TRAIL BLAZERS HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTSRE: Overall thoughts on tonight’s game“I liked our defense the most. Particularly the first half, but throughout the game, to limit their transition points, to limit their attempts at the rim, their points in the paint... They made some jump shots, but we rebounded the ball well. Defensively, I thought [we were] as solid as we‟ve been all preseason.”
RE: Trail Blazers’ big man play“Very effective. I thought Chris [Kaman] has just been solid all preseason scoring and rebounding the ball. Robin [Lopez] was steady as he always is. I was really pleased with the way Joel [Freeland] and Meyers [Leonard] played off the bench. Joel did a good job defensively initially when he was guarding Blake [Griffin]. He got caught underneath one time, but otherwise, he was effective. Meyers, I was glad to see him. He was actually effective defensively with his talking and his communicating, but it was good that he hit shots, took shots and played with confidence.”
RE: Defending the rim“For us, [our goal is] limiting the number of attempts at the rim and a big part of that is transition. The Clippers have always been a very good transition team, so that was a big part of keeping their attention away from the rim. The other thing is put backs. We talked mainly about the first half and their offensive rebounds. I think they only had a couple at the half. Those two areas really limited their attempts at the rim, and then I thought in pick-and-rolls, we didn‟t let their big guys get behind us where they could catch and finish at the rim.”
ROBIN LOPEZRE: Sharing the floor with center Chris Kaman“It‟s great playing with Chris [Kaman] on the floor. It‟s a bit of a different look than playing with LaMarcus [Aldridge], but any time you‟re playing with a really smart player out there, it makes it a lot easier on you.”
RE: Clippers addition of center Spencer Hawes“Spencer [Hawes] is a versatile player. He‟s good on both blocks and he‟s good around the three-point line. Anytime you have that, it‟s tough to guard.”
RE: Clippers forward Blake Griffin’s jump shot“When Blake [Griffin] is knocking down that jumper, that makes him very hard to guard.”
CHRIS KAMANRE: Thoughts on performance tonight“I did alright. I was just trying to figure out where I‟m going to fit in and how it‟s all going to work. I‟ve just trying to be patient and when I do have the opportunity to assert myself, take advantage of what I‟ve got. So far, I feel like I‟ve played pretty good in the preseason. I‟d like to keep that going into the regular season.”
RE: Growth of Clippers center DeAndre Jordan“I think the biggest thing for DeAndre [Jordan] that people don‟t realize, is how talented he really is because he gets to do the dirty work, and that‟s his role here. He‟s accepted and embraced that role. I think that if he continues to do that, he‟s going to be even better for this team. He doesn‟t get enough credit sometimes for what he‟s capable of and what he does. Has to somewhat just play defense and not really focus on offense except for rebounds and put backs. It takes away from part of your game and everything that you work so hard on. I know he cares about that. Him embracing his role is probably going to be essential for them to be successful, because he‟s so good at blocking shots and rebounding and protecting the paint. I‟m happy for him. He‟s come a long way since I remember him as a rookie.”
RE: Impact of Clippers forward Blake Griffin’s jump shot on defenses“He [Blake Griffin]‟s still working. Blake is a hard worker. That‟s one thing I remember and know about Blake. He‟s a hard worker and he‟s really done a great job there. So he‟s put himself in a good position and I think he‟s got to prove consistency before teams will start to play him a little more honestly out there. Once he gets that jumper, it will open up the rest of the game for him, because it will stretch the floor and he can go to the hole and beat people because he does have a quick first step, but people play so far off him because he doesn‟t shoot the ball that well. Once he shows that he possesses that and is capable of that, then I think it‟s going to open a lot up for him.”
MEYERS LEONARDRE: Performance tonight“I felt good out there. My teammates and coaches have confidence in me to shoot the ball. [I have a] total green light, obviously within the flow of the game depending on who I‟m out there with. I‟ve just got to keep going offensively and continue to mature on the defensive end and with rebounding.”
RE: Improvement on the court“Comfort level, both offensively and defensively [have been important to me]. I‟ve improved in both areas via practice and just playing hard and playing within the flow of the game. I‟ve always had a pretty good touch, but now [I have] more aggression and more confidence and I‟m knocking some shots down. I think I‟m able to help this team by spacing the floor. I just have to gain [my team‟s] trust on the defensive end mainly.”
RE: Three-point shooting“Yes, absolutely, [I have been given approval to shoot three-point shots], but like I said, within the flow of the game. If someone else is hot, I‟m clearly swinging it into a ball screen or whatever occurs. Everyone, including my teammates has confidence in me to knock down threes, midrange, whatever.”
CLIPPERS HEAD COACH DOC RIVERSRE: Expectations of the regular season“We need to play better. It wasn‟t about the way that we played in the preseason. It is just about where we are going. We talked about the 82 games and how hard it will be playing in the Western Conference. Every night will be a hard night. There will not be many easy nights. You have to be mentally prepared for it. This can be a historic Western Conference this year.”
RE: Clippers getting better throughout the upcoming season“Wherever we are at the start of the year, I don‟t care if we lose the first 15 games, we better be better by game 82 then we are at the start of the year. I don‟t care how well we play, we have to grow during the season. It gets to a point when the growth turns into efficiency and that is what we need to get to.”
RE: Thoughts on the Western Conference“Every night, every team in the Western Conference knows that one loss can mean the difference in being a three-seed and a six-seed. You have to be mentally prepared for this year. I expect it to be historically hard. People keep talking about the teams that can win it. What about the teams that are just good? Utah is way better. The Pelicans are good and they have a top-five player. This is a hard conference. People sleep on Memphis but they were injured all of last year. They were a suspension and a Game 7 away from playing us in the second round. It is just hard. As good as San Antonio was, they played a Game 7 in the first round. We have to be mentally ready for that and it is a challenge. You can‟t be thinking about the finals, you have to get through this season.”
CLIPPERS GUARD CHRIS PAULRE: Thoughts on Steve Nash’s injury“Unbelievable. That was probably one of the most unfortunate things I‟ve heard, to hear about Steve [Nash]. Not only is he a two-time MVP, one of the best point guards to ever play the game, but he‟s also a great guy. A guy that, when I was in college, I used to watch all the time. I‟ll never forget – when I came into the NBA, he was the guy that I was coming after. He was the guy. I remember the night before I played him for the first time, I couldn‟t sleep. I wanted to play against him so bad. So it‟s unfortunate, and I wish him the best.”
RE: Losing the rebounding battle in every preseason game“That means we‟ve got to crack back. A lot of times the point guard is getting back on offense when the shot goes up, so myself and the other guards have got to get back and help them track some of those long rebounds.”
RE: Best takeaway from the preseason“I think we got out of it healthy, knock on wood. Everyone should be ready to go opening night, so that‟s big.”
CLIPPERS FORWARD BLAKE GRIFFINRE: Competition in the Western Conference“I‟ve had this conversation with several people: you can‟t name a single team that made the playoffs that got worse. Maybe here or there, but not really – everybody either got better or they‟re going to be just as good. We‟ve got veterans, we‟ve got eight teams that made the playoffs that are very, very good teams. That‟s what‟s going to be a lot of fun, just the competition.”
RE: Developing outside shot“I have work on [my outside shot], but at the same time, I‟m not a guard. I‟ll be in the post still. I‟ve done a lot of face-up stuff this summer, but to me that‟s still out of the post. I don‟t want to fall in love with shooting jump-shots.
RE: Mental adjustment to regular season“I don‟t think it will be too difficult of a switch. Preseason is its own thing. You want to win games, but at the same time that shift comes, and it‟s sort of an automatic thing. Not necessarily automatic, you have to work towards it and you have to have the right mindset, but hopefully it won‟t be an issue.”
CLIPPERS FORWARD DEANDRE JORDANRE: Being out rebounded every single preseason game“I feel like all preseason games are important. We have to do a better job – all positions, one through five. We can‟t get out and run and do things we‟re good at without limiting teams to one shot, hitting somebody first, and grabbing that rebound.”
RE: Preseason record being 2 wins, 6 losses“I feel like we‟re a little stagnant out there. We‟re not really doing the things we did last year to put us in the position we were to be successful last season. We just need to continue to work. Nothing will be given to us this year, especially in this tough Western Conference.”
CLIPPERS CENTER SPENCER HAWESRE: Rebounding in tonight’s game“[Rebounding] has been a point since training camp started and it has been something we have addressed. We have got to stop talking about it and start doing something about it. We have plenty of guys that are more than capable that have done it in the past. It is time to come out and start following through on the commitments we are trying to make. ”
RE: Improvements for regular season“I think we kind of pass off the [rebounding] responsibility sometimes and try to take it for granted, like, „I might not box out here, someone else is going to get it.‟ You want to be in the situation where we‟re fighting each other over rebounds, and that‟s how aggressive everyone is going at it. Obviously, we have some great athletes, but to be an elite rebounding team, it takes everybody out there being on the same page.”
RE: Assessment of preseason“I think we‟ve got a ways to go. Obviously the record would indicate that. I don‟t think we necessarily played as bad as I might say, but it is the preseason. We have got an important week of practice coming up here to get things going in the right direction. We have got to hit the ground running. We have the opportunity here starting the season with a pretty long stretch at home and we have to take advantage of that.”