1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:00,760 Speaker 1: Houston Rockets. 2 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 2: He may dunking Rockets taking on the Spurs tonight eight thirty, 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,240 which could be either eight forty two or eight forty 4 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,359 seven depending on TV. Then tomorrow night will be in 5 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,400 Atlanta to take on the Hawks. Coaches with us here. 6 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,199 Do you get the guys prepared ever so differently because 7 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,239 of the late start or is it just the naps 8 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,640 go a little bit longer in the afternoon. 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,399 Speaker 3: No, we try to keep the schedule pretty much the same. 10 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,839 We don't push back, shoot around anything. I think guys 11 00:00:25,879 --> 00:00:28,600 are in their routines and more than anything to your 12 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,199 point to give it as the next hour or so 13 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:31,320 to relax and get ready. 14 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,039 Speaker 1: Uh, talk about routines? 15 00:00:34,359 --> 00:00:36,799 Speaker 2: What is the one thing that does bother a team 16 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,560 you've coached on how long enough you were a player, 17 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,920 you were an assistant coach? What makes routines, I guess 18 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,479 for anybody important. But why NBA players are so fixated 19 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,359 on on an hour by hour basis. 20 00:00:48,719 --> 00:00:50,359 Speaker 3: I think you've once you've been doing it for a 21 00:00:50,399 --> 00:00:52,439 certain amount of time, you just get in that mode 22 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,960 of you know when to wake up, when to take 23 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,679 your nap, with when to eat and kind of everything set, 24 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,920 especially on game days, first basepecific times, and you know 25 00:01:02,039 --> 00:01:04,439 that's the game game day routine that a lot of 26 00:01:04,439 --> 00:01:06,760 guys stick by. And when you get thrown off, whether 27 00:01:06,799 --> 00:01:09,640 it's that time or something happens in the afternoon, a 28 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,640 lot of guys rhythm and timing and clock gets kind 29 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,040 of thrown off. So you try to keep it as 30 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,599 much as similar as possible. And that's why we didn't 31 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,159 move anything around, even though we're starting a little bit 32 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:19,680 later tonight. 33 00:01:20,079 --> 00:01:22,159 Speaker 2: My assumption is that Alpi didn't go to you directly 34 00:01:22,159 --> 00:01:24,840 before the game and say, santil Domi's going to guard me, 35 00:01:25,159 --> 00:01:26,840 so let me have the ball as much as I can, 36 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,000 because that was as efficient as he's been as a 37 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:29,799 Houston Rocket. 38 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean they did the same thing last game. 39 00:01:33,799 --> 00:01:35,319 You know, a lot of teams want to put bigger 40 00:01:35,359 --> 00:01:40,280 bodies on I'm in and so Jared Jackson Junior guarded him. 41 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,920 Alpi was guarded by Aldam Alaska, and we saw some 42 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,640 things that worked well in Memphis, but you know they're 43 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,599 going to try to plug lane with Jared Jackson being 44 00:01:48,599 --> 00:01:51,159 the weakside help. And you know, Alpert made great passes 45 00:01:51,159 --> 00:01:54,120 but also got the ball a really deep scoring position 46 00:01:54,359 --> 00:01:55,640 before the double team could get there. 47 00:01:57,319 --> 00:02:00,159 Speaker 2: You mentioned a man career highness sis he had fourteen 48 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,560 scoring numbers have dropped a little bit coincidental or has 49 00:02:03,599 --> 00:02:06,680 it become a little bit of Hey, he's becoming even 50 00:02:06,879 --> 00:02:09,080 better facilitator than he was, maybe even before the start 51 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:09,639 of the season. 52 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 3: No, he's definitely grown in that area. I think he 53 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,319 missed some shots he would usually make. You know, he 54 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,439 went three for ten there. But you know, honestly, could 55 00:02:18,439 --> 00:02:20,520 Tony assists if we if we knock down some open 56 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,560 shots earlier in the game before we finally started making 57 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,560 them later. But I think him getting downhill, he's starting 58 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,400 to see the court better. He had some really nice passes, 59 00:02:29,439 --> 00:02:31,360 you know, one to Kevin on the back door, a 60 00:02:31,479 --> 00:02:34,159 drop off or two to Alpie and then you know 61 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,960 some some kickouts off off of penetration, so you're seeing 62 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,719 the floor better. You know, he's that's a balance that 63 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,520 he has to strike all year. Is wanted to be 64 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,280 aggressive getting downhill and get to the basket, or when 65 00:02:45,319 --> 00:02:47,680 he has to read and make plays, and like I said, 66 00:02:47,759 --> 00:02:50,080 Jared Jackson Junior is sitting back clogging the lane off 67 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:51,919 of him. He ate up a lot of that space 68 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,719 that helped still came and then he made the right play. 69 00:02:54,159 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 4: Rocket Tech coach Imadoka was here on Sports Talk seven 70 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,120 ninety Tarry Eason just tell us how well obviously he's 71 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,439 been shooting well from three and the things you liked 72 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:05,199 you're seeing from him. 73 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,719 Speaker 1: Keeping him in the starting lineup, it's. 74 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,319 Speaker 3: A you know, a big part of it was him 75 00:03:10,319 --> 00:03:13,960 coming off the injury restrictions with the ankle, and so 76 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,120 we want to ramp him back up. He's gotten those 77 00:03:17,159 --> 00:03:19,800 games under his belt now and you know, it doesn't 78 00:03:20,199 --> 00:03:22,400 take a lot to see how effective he was and 79 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,680 we were when he was starting before he went out 80 00:03:24,719 --> 00:03:27,800 with the ankle, and so like to have two really good, 81 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:29,840 lengthy defenders out there him and I'm in or that 82 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,599 Josh is that when he's out and Dorian getting his 83 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,240 way back in now. So I think they're formidable as 84 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,240 far as that. They did a really good job on 85 00:03:37,319 --> 00:03:40,199 Spencer and Coward. You know, two young guys who were 86 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,240 really playing well for Memphis, and so you see their 87 00:03:42,319 --> 00:03:44,360 numbers across the board, and we'll look for them to 88 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:45,680 do the same thing tonight with the Spurs. 89 00:03:45,719 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 4: Guys, what is it like playing the Spurs. It's not 90 00:03:48,159 --> 00:03:51,080 like you just played them, but not too many games ago. 91 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,719 Is there a little bit of cat and mouse game 92 00:03:53,759 --> 00:03:55,719 with game planning tonight or is it kind of stick 93 00:03:55,759 --> 00:03:56,439 to the same. 94 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,319 Speaker 3: Well there, back and forth, we saw some things really 95 00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:04,000 did well against Webbeama specifically, you know, to hold him 96 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,360 to five for twenty one is a great job. We 97 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,000 took away his space, We're very physical, denied a lot 98 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,120 of his catches, got him off the spot, and so 99 00:04:11,159 --> 00:04:12,960 that was a full team effort and everybody has to 100 00:04:13,039 --> 00:04:15,520 kind of be on board with that. And then you 101 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:17,480 and then i'm in did a really good job of fox. 102 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:20,120 Jabari was exceptional on Castle. 103 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: You know, only one. 104 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: Free throw forer guy that is a really good valbator, 105 00:04:23,759 --> 00:04:25,759 and forced him into eight three pointers, which is not 106 00:04:25,959 --> 00:04:28,879 necessarily his game. And so I think across the board 107 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,720 we did well to think we're gonna have to obviously 108 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:33,120 do his account for Champagnee much better. You know, he 109 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,920 got up ten threes in the first half, made six 110 00:04:34,959 --> 00:04:38,279 of them, and then Moselle being back now they're they're 111 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,000 very similar as far as that, so he got another 112 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:40,839 shooters in the mix. 113 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: Emil. I love the term valbator. It's just so good. 114 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,240 It's just the truth. 115 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,399 Speaker 2: I mean we compared to when you were playing, how 116 00:04:48,439 --> 00:04:50,360 many how often you said that phrase when you're like, 117 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:51,399 oh I got to go against this guy. 118 00:04:51,439 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: The guy's were searching for foul shots. 119 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,439 Speaker 3: I mean there was one or two guys baby in 120 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,680 the league, maybe three. It seems like there's one or 121 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:00,920 two guys on every team. 122 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: Now team, Yeah, there's no sixty. 123 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 3: Really it's really it's really different. I mean the physicality 124 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,040 of defense. Back then, if the rules were the same, 125 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:11,839 you would have fouled out every game for sure. And 126 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:13,720 so a guy that really stands out to me is 127 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,480 Kevin Martin. Great at you know, great first step and 128 00:05:17,319 --> 00:05:19,720 great had drawing that foul if he drew a little contact, 129 00:05:19,759 --> 00:05:21,519 and so playing against him a bunch and then played 130 00:05:21,519 --> 00:05:23,879 with him briefly and Sacramento saw how good he was 131 00:05:23,879 --> 00:05:25,959 with that. But back then it was you know, one 132 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,240 or two guys, and now it's a little bit of everybody. 133 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,800 So something you have to prepare for, and keeping guys 134 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,319 off the line is a major key to their success 135 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:34,439 and our team success. 136 00:05:34,759 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 2: Any final decision about who's going to sit tonight or 137 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,879 maybe tomorrow, or is that still going to play things out? 138 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,839 How things go against the Spurs before you figure out 139 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:42,839 who's going to sit and stay. 140 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 3: Oh, I mean, the only guys we really talk about 141 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:47,879 are the guys that can't play it back to backs yet, 142 00:05:47,959 --> 00:05:51,040 and we're holding Tarry out and and Dorian tomorrow. They'll 143 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:51,720 both play tonight. 144 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,399 Speaker 1: Okay, very good. A lot of back to backs. 145 00:05:55,439 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: I don't I don't know, you're not much of a 146 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:58,800 calendar looker because every time I ask you about who's playing, 147 00:05:58,839 --> 00:05:59,720 You're like, we're only like. 148 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: Two opponents ahead. 149 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 2: But is it kind of a race to the All 150 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,959 Star break to give guys as much going as you 151 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:08,879 can and then you know, look you can get that 152 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:10,800 rest and that we're about the counter once that mid 153 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:11,720 season break starts. 154 00:06:13,319 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think. You know, for us, it's back to 155 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,279 back each week the rest of the way. And so 156 00:06:18,879 --> 00:06:20,560 you know, we didn't have a lot early, but you know, 157 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:22,519 had the have the Philly Detroit. Now we have these 158 00:06:22,519 --> 00:06:24,639 two and then next week it will be the same thing, 159 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,240 and then we finish with the Clippers back to back 160 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,120 at home, and so for us, it's finding that balance. 161 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,040 You know a bunch of games three and four nights 162 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,800 of back to backs, but you know, getting guys back healthy. 163 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,800 Getting guys off minute restrictions definitely helps, and they're relying 164 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,199 on your debt, you know. Obviously, Kevin and I'm in 165 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,480 their shouldering the load with the minutes, but I want 166 00:06:42,519 --> 00:06:44,639 to save those down as much as possible. Any time 167 00:06:44,639 --> 00:06:46,079 you get a chance to wrestle those guys, get a 168 00:06:46,079 --> 00:06:48,079 comfortable win, it would definitely be beneficial. 169 00:06:48,319 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: I love the Detroit game because it was a back 170 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,360 to back, it was a win, tough flight, whatever the 171 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,240 case be, getting in midl of the night there. How 172 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,040 many times are you going to see a team like 173 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,639 Detroit over the course of the season. And I don't 174 00:06:57,639 --> 00:06:59,519 know if it's necessarily East versus West, because there's some 175 00:06:59,519 --> 00:07:02,040 physical team obvious in the West. But that was kind 176 00:07:02,079 --> 00:07:04,120 of a little bit more of an old school approach 177 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,040 to playing a basketball game, where it was not necessarily 178 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,240 a fifteen round boxing fight, but it was certainly, even 179 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,240 in the perimeter, a very physical contest. 180 00:07:13,839 --> 00:07:17,319 Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean, we've established ourselves as the most physical, 181 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,360 if not one of them, in the last few years, 182 00:07:20,399 --> 00:07:23,120 and so we want to maintain that identity while growing 183 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,360 and improving in other areas and understanding the success that's 184 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,120 brought us over the last years and then Detroit has 185 00:07:29,439 --> 00:07:31,759 somewhat done the same thing. The personnel is definitely that, 186 00:07:31,959 --> 00:07:35,800 and I think bigger staff is kind of getting those 187 00:07:35,839 --> 00:07:37,399 guys on the same page as far as that. But 188 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,839 you look at Duran, you look at Stewart, you look 189 00:07:39,879 --> 00:07:43,439 at some of their guys, their natural physical guys and defenders, 190 00:07:43,439 --> 00:07:46,040 and so they bought into that and it's been successful 191 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:47,879 for them as well out on the East, and so 192 00:07:48,519 --> 00:07:50,079 you knew that game was going to be somewhat that. 193 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,279 I think both teams enjoy that, enjoyed playing that way, 194 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:55,319 and we got the better of them this time. They 195 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,519 got the better of us early at home this year. 196 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 4: One week and change away from trade deadline. Of course, 197 00:08:01,199 --> 00:08:03,079 we know Steven Adams out for a link of time. 198 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,800 Are you in content constant contact with Rafel as far 199 00:08:06,879 --> 00:08:09,519 as regards to trades or more focus on what's happening 200 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:09,959 on the court. 201 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,279 Speaker 3: No, we definitely talk, and you don't meet with you know, 202 00:08:14,319 --> 00:08:16,600 every few days a week, especially around this time, and 203 00:08:16,639 --> 00:08:19,439 so more so than anything, you know, people are checking 204 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,600 in and very interested in a lot of our pieces, 205 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,360 and so it's more adapt than anything. I think he's 206 00:08:24,399 --> 00:08:27,199 just touching base with people and Obviously people are reaching 207 00:08:27,199 --> 00:08:29,079 out with a lot more interest in us than we 208 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:29,920 do in other people. 209 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: Do you ever respond back new phone? Who it is? 210 00:08:34,399 --> 00:08:37,639 Speaker 3: And I don't get the calls anyway, Like. 211 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,519 Speaker 2: Cal Rafel, A good time for you, hey, you may, 212 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,399 thank you for the time, Good luck tonight and we 213 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,320 will see at the arena for the game against his Purst. 214 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,840 Looking forward to it. Thank you you got a hemay 215 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:48,080 a Doker with us here on the show.