“It’s A Reflection Of Our Season To Date.” | Chris Finch Postgame Sound | 02.04.24

“It’s A Reflection Of Our Season To Date.” | Chris Finch Postgame Sound | 02.04.24

Chris your team um outside of a shaky second quarter seemed to really make some great adjustments in this one defense was solid what did how did you assess it uh you know it’s just I think eight or nine turnovers in the second quarter um which was unfortunate because I

Thought you know we had done a good job really kind of establishing a rhythm offensively but for we had some seeming like a lot of turnovers in around the basket um and then in the second half you know we only had uh seven total so

That was key you know um and being able to build off that lead that we took into the fourth um but you know obviously uh ant’s big third you know we it’s been a while since we’ve seen him like have one of those um so it was good to see that

Again um Aunt seemed really thrilled about um the opportunity to send the coaching staff to the all-star game what does that mean to you and your entire staff I mean it’s a it’s a really it’s a reflection of our season to date um you know it’s everybody uh doing their job

And and it’s it’s uh you know I know the players were excited coming into the game to be able to give that opportunity to us so we really appreciate that um more than anything it’s it’s an honor um for the organization U to do this and represent

Them in in the um in the allstar game so um you know I know we’re excited and looking forward to it but uh like anything else it’s just the reflection of all the work everyone’s doing so I assume you got a little bit of a shower

In there like uh these guys have all spoken very highly of you and and what they get from your leadership just what what does it feel like the dynamic that you have with this team in particular that connection yeah you know this team um has the making us being a special one

You know not just in terms of uh what they’ve done so far in the season but also just the who they are as people the way that they uh accept coaching the way that they bounce back when challenged or from a poor a poor defeat and all that

Kind of stuff it shows the character and you know they’re good they they really root hard for their teammates and they’re obviously root hard for their coaching staff which is um it’s fun it’s really a lot of fun Houston shot 35% I mean it seemed like so much of that was

Rudy at The Rim just deterring and making them think twice is I mean that’s kind of what he’s given you all year long but did you see that a lot tonight that effect that he had yeah for sure and I you know want to also pay um you

Know tribute to the the defense Jaden had on jayen green you know we we challenged him the other day to get back to guarding um you know lockdown mode um and he really really did that because you know those guys that guy gets hot in particular you know it’s a it’s a

Different game so he never really could like string two together uh only had three for the game um so those two guys have always kind of been the heartbeat of our defense on the ball and at The Rim uh and they were really special tonight Chris you mentioned uh an having

A third quarter like that first time in a while what do you what did you see see that inspired that in in this game uh he just went quicker you know I just picked up his decision making um you know just obviously you know with the way Brooks

Was guarding him we were able to get him off his body a little bit so he could get you know get some separation um and then just quicker decision less holding before he went downhill um didn’t jab or pump fake himself covered when he had a catch and

Shoot opportunities and then you know if he’s got the step back going it’s it’s really hard to guard them so when a team does defend us physically as they did particularly like in the first half and obviously they try to do it all game but what do you most like to see offensively

To counteract that yeah I mean we we have to have like um we talked a lot about our spacing I thought our spacing was poor in the first half like when they’re when they’re all over you like that you got to be able to get by them

But we have to open up better Lanes um so that was better in the second half and we just do we just got to do a better job of like finishing our Cuts you know when you know when they’re physical just cut finish it off um open

Up space for somebody else when they do it uh and also just screening you know kind of get getting taking a extra second to kind of separate the defender from from them um but mostly you got to go quick you just got to go quick you guys have had a lot of success

With like empty corner pick and rolls this year in the first quarter uh that kind of sparked the offense got away from it in the second ran a handful more in the third is that something you guys just naturally flow into or you look for in specific spots yeah I mean Mike and

Rudy are very good at it you know so whenever they’re on the floor it’s something we try to accentuate um you know they did a lot of switching uh they’re a heavy switch team so they switched a lot of pick and roll um that didn’t you know in certain lineups they

Switch one through five and then pick and roll that didn’t involve the five they were switching a lot of that so that kind of didn’t allow us to get into that but yeah it’s one of our favorite go-tos you know puts a lot of pressure with Rudy Rolland uh with no backside help

In general it doesn’t happen all the time but McDaniels has been following a lot less often it seems like his following doesn’t really be a barometer of how well he or not he’s defending so so what is he doing uh well now in terms of not following what’s he not doing you

Know I think uh a lot of times he’s he feels like he has to well he’s very competitive so you know if when he’s beat or maybe hit or you know a little bit dislodged out of position he just has this competitiveness that he wants

To win the play all the time and so sometimes trying to make a great play at the end whether it be a reach in or a swing try to block it that kind of stuff I think he’s just showing a little bit more composure in those those uh

Instances where he might be beat or a little bit compromised but still getting a good contest with his length you know you’re not going to you’re not going to stop guys all the time so um yes I think he’s doing a better job with that and then first half it seemed like you

Reduced Rudy’s minutes some was that the ankle or is just flow or not not not anything really well you know I mean I wanted to make sure that he was freshed to play as much in the fourth quarter as I possibly could you know and so if I

Had opportunities to kind of maybe rest him in the first um that’s what I was going to do so um coach over the past two weeks you guys have had you know several third and fourth quarter leads that have kind of slipped away um and obviously today it kind of seemed like

You know you you build up that big third quarter lead and then they kind of tried biting back into it you guys were able to hold them off what do you think was the biggest difference today as compared to some of the past games well we

Shuffled the lineup you know um we had uh I really like the JM Rudy combination I I’ve been kicking myself for 48 hours that I didn’t go to it the other day um you know Mike I mean sorry the Mike uh JM Rudy combination I really like that you

Know um so that gives us an extra Handler it gives us some Pace it gives us some early movement it gives us two guys that have a ton of experience you know um and that’s what we’re trying to get to in the fourth so um yeah and then

You know you guys are going to be going to the All-Star Game you know working with several of the top players in the league you know namely in the west uh Lebron James Kevin Durant how exciting is that for you to be able to you know coach some of those players in the

All-Star game and for your players to be able to um surround themselves with Talent like that yeah I mean it’s it hasn’t really sunk in yet it really hasn’t I mean it’s it’s an incredible honor uh you know I’m sure it’ll be amazing experience and like these guys

Here I’m sure those guys won’t listen to what I have to say either so it’ll be just like any other game hey Chris will you paint the scene for us so did you get dumped on as soon as you walk through the door who got you

Yeah they all got me with uh some cold water so yeah

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