Exclusive GAME# 20: PACERS @ BLAZERS - NOVEMBER 30, 2016 - Quote Book!

HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS

“It was certainly good to get a win. I was really pleased with our defense in the first and third quarters particularly. I liked the attitude that we came out with. I was disappointed that we kind of got into exchanging baskets there a little bit in the second quarter, but offensively it was a really good game. 29 assists is pretty impressive. We did a lot of good things.”


When was the last time you had a half like first half offensively?

“I don’t know, you tell me. The offense was really good. Then CJ got it going in the third quarter. I think he had 15 in the third quarter, so there were a lot of good things offensively obviously.”


You mentioned the attitude you played with in 1st and third, how would you describe that?

“Kind of determined. Just the task of playing better defense. I just thought their mindset was they knew how important it was that we made strides defensively. It seemed like that’s where their minds were at.”


What have you liked from Harkless offensively lately?

“Well, a little bit of everything. Obviously he’s shooting the three well, he’s taking the ball to the basket, he gets offensive rebounds. He’s an opportunistic player. I don’t run a lot of plays for him, he just finds his way and finds opportunities for himself.”


Is this the type of performance you expect from this team?

“I don’t know, I mean I don’t want to go overboard on this game because I think after two days of practice, it was good to come out and shoot like that and have a first quarter. It’s not a sigh of relief right now, we still have work to do. Our challenge is to be a consistent team and that’s been our challenge from the beginning.”


Pacers force a lot of turnovers but just 7 tonight, did you do anything to get ready for their defense?

“No, I thought we made really good decisions. You could see in the fourth quarter when they made a little run that they got into us a little bit more and to have four turnovers in the first half and three in the second was a big part of it. That was our biggest concern probably coming into a game where their steals and the turnovers that they force – we took very good care of the ball.”


MASON PLUMLEE
How would you describe the defense?

“Better. Better, still working obviously. I thought initially, our first quarter defense was good and then you know, we just have to continue to get better possession by possession and game by game.”


On offense tonight:

“When our defense was good enough to force turnovers or get long rebounds, we really got out and ran and just had a good flow to the offense. I think anytime you get layups, it helps everybody’s confidence, so the offense was free flowing tonight and that felt good.”


On scoring balance:

“I think we should trend toward this. I mean, the game looked easier for the guys who score a lot regularly, it looked easier for guys who play off of them, and I thought Evan came in and played great tonight. He just gave us a huge lift and A.C. did as well. So the starters, the bench – it was a collective effort and for us to be a good team, it’s going to have to be that way.”


What did you like in particular about the defense?

“I think we just were solid for the most part. We didn’t gamble. We did what we said we were going to do in shoot around. As long as we do that, I think the other four guys expect you to do that, the staff expects it, then there’s a little trust between the guys on the floor, the bench and all that.”

 

HEAD COACH NATE McMILLAN

When did it become clear to you that you guys didn’t have it on defense?


Well, I mean, the whole game. We just couldn’t run with them. They did a good job of running their sets and moving the ball from side to side. They had a 42 point quarter, 30 point first quarter, 42 point second quarter. Really, we never established ourselves defensively against this team, and we thought it took a toll on the offensive part of the floor. We couldn’t run with them tonight.


Problems defending Damian Lillard and Blazer offense:


We never controlled the ball, and when you don’t control the ball with a team like Portland, who shoots the ball as well as they do, you know, their 3-point range, mid-range game… they had everything going. 58 points in the paint. In that first half, really, we didn’t control anything. They were getting to the paint, they were throwing lobs. They were kicking out to the three point line, knocking down 3’s. We really never ever controlled the ball, and when you’re not controlling the ball like that with a team that gets off to a hot shooting night is going to be a long night for you.


Was this a discouraging loss after playing well on Sunday?


The thing we need to understand is everyone is going to get better. We’re going to see teams even better than what we saw tonight because you’re getting into December. The month of November is basically teams trying to feel each other out and get the chemistry and establish themselves. We’re in that same boat, and we have to start to, you know, when we play games like we did our last 2 games, show improvement. Night in and night out. Again, it seemed like we took a step back tonight. Wasn’t defending, offensive execution wasn’t there, and I think I was more concerned about the offense than coming out here and defending tonight.



AARON BROOKS

On whether the Blazers did anything offensively that surprised him:

“Nothing surprising, they just executed their offense. They just kept the lead that they established in the beginning of the game. We fought back to make it somewhat close and get their starters back in the game, but we exerted so much energy. We’ve just got to get off to better starts.”

On how surprising their performance was on defense:

“They executed their offense. Against them you’ve got to be ready play and we just came out flat at the beginning of the game. If we don’t want to keep teetering around .500, we’re going to have to string something together.”

On whether he thinks they need to be methodical on offense:

“We just have to have energy. We have to have flow, we have to get to the middle and kick out… we just have to be aggressive, but smart. I don’t care what offense you run, if you don’t run at full speed it doesn’t matter.”



JOE YOUNG

On what they have to fix defensively:

“Really, I feel like it’s our offense. When everybody’s not getting their shots off or hitting their shots, it effects their mindset on defense. We’ve just got to keep working. I feel like we’re going to make a good run and we’re doing a good job.”

On whether he likes coming back to Oregon:

“Oh yeah. Coming back to Oregon is one of the most fun things I get to do. Just to come back and see my fans and people that support me. I love Oregon.”

On how much he’s keeping tabs on the U of O basketball team:

“I know that they lost a couple games at the beginning, but coach Altman is all about adversity. He doesn’t care about the beginning of the season, it’s all about how you finish. I know they’re going to make a big run.”

 

Postgame Notes - Nov. 30, 2016
Portland 131, Indiana 109
Game #20 • Home Game #10

• The Trail Blazers have now won five consecutive games against the Pacers, and are 8-0 over the past eight contests between these two teams at the Moda Center.
• Portland scored a season-high 131 points, and has now scored at least 114 points in four consecutive games for the first time since March 2-9, 1994. The Trail Blazers have surpassed the century mark in scoring in 18 of their 20 games this season (eight straight).
• Portland improves to 5-2 over its past seven games at the Moda Center this season.
• Six different Trail Blazers players scored in double figures, matching a season-high. Portland is now 4-0 this season when at least six players score 10 or more points.
• Damian Lillard scored a team-high 28 points for Portland on 11-of-18 shooting, and became the first player to record 28+ points, 10+ assists and 4+ steals in a game this season.
• Damian Lillard (28 points, 10 assists) recorded his team-high fourth double-double of the season. Lillard has three double-doubles over his past four contests.
• Maurice Harkless scored 23 points, tying his best scoring effort as a Trail Blazer (10/27/16 vs. LAC).
• Maurice Harkless has now scored at least 20 points three times in 20 games this season, after doing so once in 78 contests last year.
• Maurice Harkless has scored at least 15 points in three straight games for the first time as a Trail Blazer. Harkless has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games, his longest such streak with Portland.
• Evan Turner finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting (1-1 3-PT), and has now scored in double figures and shot at least 50.0% in five of Portland’s past six contests (two straight).
• Evan Turner has now scored in double figures in seven of his past 10 games, after reaching 10+ points three times in his first 10 contests.
• CJ McCollum scored 15 of his 19 points in the third quarter on 5-of-8 shooting (2-3 3-PT, 3-3 FT).
• With his first free throw tonight, Damian Lillard surpassed Kiki Vandeweghe for 10th on Portland’s all-time list (1,548 FT).
• Portland’s 22-point victory (131-109) over Indiana represents its largest margin of victory this season (20, 11/20 at Bkn.).
• Portland’s 73 points scored in the first half represents the team’s highest point total in any half this season (70, first half at Bkn. on Nov. 20).
• Portland’s 109 points through the first three quarters represents its highest point total entering the fourth quarter in 20 games this season (100, 11/25 vs. New Orleans).
• The Trail Blazers made 12 three-pointers tonight, and have now made at least 12 threes in each of the past four games. Portland has made 12 or more three-pointers 13 times this season, tied with Houston for most such games in the NBA.