

For Allan and O’Neal I guess that’s got to be part of the game plan if you’re going to show attention to Booker and KD is it tough to shift that when when those guys are just knocking him down consistently they shot the ball well um you know um obviously you know with

Grayson Riz we know that you know for the majority of the seat I don’t know if he’s still there but he’s one of those 90 50 40 guys so you don’t really want to just let him shoot he’s been shooting the ball like that all year along and um

You know Roy Cy guy here hasn’t shot the ball particularly well but today um he did so um you know it’s always it’s always difficult when you’re playing with two two you’re playing um against two guys that that just attract so much you know defensively um when they have

The ball in the hands with ktie and book that um you know a lot of guys you know get good looks and they was able to knock him down ad scored 18 of his 22 in the second half uh back inside the locker room he’s with

Mike we were just talking about it a little bit with LeBron with the rebounding ad and just what’s on your plate you know to try and clear defensive glass uh somebody like nurish is in there we know Wood’s out we know Vanderbilt’s out you’ve talked before about how guys just

Have to you know Step Up regardless but like is it is it more challenging when you’re smaller to be able to get on the class like that um yeah I mean uh you I’m trying to do my job of pushing pushing uh nage out um and uh you know

Ball long balance go over the head obviously he’ll have a position on the outside but um I think you know our guards you know flors have to come back and um get those rebounds for us um he had some on me that was in the in the paint

I got to do a better job of but I mean he’s a he’s a big body so um it’s tough to you know rebound defensive rebound you know just one onone um you know some other guys had some but we just got to do a better job of of that um which we

Have but um you know tonight you know they got it and you know most of them well a couple of them was kick out threes you know which kind of hurt us but uh you know he’s a big body and um you know that’s his you know his role on

The team go out and rebound get them extra possessions and um you know they did a good job with that tonight you usually start with defense and thinking about your team and your role and of course Phoenix had the big first quarter pretty tough to dig out of that hole

What did you see and you how disappointing is that from the defensive standpoint yeah um you know they guys made some tough some shots um you know Roy onell has 6 threes gr all has six I think um you know we did a good job containing um booking KD for the most

Part um I think they shot two pretty good from the field but um you know the other guys beat us um b b play well um you know but I think getting off to that fast start 45 I think in the first quarter um it’s tough to dig out of that

Hole you got to play damn near perfect basketball and um you know we we got back in the game um I think we cut it to six still lowest I think two two two and uh but then they you know make big shots and especially when KD or book was out

One of them was just on the floor by themselves um you know we tried to get the ball with their hands and um you know that guys made some some big shots was it an energy thing early did you think um I don’t think so I think uh you

Know we miss shots um early on uh some transition things and um just some miscommunication on the defense um couple plays n got loose you know the slips to the basket for dunks some and W fed a little bit early um got to the line um I don’t think it was energy

Energy thing uh probably more Mis miscommunication than anything what’ you make the free throw disparity did that season low eight free throw T yeah um we live on getting to the line uh you know we attacked the basket I’m not sure how many points in the paint we had but

Um you know we try to live in the paint um especially how how much we struggle from the three you know we’re kind of up and down so we try to live in the pain get to the get to the line and um you

Know I’m not sure if it was just a you know refs missing it or uh they weren’t fouling I feel I got fouled a couple times but um you know we we that’s part of our you know identity our DNA is getting to the line and um you know guys catching

Rhythms like that and then um playing yeah’s your voice and and how’s that been to kind of deal with that over the last few days um it’s betterday um still not all the way there but it’s a little better uh know was able to communicate with the team tonight well today but uh

The last two games was able to which is kind of tough defensively just for me being an anchor talking to the guys um but uh it was it was a little was a little better today what was for you guys when we need that run to cut it to

Two well what was working for you guys when you made that we were playing defense playing defense just playing fast we getting stops U moving the basketball um like I said uh they came down and she was weird doing things defensively try to take ball the ball

Out of KD and books and Royce in Big Shots g g now is some big shots um you know it’s that’s tough you know um but we’re just you know getting stops and just playing fast and transition when you guys do get into the paint and

You don’t get those calls you know this and this calls you drive in their post up just how does that contribute to maybe the frustration you know also getting back transition defense uh we can’t allow it to know whether we think we got fouled or not uh we got to get

Back because the team’s going to push um we don’t want to be in a disadvantage so it happened a couple times tonight um I know I think I had one front air bench but uh we got to have a next play mentality and getting back um knowing their team’s going to push

And uh Mo most times they’re going to make us pay thanks thank you long night right Battle of nkit yeah day actually sorry early game but know what I’m saying when I say long night when you got to when you got to play and wrestle you got to

Play and wrestle and you you know you’re not getting any calls on the other end you you don’t you don’t have the weight you know he outweighs you you got to you know you got to figure out a way to balance that out I don’t think he

Attacked nage enough you know you when you have a player like that you got to balance that out by using your skills uh maybe posting him up as much as possible giving him some of his own medicine

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