Exclusive 76ers at Blazers, March 26th, 2016 - Quote Book

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by SlyPokerDog, Mar 26, 2016.

  1. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS

    On fourth quarter:

    “They’ve got good three point shooters. They took 23 in the first half, they got good looks and Thompson hit a great shot. Smith made a well contested shot. I was more concerned with how they got back into it. We didn’t find people in transition. Obviously we went a little cold offensively, but we didn’t respond defensively the way we needed to when the shots aren’t falling.”


    On McCollum’s score to take lead late:

    “It was a great move. He split the double team, it kind of opened up for him. It was a good and-one. I could see in his eyes and my eyes, we were debating whether to call a timeout or not. It looked like he was okay. He made a good read.”



    Were you surprised they double teamed on last possession?


    “I guess I didn’t expect that. I understand trying to get it out of one or both of their hands but it really opens up the court. It was a smart move because they knew we were holding it for the last shot. It was a gamble, but trying to get it out of either CJ or Dame’s hands is a good move.”


    On McCollum as an option in late game/one possession situations:

    “The important thing is to make basketball plays. Dame was going to have it for the last shot, they double teamed, CJ got it and CJ made the play. During the course of the fourth quarter, and they’re both in there and they have their best defender on Dame or if they’re trying to really make it difficult for Dame, having CJ take up the slack, that’s what we need. I thought in the fourth quarter we went back and forth between pick and rolls with Dame and CJ.”

    “It depends also on the situation, down one, down two, tie game. If it’s a tie game, you want to get the last shot. I think when you have it in your best player’s hands and you’re going to hold for the last shot, that’s usually your best option.”


    On Aminu playing at the four:

    “First of all, he’s very good defensively at the four. He defends the post well, he rebounds well. It allows us to switch with a spacing four man. So defensively, we’ve been very solid with him. Offensively, he’s enough of a three point threat that he does space the court. He made his first three out of four, so that threat makes it easier for everybody.”
     
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  2. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    DAMIAN LILLARD

    On having a guy like McCollum as an option in late game situations like that:

    “It’s huge. Not that we didn’t have it in the past, but just a guy that can get trapped, be in control of the ball, get out of it, make a play putting the ball on the floor, get to the rim and finish through contact, make the free throw and have confidence in that situation and not be rattled by it – it’s huge. It gives our team balance. It takes pressure off of me, because I’m dribbling the ball thinking I’m going to get the last shot of the game, and I see his guy looking at me, hesitating like he’s going to come and I had no problem swinging the ball to him. I think that’s great for our team. Like I’ve said earlier this season, it’s fun to watch when he gets going and some of the things he can do.”
     
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  3. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    CJ MCCOLLUM

    On last possession:

    “[Lillard] made the pass to me, they sent two at me and kind of denied him, and I’m looking and like uh, oh, and I was counting in my head and was like I’ve still got a little bit of time. Maybe we’re not going to get one shot but if I can split the trap I’m going to be able to get right to the rim.”

    “I knew I had a timeout if I needed to use it but once they kind of committed, they weren’t sure if they should commit all the way and once their coach said get up, I knew eventually I’d be able to kind of split the defense.”



    On leaning in to get foul on last bucket:


    “Oh yeah, for sure. He’s so long and athletic I knew he was going to try to block it, so kind of slowed down my steps and I took that last step on the inside, plant off the inside foot and just finish strong.”


    Did you feel pressure in fourth quarter?

    “No, I didn’t feel any pressure, I just felt like they played better than us to come back and that’s what they did. We didn’t get stops when we needed them. We didn’t do a lot of things well, but we did enough toward the end of the game to withstand their run and finish them off.”
     
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  4. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    HEAD COACH BRETT BROWN

    On how close the game was:

    “You walk away feeling like we could’ve stole a win on the road. I’m thrilled with their effort, I think they showed a side that they’ve been showing and we got back in the game and had a chance to knock somebody off on their home court with a very unlikely group because of multiple injuries. Richaun (Holmes) went down, T.J. (McConnell) went down, Sonny (Weems) went down and you start to think about Nerlens (Noel) and so you’re just doing it by committee, you’re doing it in different ways and I’m proud of our effort.”



    On how they almost pulled off a comeback win:


    “I think that throughout the course of the year when you lose at the rate we have lost, teams can do two things. You can disintegrate and go into separate places, a bunch of violence or you can come together and our group stays together. We have professional spirited practices, video sessions, strength and condition sessions and we just keep trying to get better day by day. That’s not real sexy but it’s true, it’s what we do. In March and almost April we’re still able to stay together, this is very un-NBA to me, that locker room and the way they practice. Nobody is finger pointing, everyone wishes well upon each other and the group is able to put out an effort like that because of that.”



    On Jerami Grant’s last foul shots:


    “We set up a play to get a catch shot 3. You knew that if it came in they were going to whack Jerami and we didn’t get that done. Then when Jerami missed his first free throw we had no real choice but to hit it off the rim and try to go grab a rebound for a 3 point margin because I had no more timeouts. It’s something that we’ll learn from.”
     
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  5. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    ISH SMITH

    On if he thought they had the game sealed up against the Trail Blazers:

    “I think I can go all the way back to the last 11 or 12 games where we thought we had it sealed up but it’s a learning experience as crazy as that sounds. You gotta learn how to win. It’s tough to win in the NBA and that’s a really good team, probably going to get into the playoffs. We played good basketball tonight, but, again, a loss is a loss. You chalk it up on the loss column and it doesn’t get any easier. One night I get Damian Lillard, the next night I get Stephen Curry. It doesn’t get any easier, but I thought we had it tonight. We played well. We played hard. We just didn’t do some things down the stretch closing out.”



    On getting over his slump:


    “For me, you gotta just keep going. You’ll figure it out later. I wasn’t too down on myself. Like I told you earlier this year, I think my family loves me, my girlfriend loves me so I’m not doing too bad. I don’t get too down with slumps and stuff like that. It does feel good to play a little bit better.”



    On how the team keeps its spirits up post loss:


    “I think because we’re young, we don’t know. When you have youth, it just doesn’t mount on you. That’s the beauty of it. I’m still relatively young, but for the most part, we don’t allow it to get to us. We continue to push the team and press the team to fight. We got a lot of high character guys on this team and I love playing with these guys. I’m just looking to enjoy these last nine games and have fun with them as much as I can because who knows with all of us being on the court at the same time next year. So, we just gotta enjoy it now. I would say our youth allows us not to be bothered by it.”
     
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  6. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    TEAM

    • Portland has won 13 of its past 15 games played at the Moda Center (three straight).

    • Over their past 41 games, the Trail Blazers are now 23-1 when leading at the half, and 2-15 when trailing after two quarters. Portland led Philadelphia by eight points at halftime tonight (57-49).

    • The Trail Blazers improve to 30-7 when leading after three quarters (20-3 at home).

    • The Trail Blazers have won seven of their past 10 games against the 76ers.

    • Portland has defeated Philadelphia in five of its past six contests played at the Moda Center.

    • Five Portland players scored in double figures, marking the sixth consecutive game in which at least five Trail Blazers have tallied 10+ points.
     
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  7. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    PLAYER

    • Al-Farouq Aminu matched his career-high with 20 points scored (11/9/10, LAC at NO).

    • Ed Davis’s lone offensive rebound gave him 200 on the season. He is the second player in the NBA to reach 200 offensive rebounds as a reserve (Enes Kanter, OKC).

    • CJ McCollum is the 11th different NBA player to record 25+ points, 5+ assists and 5+ steals in a game this season.

    • CJ McCollum scored 25 points, marking the 36th game this season in which he has scored at least 20 points. Portland is 21-15 when McCollum scores 20+ points.

    • CJ McCollum tied his career-high with five steals (12/7/15 at MIL).

    • Maurice Harkless logged 16 points, and has now scored 10+ points in five of his six starts this season (three straight).

    • Gerald Henderson scored 11 points, and has now scored in double figures in 10 of his past 13 games against the 76ers.

    • Damian Lillard (16) and CJ McCollum (25) outscored Philadelphia’s starting backcourt, 41-23, marking the 13th time in the past 16 games that they have outscored the opposing starting backcourt.
     
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  8. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

    • Philadelphia’s Hollis Thompson scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter on 4-of-7 shooting (4-6 3-PT). Thompson has now scored 14+ points in a career-high seven straight games.

    • Ish Smith (17 pts, 14 reb, 9 ast) finished one assist shy of a double-double. He recorded his first double-double since Jan. 20, 2016 at Orlando. Smith’s 14 rebounds is a new career-high (9, four times).
     
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  9. Draco

    Draco Well-Known Member

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    Maybe he can become the 3rd scorer we need?

    Had some great drives to the rim tonight.
     
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  10. Draco

    Draco Well-Known Member

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    Odd definition of a double double.
     
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