HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS “I thought our defense was pretty solid for most of the night. We kind of screwed up some coverages early but figured that out and I liked our aggressiveness on the ball. Our defense was solid. Offensively, I thought we had a lot of good looks that we weren’t necessarily able to take advantage of, but I think this is five games in a row we’ve had 20 assists. I liked the way the ball has been moving and the opportunities that we’ve been having at the offensive end.” Did you change coverages on shooting bigs for Hornets? “Yeah, we talked about it. They never really got into a rhythm with their threes from their bigs, but with Hawes and Kaminsky and Marvin Williams, their three point shooting was a concern going into it. On Aminu’s game: “I liked the tone he set early in the game defensively. He really took the challenge of guarding Nic and that was really good for us. Obviously, the scoring, the rebounding and the double-double speaks for itself, but I thought the biggest thing he gave us was setting the tone defensively. On closing game after run by Hornets in fourth: “I’m glad we closed the way we did. They made their run, they got aggressive, I thought we missed some chances offensively and they got their momentum. I didn’t think it was anything that we couldn’t take care of but I’m glad that when they did cut it down, we made the plays that we needed to make.” On five guys in double figures: “The biggest thing for us is that we’re efficient offensively. If it comes from five or six in double figures, great. If it comes with Dame and CJ going off, great. But as long as it’s in the context of the team and ball movement and good shot selection, I really don’t care where the points come from.” On Aminu setting tone tonight: “He was locked into guarding Nic. Obviously Nic had a very good game against us the first time. He got into him, didn’t let him get to his right hand very easily, didn’t let him have clean looks at the basket, contested his dribble, contested his shot.”
MEYERS LEONARD What do you like about how you’re playing in this stretch? “I think we’re just more locked in to what we need to do on both ends of the court – not having as many bad stretches, or the length of bad stretches, the gap is shortening. I think our focus in the last few practices, the fact that we’ve been home and been able to get after it has been good for us. Working on the defensive end, working on just little tendencies in the pick and roll or transition defense. The ability for us to have that practice time has been huge. Then of course, the offensive end seems to be flowing. Guys are trusting the next pass and I think everyone is being pretty aggressive and looking to do good things within the offense.” Thoughts on Aminu tonight: “I thought he was pretty good on both ends, especially the defensive end. He got into Nic, didn’t allow him to feel comfortable, rebounded the ball, finished around the rim. We knew coming into this game, looking at when they played Sacramento, they tried to take Cousins out of the game, they doubled him and send another guy over or Gordon Hayward against the Jazz, they trapped him and kept it out of his hands. Tonight, Dame and CJ. So when they find Mason, me, Ed, Noah, our ability then to make the next play has been pretty good, which is awesome – speaking on Dame and CJ – that they’re unselfish enough to allow the next guy to make the play. That’s what’s helping our offense the most I think, is trusting that next guy. Again, speaking Farouq, Mason had a couple dump offs to him there at the end, he finished both of them, one was an and-one. So I think he has done, all year long, a =really good job on the offensive end, shot it pretty well and just brings energy.” On closing the game after Hornets run: “We’re doing a lot better job of sealing games. Throughout the season, that’s obviously been one of our downfalls. Maybe it’s youth, maybe it’s flat out inexperience of being in those kind of situations. I was already out, but I said, look this is a game we’ve got to get. Just close it out, play hard. It was 2:40 left. Again, it’s attention to detail on both ends, playing hard and trusting each other. This could have been a loss earlier in the season? “It could have been. That’s even something I mentioned, I said look, none of that earlier season stuff. Close this thing out, play hard, play together and let’s get it done. Pretty simple.”
HEAD COACH STEVE CLIFFORD On what he saw out of Tyler Hansbrough that he liked: “Just aggressiveness. His intensity. His effort. He’s always been a really good offensive rebounder. That’s what he did when he went in, and along with Marvin and Mike. We were bigger with Nic. They rebounded the ball well and our defense was a lot better” On Mike’s first game: “I thought he was really good. He got tired early in the second half. And then he came out, which hurt us. The group in the fourth quarter—that was the only stretch of the game that we played with the purpose and the intensity that we need to win on the road. It’s been a problem. They’re a totally different team than when we play in Charlotte. Our turnover numbers go up, our defensive effort goes down, and that happened tonight. We’re not going to come in and win in a place like this as well as they’re playing with 16 turnovers and the number of defensive mistakes we’ve made. On PJ Hairston and Kemba Walker’s injuries: “I don’t know about PJ. Kemba could have gone back in, it’s just that Brian was playing so well as was that group, so we just went with that group.”
NICOLAS BATUM On Allen Crabbe and CJ McCollum: “I’m not surprised by him and CJ actually. I told you a couple times the last two years. I’m glad for them, I’m very happy for them, because they get a chance now to show this league who they are. They couldn’t really play the last two years because we had so many guys, but now they get a chance to showcase their talent. I’m very glad for them.” On his team’s injury problems: “We’ve got some stress right now. It’s not easy, but we have to go through it, other guys have to step up and make some plays. We got Mike (Kidd-Gilchrist) back tonight and Brian Roberts played great tonight, Marvin (Williams) played good tonight, Tyler (Hansbrough) was huge for us tonight too, so guys just have to step up and make plays.” On how he like playing for Portland: “I loved it… I loved it. If you don’t love here, you’re weird. I know that Portland loves weird, but you’re weird. I love it here.”
I would welcome batum back to help our wing rotation he's a good guy and loves portland, and I loathed him last year
With the cap the way it is, and contracts about to explode, Batum could very well be making $18mil or more on his next deal. I'll keep Batum 2.0 (Aminu) at $7.5mil.
Aminu is going to be a defensive stopper..folks bash him around here but I love the guy's motor..he can guard 5 positions! Another double double tonight..he clearly owned Nico all game
Where you have it wrong is that we don't bash his defensive abilities... it's his offensive choices. There's a difference.
It takes a lot of energy to make defense a priority...I disagree with a lot of commentary about him ..he's starting to click with a new team and not only shuts down his assignment often, but gets a double double doing it. Bruce Bowen wasn't exactly a scoring beast....all defensive first team multiple times. That's what I see from him...little praise for his defense and lots of criticism of his offensive game. He's having a big impact on the scoring production of CJ and Dame
If it takes a lot of energy doing it, then why does he try really wacky plays on the offensive side? He does try to do too much sometimes. And mind you, I like Aminu, but I can see where people get annoyed with him, and it's valid. If he cut it out with the crazy plays a handful of times each game, he'd help the team to his maximum potential.
I could say every player on the team has some wacky plays on offense..CJ and Dame drive into multiple defenders and get blocked or turn the ball over but score in bunches so it seems all good. A few months into the season and Aminu is just starting to know where guys want the ball or will be in a play. He's younger than Nico by 4 years and a year younger than Dame...I think he's a keeper and a valuable part of this team going forward. Stotts rarely does an interview without praising him.
