Training Camp Media Availability: Coach Charles Lee, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate

Training Camp Media Availability: Coach Charles Lee, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate

identity. Yeah, I think it’s two things. It’s number one, the guy on the ball. Um I would love to see the individual pride uh just continue to be instilled in our guys. Um I think that they are such a competitive group and um I I want them to realize that that one-on-one matchup is is where our defense kind of starts um obviously after transition defense, but sitting down and just guarding your guy. And so I think we’ve worked a ton on our technique of slide steps and absorbing the dribble with our chest and our body and being a little bit more physical. And then the second part of it is our shift activity. Um I think trying to wind wind our guys up a little bit more to be a little bit more active and show bigger crowds, not allow people to get to the paint, um is going to be is going to be a big emphasis for us. I think you guys finished 19th or 20th in defense last year. Even with all of the injuries, how pleased were you with the progress you made in that area? Even with the absences, the injuries, and the offense kind of struggling the way it was, you guys were able to still make take big steps on defense. Yeah, I love the things that we did. um to grow defensively last year. Um I think that like you said, our offense struggled at time. It just shows how competitive, how resilient this group is that no matter what’s going on on the offensive end, we’re still going to sprint back. We still have a high care factor. We still have the togetherness to want to guard uh with all five guys. And so this year will bring different challenges. Um, obviously having different personnel on the floor will help us and hurt us in some other areas, but I think that as long as we are kind of sticking and committing to one another on that end of the floor, uh, we have the the the capable talent to to guard people at a high level. You mentioned defense. I guess at center we have Musa um, and Mace and then I guess Ryan as well too. Like what do you see from those guys so far? What do you want to see and how can you guys be a better team inside the paint defensively do you think this year? Yeah, I think that number one again it starts with our guys on the ball. I think it’s our shift activity and then that third layer is our bigs a lot of times and so um each big I think has shown great versatility to be able to guard different people to be in different positions on the floor and still get to a recovery and I think that the way that they protect the rim is going to be a lot different. Um, you know, Plumbley is going to do something different than what Musa does, and Ryan’s going to defend it a lot different, but at the end of the day, their mindset is to is to help us protect the paint and protect that rim. And they’ve done a really good job of communicating and figuring out um how we can all do it together. Nick, can you explain, I guess, at this point in camp the defensive principles like putting them in, is it tough for you as a coach? Uh, is something the guys grasping right away with it? How are you getting the defensive stuff in there that you want um to be acknowledged in? Yeah, it’s well that’s the great thing about camp. Um we we have a little bit more time now. Uh you’re not rushing to another game. Um the guys are obviously a lot more hungry for information at this time of the season, too. And so we’ve been able to do a ton of station work uh that I think helps us break down what is the actual footwork that we want on our closeouts. How are we identifying hot shooters, cold shooters, normal shooters? Um all those like personnel tendencies are really important. And so I think our our coaching staff has done a great job of laying out the fundamentals first on a small scale and stations and then as we get to drills we start emphasizing a lot more too. What’s been your main theme to the guys so far just day three? Like what have you seen from them so far? Like what do you want to improve and what do you say, okay guys, we got to get this going the way I want to because time time’s a waste of basically. Yeah, if I was to probably break it down in three things, I’d say number one, continue to establish that defensive mindset. Uh you know that that’s the way to my heart. I think first and foremost is defense. And so I don’t want to take my foot off the gas there in any uh regard. And then the second piece is trying to improve some of the things offensively. Like I said, we did a ton of reflection and I think our team is different this year. How we want to play is different. So implementing some of those things. And then the third piece was um especially on the heels of last year, but I think just in sports in general having to embrace adversity. And so we’ve talked a ton about um I think that we embraced the adversity last year um really well. We showed resiliency and a great next man uh up mentality, but trying to equip these guys with the right tools uh that we’re not thrown off guard when it happens during the season. And you know, it could be an injury, it could be a quarter, uh it could be a possession, whatever that adversity looks like. Um we got to be able to handle it a lot better. And then up tempo wise, you talked about going up tempo a little bit more this year. Can you as a coach I guess explain the balance of as you mentioned going up tempo would also give me like a good shot because I’m sure guys say oh go fast but a fast shot the clock early may not be the best shot from your mind I’m sure. Yeah for sure. I think that you know when you talk about playing fast and how you want to play fast explaining to the guys the why is important and the how. And so we’ve tried to explain to them the the biggest part that we want to do. We want to make everybody on the floor a threat. And so, uh, we don’t want our shot quality to diminish by any stretch of the imagination, but we do want to get the ball up the floor. We want to try to help create some early advantages and mismatches. Um, and then on top of it, we just want to get to action a lot sooner. Uh, you know, I thought that last year, um, it took us a while to swing the ball around the horn to then get to an action and now you’re deep into the clock and late into the clock. So, I think a lot of it has to deal with our ball movement, our quick inbounds, and then how quick can we get into an action to still get the best uncontested shot at the end of the day. have talked a lot about the offense playing faster this year, getting up and down the court, but defensively have you guys, what is an identity that you are also trying to lean into as you get through these first few days of camp? Uh, protect the paint, keeping keep your man in front of you. Um, having an active X5. Charles said, I think when you guys were all healthy and the core was healthy last year, you were think top 15 defense in the league and made some significant strides on that side last year. What were some of those strides that you made that you guys feel like will carry over into this season? Uh just being more disciplined on defense throughout the whole game, consistent throughout the whole whole game and our communication. What’s it like having Mace back here as one of those guys as a veteran, especially somebody you know previously and stuff like that? Uh it’s good. You know, Macy’s a great vet. Um vocal, he’s been here before. Um been with a lot of playoff teams, so it’s a lot of good experience. So, it’s great to have M back. What’s been the main theme of coach so far? What’s he told you guys about? What do you what do you really want to see this first couple of weeks to happen this year? Uh just toughness. Yeah, you know how coach is. He’s toughness, defense. Um as long as you give your all on defense, then you’re going to get minutes on this team. So, uh just toughness and defense. You played a little bit of small ball fun last year in any years past. Uh what do you like about that role and how do you think taking on that role at times this year could help this team both offensively and defensively? Yeah, hopefully I don’t get to play it this year. Uh but you know just mismatches on the court you know going against bigger fives um me slipping out or or driving to the rim create mismatches. I know it was more of a pitch last year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What about the front line for you guys especially at center that’s something people talk about could be maybe a weak spot sometimes externally. You guys hit that. What about that spot? How can you guys think about you guys really good there position? Yeah I like our bigs. You know Musa not a lot of people know how good Musa is. You know rebounding the ball and on defense. Um, we got a veteran in Mace and then Ryan. He’s he’s great. I love playing with Ryan. So, I’m excited for our bigs this year. What about Ryan? What do you love about him so far as sticks out? Uh, just his maturity, his maturity. Um, and he blocks every shot. So, he’s he’s going to be great in this league. I’m excited for him. As a defensive guy, what do you want this team’s defensive identity to be this coming season? Um, relentless. Uh, I think versatile and, uh, very energetic. Um, I think those are the the main things that we want to focus on. Um, Charles Lee spoke on media day about how the centers all have something a little bit different they can bring to the table. What are some of the things that maybe you’ve learned in a short amount of time being around Mason and Ryan that um, you know, you’ve tried to apply to your game? Well, I already had Mason obviously when I was a rookie with the Clippers. So, yeah. So, I already knew him. I think with Ryan, I mean, I think it’s just like his his patience on just learning how to block shots and time it. I think he has a great timing. He’s very good at not jumping at um jump fake or I mean know shot fakes or anything like that. Um but no obviously I mean all of them have something different that they bring. I think just the maturity of Mason is always good. So yeah know they they they are something that I definitely think I can take from. You were with Mason a year and a half with the Clippers. Does that sound right? Um as a rookie and then into your second year. What were some of the things that stood out about the way he carried himself day in day out for a guy that was I think probably 10 11 years in the league at that time? Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean he’s I mean Mace for me very professional guy. Um he’s always been uh behind me for sure, especially while I was the Clippers always talking to me and just trying to you know make my understanding the process and just you know stay professional. So I mean for me it’s I’ve already know Mace for a little bit. So it’s always fun and it’s it’s crazy how life turns out to be right. So yeah I mean it’s going to be interesting though. You mentioned Mace being here having better veteran here. How much will that help you and Ryan as well as you guys sort of figure out the position of center here? I mean, we figuring it out right now. I think, you know, is the perfect time. I think throughout the whole summer, we’ve been working out and practicing and I think coaches sees different strengths in each of us. Um, and um, I’m just excited to play. So, yeah. Then, does it bother you when you guys hear that center could be the weak spot on the team? I’m sure you guys hear that kind of stuff out there from like externally. Does that bother you to hear people say stuff that you guys aren’t destructive team right now? I mean, it’s definitely not something that you want to hear, but you know, we going to see when we play. That’s all it is.

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