Steve Clifford Press Conference 1/9
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00:00 spoke a little bit about some of the overtime,
00:02 beginning of overtime execution last night.
00:05 When you look back at the film from the game,
00:07 just was there anything else that stood out to you
00:09 in particular?
00:11 Um, I mean, just, you know, to be honest,
00:15 as you know, we played, you know,
00:17 overall we played a good defensive game,
00:22 you know, a game that, to be honest,
00:24 you need to win with.
00:25 But we did make a lot of mistakes
00:29 that led to them getting the ball into the paint.
00:31 You know, our individual defense,
00:32 which has been a lot better lately, wasn't as good.
00:36 Our high pick and roll defense,
00:38 which in Chicago had been really good, wasn't as good.
00:41 You know, we gave up, you know, two, you know,
00:44 pretty easy coverage mistakes
00:46 in the last four and a half minutes of regulation on rolls,
00:50 you know, which we'd been really good at.
00:52 So, you know, that was really what we just focused on upstairs.
00:58 And a quick follow-up, you've spoken a little bit
01:01 in the last few days about how the defense
01:02 has been playing better.
01:04 And I know one of the early season,
01:06 earlier in the season issues was the fouling.
01:08 Is that something you feel like is improving a little bit?
01:11 I think that's the number.
01:12 I mean, you know, like we're improving gradually
01:15 with a lot of the things, but that's the number one thing.
01:17 You know, we were so bad fouling early in the year.
01:20 I think we were like 27th or 28th.
01:23 And then this last stretch of games against,
01:26 you know, we're playing, you know, really like,
01:29 really, you know, the elite offensive teams
01:32 is we're like fifth or sixth.
01:34 So it makes, you know, it makes a huge difference.
01:38 I mean, as you guys know, I know I tell you this before,
01:41 but getting to the free throw line
01:43 is by far the best offensive possession that you can have.
01:46 So obviously, when you're fouling people
01:49 and they're at the line, you're going to lose.
01:51 And so we have become better with that.
01:55 Thank you.
01:57 But what was your main message to the guys today at practice?
02:00 What did you want to convey to them after the game last night
02:03 and kind of what you guys have moving forward here this week?
02:05 Yeah, I think the effort was, look, terrific.
02:10 You know, I applaud them for the effort,
02:12 but we've got to get back to being in the details,
02:14 you know, so I love the way offensively,
02:19 you know, the first half was somewhat of a struggle.
02:24 You know, the way they play has made it hard on us.
02:27 You know, they really make an attempt
02:30 to take Terry out of the game.
02:32 They really shut down the paint.
02:34 They do a good job with it.
02:36 And, yeah, in the second half,
02:39 I think we had 63 or 64 points,
02:42 you know, where the ball was moving better.
02:44 We had better pace.
02:46 And obviously, Terry was just lights out.
02:49 I mean, just terrific, you know.
02:53 And so that's the offensive side.
02:56 The defensive side, again, I mean,
02:57 we played a good defensive game,
03:00 but we just made a bunch of mistakes
03:02 that are going to cost you.
03:04 So, yeah, my overall message was effort's great,
03:09 but we just have to be more detailed.
03:12 Yeah, I think even Myles, after the game,
03:13 mentioned last night about mistakes.
03:16 He actually himself pointed a finger
03:18 at himself about mistakes.
03:19 I mean, as a coach, you're obviously short-handed,
03:23 but how do you balance guys making mistakes
03:26 without obviously doing what you want to do out there
03:28 because you don't have the guys you need right now,
03:30 bodies-wise?
03:31 Yeah, I mean, no, I mean, like, I think that,
03:36 you know, my point to our guys is this, you know.
03:39 In this league, this is a Van Gundy-ism,
03:43 is how you play is equally important to who you're playing.
03:47 And, you know, that's what we have to be locked in on
03:51 right now, not, you know, obviously the opponents
03:54 and their strengths and things like that,
03:57 but we have to play well.
03:58 You know, we have to have a game,
04:00 a way that we play that we're committed to.
04:02 You know, the fouling that Sam just brought up
04:05 is a good example of that.
04:07 If we can become a team for the rest of the year
04:10 where we're top five in not fouling,
04:13 our defense becomes infinitely better
04:15 without doing anything else.
04:17 And there are other aspects of the game that are like that.
04:21 You know, our first, I was just looking at stuff
04:23 the analytic guys gave me, and, you know,
04:26 our first 10 games of the year, which was without Miles,
04:29 we were like ninth in offense.
04:31 But you guys might remember, we were living in the paint.
04:34 You know, we were, the ball was hitting the paint.
04:37 I think we were second in the NBA.
04:39 And, you know, obviously without all those guys,
04:43 you know, we're struggling to consistently
04:45 get in the ball and the paint.
04:47 So I do think there are other aspects of offense
04:50 that we're getting better at.
04:52 But as we get guys back, it's still,
04:55 this league is inside out, you know.
04:57 That ball's got to be going to the basket,
05:00 and we've got to get back to that.
05:01 So to me, that's more what we focus on.
05:05 Look, attitude is attitude.
05:08 Our guy, look, I know this, our guys are playing hard.
05:11 They're into it.
05:13 They know that you've got to be resilient in this league.
05:17 You know, listen, come on, in your life, right,
05:18 you've got to be able to handle disappointment,
05:20 frustration, whatever, and move on.
05:23 And with that, I think our internal leadership
05:25 from our players to our younger players has been great,
05:29 you know.
05:30 But also, last night, we can do it one of two ways.
05:34 This is what I told them.
05:35 I can come in and say, "Great job playing hard,"
05:37 or I can say, "Good job playing hard,
05:39 but we need to play better," you know,
05:41 because that was obviously a very winnable game.
05:45 And then this last thing, as you mentioned at the game,
05:47 about Brandon Miller being a little bit sick,
05:49 how is he today? Does he feel a little bit better?
05:51 Do you think maybe he'll be able to go tomorrow?
05:53 It's too early, kind of just where he's at with his sickness.
05:56 Yeah, he said he felt better. He's been sick now for,
05:58 you know, on that trip, Rod, as you know, you were there.
06:02 I mean, that went through a lot of the travel party.
06:05 I mean, Terry was super sick.
06:07 We had other guys.
06:08 Brandon has been sick here for a few days.
06:10 So I think there's a lot of guys that wouldn't play.
06:16 Brandon's team first wants to be out there.
06:19 He gave a great effort, and he said he felt better today.
06:22 So hopefully he's getting by it.
06:25 Thanks, Cliff.
06:28 Hey, Steve.
06:29 You discussed about the better individual defense recently.
06:33 Reflecting over the full course of the season,
06:35 what do you feel contributes to that inconsistency,
06:38 you know, from the start to now?
06:40 What do you think the major kind of change points within that?
06:43 Yeah, so I think that it's, you know,
06:48 so much of guarding the ball.
06:50 You know, some guys just have a general feel for it, right,
06:53 an instinct for it.
06:55 But a lot of it, as much as any other part of defense,
06:58 there's technique involved, you know?
07:01 You know, how much cushion you can handle, how quick you are,
07:06 how quick your opponent is, what his strengths are.
07:09 And there's a certain amount of technique involved.
07:12 So even as great as the players in our league are,
07:15 some of them, when they come back after the offseason,
07:20 obviously they all work hard on their individual skills,
07:22 but the closeouts and containing the ball
07:25 isn't something those guys are working on.
07:27 So it's a phase of the game for me that for most guys,
07:32 you're starting at ground zero every year.
07:35 And, you know, last year, for instance,
07:38 I mean, we started closing out better,
07:40 containing the ball better, maybe game 50-55,
07:43 and it made a big difference.
07:44 We do work on that a lot.
07:47 I think most NBA teams do because with the nature
07:50 of our game, five out, four out, one in,
07:53 is you've got to be able to --
07:55 you're not going to be able to stop the ball
07:57 all the time in our league, but you can't get blown by.
08:00 And if you don't play with a certain degree of technique,
08:03 it's going to be hard to not do that.
08:06 -And reflecting on the start of the last couple of seasons,
08:08 obviously the struggles defensively the last two years,
08:11 is there anything you think, you know, looking forward
08:13 that you would change that approach again,
08:15 or do you think it's just up to the players
08:17 to try and pick up on those things
08:18 as they gain more experience,
08:20 become a little bit more mature into the league?
08:23 -Yeah, I mean, I think this is, to be honest,
08:28 you know, our staff is really yet to coach the team
08:31 that we came here to coach, you know?
08:33 And so, look, everything is dictated
08:36 to a certain degree by personnel.
08:38 The job of the coaching staff, and particularly the head coach,
08:41 is to maximize that roster.
08:43 And I feel like now,
08:47 particularly when we get these guys back,
08:49 like, for instance, since Cody Martins comes back,
08:53 you know, our defense has gotten infinitely better.
08:57 When Mark Williams gets back, it'll get better again.
09:00 You know, that's just kind of how this works.
09:02 So, Gordon comes back.
09:04 He helps both offense and defense, too.
09:07 So, I think that a lot of it is, you know,
09:12 we haven't had all our guys, you know?
09:15 And I do think that when we have a full roster,
09:18 I think that we can be good on offense,
09:20 defense, and rebounding.
09:23 -Thank you. -Good?
09:27 -Thanks. -Thank you.
09:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]