POSTGAME SOUND: ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CHARLOTTE HORNETS | COACH MOSE, WENDELL CARTER JR. & ANTHONY BLACK

POSTGAME SOUND: ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CHARLOTTE HORNETS | COACH MOSE, WENDELL CARTER JR. & ANTHONY BLACK

Well, it’s just one game, but what does a win for this team on a backto back in this moment mean for this locker room? I mean, it’s it means a lot for the locker room, but it also means a lot that these guys understand what they’re capable of doing on any given night, putting 48 minutes together. Um, that was huge for us tonight to withstand some runs, but then hang our hat on the defensive end of the How would you best describe your team’s all-around effort and execution? I think the two words for me for the whole night stood out. Defense and depth. Defense and depth. We defended the way we know how to defend and our depth was something big for us tonight. What does it say about Anthony Black to have that type of performance starting for Jaylen in that area? That’s the confidence he has. That’s the confidence the guys have in him. Uh I think more than anything you can say we can say whatever we want about the shot making. I thought his defense on LaMelo Ball was incredible. I thought he did a great job of guarding, defending without fouling, disrupting, picking up full court, and I say this over and over again. I say it to the locker room. That’s who he has to continue to be. Last three games, Paulo has 21 assists, nine tonight. Is this the kind of playmaking and decision making that you’re looking for from him? Yes. I mean, he he holds so much gravity and weight when he has that ball in his hands. uh he’s got defenses loaded up to him and he’s looking to make the right play. I mean, he was sitting on basically sitting on a triple double for basically the last five minutes it felt like, but he did a great job of finding it, sharing it, getting his teammates involved. Uh and and he he knew he knows the gravity which he carries every time he has that ball in his hands. What was Jonathan able to show you show you tonight to help out? I thought he was great. I I think and I I’ll go back to it again. It’s not about the shot making or missing with this group. It’s about our defense. I said it last night. I’ll say it tonight. Defense and depth is this group. And Jonathan was great in that regard. Like his ability to be at the rim blocking shots, disrupting shots, guarding multiple positions on the perimeter. That’s big for for us for how he plays down the stretch. Desmond made two big plays. I think he hit a floater and then he hit a Wendell for the kickout three in the corner. The poise that he shows in those moments. He’s been here before. He’s been there before, you know, and I think that’s just the start of what this group needs to do. And I’m gonna probably keep repeating it. Defense and depth with this group. And Desmond has the experience. He knows what he needs to do. And he was continuing to keep the guys calm and brought the huddles in. You can go back and just look at the huddles that these guys had with their level of communication about what need to be what needs to be done and how they can execute it. It didn’t appear like France had any issues with the heel, but what what needs to happen for him to get more involved in that third quarter after maybe a really first half like maybe didn’t get the ball as much. The ball was moving. I mean, and that’s the beautiful part about this team that we have to continue to show whether he has 18 or 19 and going, we’re going to keep making the right play. That’s the beautiful part about this basketball team. You make the right play. If a guy’s going, you find him. But at the end of the day, like that ball was moving. It was hopping. And that’s the part that we got to continue to preach to these guys that they understand. The open man gets the ball. We keep sharing it. We keep moving it. We keep trusting. Does it feel like do you know he’s getting more comfortable what you guys are asking him to do? I believe so. I believe, you know, we’ve thrown him in different situations. And one thing about him is he can guard multiple positions. He’s not afraid of the moment. Does a great job crashing the glass. He’s doing all the things that we’re asking him to do when he steps on the floor. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Wendell, how would you best describe your team’s all-around effort and execution? Uh, it started on the defensive end. Um, we kind of reestablished our identity tonight. I think the the hardest part now is going to be to uh be consistent with that. Know, we’ve already we just showed the an example of how good we can be defensively, and that got to be our staple every night. No matter if shots are made or not, we just got to continue to do do it on that end of the court. And all that is is effort. You know, some days we may miss shots and it comes with the game of basketball, but when you have effort, you know, you can you can um establish a good defensive identity throughout the year. You sort of touched on it a little is just one game, but what does a win on the second night back to back on the road and guys out for the conference? Uh it means a lot. You know, we started off pretty rough. Uh you know, not not being up to the standard that we know we can be up to. Um, but yeah, like you said, this this can, you know, propel us into being that that that great defensive, great all-around team that we know we can be. Uh, so I think, you know, not to, you know, blow this game out of proportion and say, uh, you don’t act like we won a championship or anything, but also understanding that this is something that we can build off of. For sure. I know three-point shooting was a huge emphasis for you in the offseason, really the whole team. You shot it really well tonight. just talk about your touch at this particular point from long distance. Um, just trusting my work. Uh, you know, something I’ve always struggled with is, you know, if I miss the first one or second one, I kind of, you know, get down on myself. But, you know, with so much work that I put in throughout the throughout the offseason, um, I’m comfortable. You know, make, miss. Uh, you know, I know what kind of work that I put in offseason, I’m going to continue to shoot them because I know I can make them. So, um, and my teammates trust me. So, it’s also a plus. On the topic of pointing only took two tonight. What needs to happen for you guys to get him more attempts from distance? Uh, it’s a good question. I think we I think we just got to figure it out in my opinion. I don’t have a definite answer for that. I think uh uh one of he he’s also one of those guys that he’s such a threat on the on the on the three-point line that he’s able to get downhill. Um, but in my opinion, we we definitely, you know, especially one of the reasons we we got him is because it’s three-point shooting. So, I think we got to find ways to get him cleaner, easier looks, um, instead of, you know, so much off the dribble, even though he can do both, but we definitely got to get him easier looks for sure. You said a couple weeks ago that AB could be one of the best guards in this league. Tonight, he kind of showed why. Just describe his all-around game. Um, no, AB is a unique player. um you know, we I I see him behind the scenes um a lot and he’s one of those guys. He he he works every day. He shows up to work. He’s a he’s a listener. He’s a learner. And um you know, our biggest thing is keeping him confident and aggressive. You know, when he’s when he’s going downhill, creating plays for himself and others, he’s a monster. And uh you know, that’s that’s that’s his biggest thing is just to continue to keep his foot on the on the gas. You know, whether he’s making shots or not. you know, he made some shots tonight, but um he’s one of those guys that and when he’s aggressive, he makes the game so much easier for everyone else around him. So um that’s kind of my biggest thing with him is just continue no matter shots going in or not, continue to be aggressive. It’s going to make it easier for the rest of the team. You mentioned the defensive identity at the top. Just how impactful Jonathan has been in the rotation to start the year. you guys see what he can do in the past, but what does that performance tonight? Uh, no, J is he stays ready. Um, you know, he he he he propelled us to this win tonight. Like you said, he been in and out of the rotation and I know that’s that’s can be a tough thing. You get inside your own head, u start doubting yourself, but you know, he he stayed shooting himself. um you know he came in and altered his game on the defensive end of the ball and you know his shots his shots didn’t fall but you know we all comfortable with him taking shots because we know what kind of work that he puts in also. So um you know he he he’s a he’s a easy game changer whenever he’s in the game and um you know we we trust him to do that night in and night out for sure. Seemed like tonight you were physical on defense but not too forceful where you’re committing too many fouls. What’s the balance like with that as far as the mentality? Uh you kind of have to unfortunately you kind of have to set that tone as a team early um to to to uh so the refs don’t call it all the time. We know the refs can’t call every foul throughout the whole game. So um you know the first couple games including myself, you know, I’ve been in a lot of foul trouble, but um but it’s also a measure of being able to do a little bit of both. you know, knowing when to be aggressive, when not to, understanding the flow of the game. Um, understanding if it’s been a long time without a timeout or foul, a foul is going to come at some point. So, you kind of have to, you know, kind of gauge that. So, um, yeah. Yeah, that’s about it. What was it like in the locker room after a win like this feel more important anyway? Uh, sure. Uh, you know, last three games haven’t been up to our standards. So, I think today our focus is just coming out, playing super hard, uh, being physical, and I think we’re pleased with the way we did that. So, it’s good vibes in the locker room. How would you describe your team’s all-around execution on both ends of the floor? I’ll just say, uh, it was it was really crisp. Um, offensively, uh, we got into our sets, we served the ball well. I think we had nearly 30 assists, so that’s a good number for us. And then defensively we were just uh super intent. Uh we stuck to the game plan and we guarded our matchups. Well, what’s the biggest thing you guys you talked about the defense and the offense, but what’s the biggest thing you need to take away from this game going forward to remember what this looked like? Probably just leaning into our defense. Um that’s what we’ve been uh the last couple years. That’s what’s made us a good team. Got us to the playoffs. So, uh, as we try to play faster, the challenge is just continuing to focus on defense and, uh, do the things necessary to get stops and, uh, turn those into runouts and offensive possessions. Obviously, people know how good of a defender you are, but how would you describe your defensive capabilities? Obviously, it showed tonight. Uh, yeah, I think, you know, uh, pretty comfortable guarding, uh, every position. Uh, I feel confident switching on to different matchups, uh, wings, guards, whoever. Um, and I just feel like I anticipate plays well and I put myself in good position. So, uh, just continue looking to continue to do that. And, uh, yeah, that’s that’s who I am as a player. Oh, good. What area you feel like you improve the most compared to last season? Uh, probably just my I don’t know. I’ll just say my aggressiveness. Uh, being open and taking risk. Uh, living with the result, trusting myself. I think it’s all areas I got much better in. Um, and I think, yeah, there’s just areas I’m looking to keep being better in, keep going, uh, as I get more comfortable, uh, with my role. Um, but yeah, I’m proud of myself for taking risks and, uh, just playing hard. You’ve been guarding the other team’s best scorers and playmakers. How much pride do you take in that? A lot. You know, uh, honestly, before today, I don’t think I’ve been great. So, uh, today my focus was just coming out playing defense. Uh, you know, guarding Melo. He’s a good player. So, uh, yeah, that was my whole focus all day. Just trying to get back into the ball and, uh, just getting stops like I’m used to doing. Thanks, Amy. Appreciate Jaw.

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