Steve Clifford Pacers Postgame 2.4.24
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00:00 >> Pulled them back out in front I think by 24 or so.
00:02 >> Yeah, I mean, we had a couple of turnovers that hurt us.
00:05 And then, I mean, to me, the biggest thing is right now when we're moving the ball,
00:09 we're not trying to play like Iceland, which we're not good at.
00:14 We're pretty good offensively, but
00:15 there's just too many possessions when that doesn't happen.
00:18 >> Now you've spoken a lot about Brandon this year, to have a 35 point game and
00:22 just what he's been able to do in terms of adjusting to see more defensive
00:26 attention and is he still every day kind of surprising you with the way he's kind
00:30 of rising to the occasion?
00:32 >> I wouldn't say surprising me, but I mean, look, he works hard,
00:35 he's very diligent, and that's the way it works.
00:37 He's got a lot of talent, he works hard, he's gonna get better.
00:39 So he's getting better for the right reasons, being double teamed now,
00:43 he did a good job against that passing out of it.
00:46 And I think he'll get better and better.
00:49 >> Coach, I know this may not be ideal cuz you guys are under band, but
00:52 is there any kind of positives of getting these young guys some good playing time
00:55 and being able to kind of work those kinks out on the court in real time?
00:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]
01:04 >> I think that what you wanna be careful of in a situation like this is that,
01:08 where they're gonna learn the most is to play in intense games that really matter.
01:13 So I mean, let's call it what it is.
01:15 So tonight, Halliburton didn't play in the fourth quarter, right?
01:19 Or played very little.
01:21 They're not gonna learn as much.
01:22 I see when people say that this is just me over the years watching.
01:26 You have to be careful, it's important that they do learn and
01:31 that we have an environment where we're playing the way we're trying hard.
01:35 Our effort is good, but that's the stuff that you're gonna pay for.
01:41 You don't wanna be picking and
01:43 choosing when the most important thing is not winning.
01:47 I know that for a fact.
01:48 It's been around a lot of different kinds of teams.
01:51 And when you go in the locker room and you start doing the, well,
01:55 let's just see how Joey does tonight.
01:58 You're sending the entirely wrong message.
02:00 They know who deserves to play and not play.
02:03 And I can't tell you over the years, cuz obviously this can be a conflict
02:08 between coach and management, right, or whatever.
02:12 But I can't tell you how many times, whatever, you draft somebody and
02:18 you're so committed to them that you're cheering for them instead of evaluating.
02:22 Guys have to earn their minutes, and that's the way we're gonna do it.
02:25 I won't coach you, I won't coach anywhere, because you're hurting the player.
02:29 So can you learn some things?
02:30 Yeah, and guess what?
02:31 I learn stuff in practice every day too.
02:33 You can learn something every day.
02:35 You can watch a guy every day.
02:36 But yeah, I'm not a proponent of that.
02:39 I want us to play better.
02:41 I want us to get our guys back so the games are more.
02:45 We have a better chance to play well every night.
02:47 And that's when they'll learn more, not that they're not now.
02:50 This is good and all that, but it's not what Brandon Miller was getting
02:54 the first 10, 12, 15 games of the year.
02:56 It's a different intensity.
02:58 That's just the fact of it.
02:59 So I always think, I won't even tell you who told me this, but
03:04 a long time ago somebody said, be careful of the teams who are eliminated.
03:09 They put too much stock into the last 20, 25 games.
03:13 Because you can make a lot of mistakes on players or even the way you play.
03:17 Cuz the games are different, okay?
03:19 And I have been proud of the way our guys play.
03:22 Even tonight we tried hard.
03:24 But that stuff, how you evaluate all of it, all of it,
03:27 including what you're doing, you have to be careful with.
03:31 Good.
03:33 >> Yep. >> Coach, I just wanted to ask,
03:35 how do you think your backcourt held up tonight?
03:37 I was pretty injured.
03:39 >> Yeah, I mean, but I'm big, both issues.
03:42 Nick got three fouls in the first half, so we got a little bit messed up there.
03:48 We used Brandon to handle and miss shade offense a little bit,
03:50 which he did a good job.
03:51 But it's just hard cuz we're double teaming him.
03:55 And again, we got back into, even in the fourth, we had it to eight.
04:00 So I mean, again, the effort's good.
04:03 We gotta move the ball better, to me.
04:06 That's the biggest thing is.
04:08 When we're hitting the paint, the ball's getting to the second side of the floor,
04:11 our offense is good, it's flowing.
04:13 We gotta learn how to trust the pass more, trust each other.
04:17 And that's part of this, how we have to evolve without,
04:23 I mean, playing without one of the most creative players in the world in Mellow.
04:29 Terry obviously creates a lot of shots, and Gordon is the other one.
04:32 So when you get used to playing a certain way, and now we just have to
04:37 just flip the switch a little bit and move the ball, move our bodies a little bit more.
04:43 And we have more than enough offense on the floor to play well for four quarters.
04:47 >> And any update on if Lamello will play tomorrow?
04:49 >> He had no idea, he was really sore today, so I don't know.
04:54 >> Is there a chance you guys shutting down for the rest of the year?
04:57 >> I'll be honest with you, and I mean this truthfully.
04:59 I think all I care about is I'm gonna watch the film, I'm gonna figure out what we,
05:04 that's not my stuff there.
05:05 I gotta get ready for the game.
05:06 It takes a long time to get ready for an NBA game, so
05:09 I don't sit around and worry about that.
05:11 They'll tell me who can play tomorrow, we'll have play A,
05:14 these guys play A, B, then you gotta figure out what to run,
05:18 what you're gonna do defensively, so that's not in my area.
05:23 >> Assuming you guys have the same setup tomorrow in the backcourt,
05:26 what do you wanna see differently, obviously from maybe Ish or Bryce, Nick?
05:29 I mean, what has to happen?
05:31 >> I mean, no, I mean, I think they did well.
05:35 I mean, it's not, listen, what you have to do is you have to play your strengths and
05:40 help your teammates play better, they all try to do that.
05:43 So I mean, I don't know, I love when people say they step up.
05:50 Well, if they step up, they're probably really, you know what I mean,
05:55 like prolific scorers.
05:57 We're not looking for those guys to get 15, I thought they played fine.
06:00 I think we gotta move the ball better.
06:04 I think we gotta get to more loose balls, which tonight we didn't do.
06:10 We screwed up some pick and roll coverages in the first quarter,
06:13 which we did the same thing in Oklahoma City,
06:16 which was a big reason why we were behind early.
06:19 So we've gotta get that part down, but I mean, again, I haven't watched the film,
06:23 but I thought those guys, when you get 3 fouls in the first half,
06:26 that takes away your rhythm and it hurts things.
06:29 >> Thanks, everyone, thank you.
06:30 >> Thanks. >> Go ahead.