Willie Green reflects on loss to Thunder | Pelicans Post-Practice Interview 3/27/24

Willie Green reflects on loss to Thunder | Pelicans Post-Practice Interview 3/27/24

I mean I think said last night that one could have gone either way really made a game of it I mean a lot of the separation early was created in the second quarter what do you think you guys just could have done better early

In that game you know now you had a day to reflect um the the sense of urgency to have a defensive like physical presence for as close to 48 minutes as possible I thought offensively we tried to make the right plays 10 turnovers we got open looks we made some

Missed some but it was our defensive uh physicality that picked up in the second half Midway through the third quarter and we got to have that more for more closer to a 48 minute game and we and you know maybe it was 30 32 last night well against good teams that’s not good

Enough one of the Thunder few weaknesses if you being called that is is rebounding I mean no matter what personnel do you have on the floor do you feel like that’s an area where like you see them again that’s something yall can do a better job of we talked about

It we showed it we work on it um we didn’t execute it at the level that we wanted to last night but it’s definitely if we see them again it’s it’s definitely something we got to double down on when you uh go back for a game a

Close game like that down the stretch and you look at decisions you could have made versus what you did how long does it linger or is it something you kind of say maybe if I would have done this and I learn and I move on or does it kind of

Stay with you for a little while well definitely after game games I go back and reflect and the first questions I have for myself is what could I have done better how could I have put our team in a better possible position to win this game and um after

Asking myself those questions watching the film you know you try to answer him as honestly as possible okay maybe I could have did this better this is great we want to keep doing this and then it’s time to move on you watch the film you have a practice now we got Milwaukee

Coming in here tomorrow another good team will you feel like confidence is probably still the biggest thing that this team needs to find for those pledge minutes cuz on replay look or looking back over it CJ had looked like three good open shots down the stretch herb

Had an open three so do you feel like confidence might be the biggest missing thing right now no great question I’m not sure if it’s if it’s if it’s necessarily confidence um but it’s it’s definitely just a the willingness to continue to to make winning plays I

Thought we had some good looks like you said that we missed but it was really on a defensive end we We call we Str scratch and Claw our way back into the game five-point game we give up two offensive rebounds and one possession we come down take a tough

Shot they come down and we we three-point game and we give up a open we give up a a three to Shay Gil just that ties the game just some plays that we got to have a little bit more of a sense of urgency during those moments

And do you feel like met perhaps Zion cuz he told us after the game yesterday that he probably should demanded the ball more would you like him to do that even those shots were good like we just talked about that Z should get the ball and get good touches we definitely we we

Were playing through him I think those are moments where it was definitely a moment where they got the offensive rebound kind of put back we ran a play for Z that’s a moment he got to go demand the ball and then you know we live with the results how do you balance

That with like you know you got a guy that that’s playing well right now and he says I demanded but he is selfless and obviously wants to play Within construct of what you do how do you balance those two things you continue to show them you show them like these are

Moments that you were great Z you got off the ball you know good quality shots just you know these couple moments are a moment that you got to go get it and it doesn’t mean he’s going to shoot the shot but his gravity gets you even

Cleaner shots if if that makes sense so it’s a continued growth moment for us as a team learning experiences I see J is wearing the mask today is there like an update I know he took a lot of hits last night but I the the mass is new for me y’all gota

Ask Jose when y’all when y’all speak to him I don’t I don’t I’m not sure but um he’s moving around a bit better today so we’ll see how he feels tomorrow did you ever play with the MK I I I haven’t practice Jose did he go through

Practice fly yeah he went through we just getting some shots of as a team so he’s been going through a workout for sure I don’t know how much youve seen of the box over the course of the season but have you noticed anything different do from what were like before got

There well Adam Patrick Beverly uh has brought some juice to their team you know you put him on the floor with Jake Crowder and Bobby Porters those guys are coming in and they’re they’re changing the game uh with their ability to guard and scrap and get deflections uh they’re

Playing better playing with more confidence so it it it’s going to be you know we we should be relishing these moments three games at home against three high level opponents every other day is preparing us for postseason play playoff play there a lot of moments of

Brand last night on the bench I saw y’all talking a lot he talking to Zion talking you coach morgo just like how invested is he you know what is kind of like his I guess purpose on the bench you know what he’s been doing lately the

Last couple kind of help yeah is is he’s heavily invested in know he’s talking to his teammates he’s helping them navigate some plays and um I’m talking to him ask him what he what does he see uh he he’s he’s a guy that we rely on heavily when

He’s playing but even when he’s not playing he times in with with some Concepts that he’ll see on the floor and it’s huge for his teammates uh Larry offensively I mean I know you guys like his passing line do you feel like there are moments where he could be more

Aggressive and just look for his own shot are you seeing any of that yeah it is it is and I I spoke to him about it but know Larry’s all of our guys they they do a great job of being unselfish we we promote passing but there’s

Moments where um he can be a little bit more aggressive offensively and but you know we still like what he brings to this this group

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green speaks to the media following team practice on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.

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New Orleans Pelicans Roster
———————————————–
Jose Alvarado #15 Guard
Dyson Daniels #11 Guard
Jordan Hawkins #24 Guard
Brandon Ingram #14 Forward
Herbert Jones #5 Forward
E.J. Liddell #32 Forward
Naji Marshall #8 Forward
CJ McCollum #3 Guard
Trey Murphy III #25 Guard
Larry Nance Jr. #22 Forward
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl #50 Forward
Matt Ryan #37 Forward
Dereon Seabron #0 Guard
Jonas Valanciunas #17 Center
Zion Williamson #1 Forward
Cody Zeller #44 Forward-Center

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