Steve Clifford Talks Win Over Memphis
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00:00 >> Seemed like as the game wore on, the chemistry got a little bit better.
00:03 What impressed you most tonight about the win?
00:07 >> I mean, balanced play, except for really, I mean,
00:13 our second half defense wasn't as good as our first half, but
00:16 our offense was good the whole game.
00:18 And a bunch of guys played well, we got great bench play.
00:24 But the ball movement, the unselfishness, the inside out play,
00:29 it's good NBA basketball.
00:32 >> One of those bench guys, he's just in here, Vassa,
00:35 probably not played as much as he thought he was going to an OKC after what he did
00:39 in Europe and had a career night.
00:41 Did anything stand out in particular about what you saw?
00:44 >> Just his, I mean, his awareness, all this stuff that you can't teach.
00:48 He knows where everybody is on the floor.
00:50 Obviously, he's a terrific passer, picky role player.
00:56 So also, he's got size, he's big.
00:59 Some of those passes, maybe other guys can see but
01:02 don't have the ability to make the play.
01:06 So he was, yeah, I thought all four, I mean, again,
01:11 a bunch of guys played well, but those four guys off the bench were terrific.
01:15 >> Coach, the team averages 24.7 assists per game, you guys have 30 tonight.
01:19 Can you just talk about not only Vassa, as Sam mentioned, but also Trey Mann,
01:22 and that kind of connection, him and Nick Fitch, who tied right off the gate.
01:25 >> Yeah, no, and he did it more off picking roles.
01:28 He was good, he made some good decisions in the paint.
01:33 And hopefully that's stuff that we can build on.
01:37 >> I noticed that Nick Fitch is playing, he went to the bench,
01:40 that Grant Williams playing that small ball five,
01:42 taking that Jaron Jackson Jr defense beside him.
01:44 Can you just talk about his job?
01:46 >> It's just, yeah, I mean, which is gonna happen some just because
01:49 he's comfortable defending on the perimeter.
01:55 So those, again, we've talked about it before, right?
02:01 Those centers, just like Grant did for us,
02:04 it's a different game out there when you're playing five out.
02:07 It's just, there's so much more room.
02:10 And so it makes sense to have Grant out there defensively also,
02:17 just because he's comfortable defending in all the rotations on the perimeter.
02:22 >> It seemed like Grant brought you a good bit of physicality too, I mean,
02:26 you needed.
02:27 >> Huge, yeah, on the glass, yeah, with his help, with his talk.
02:32 Yeah, he's very smart, very tough.
02:37 Nah, he played, I mean, he played a great all around game.
02:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:43 >> Coach, not a lot of teams are at the deadline and
02:45 actually seem like the roster improved.
02:48 I'm just curious, obviously just one game with these new guys, but
02:52 your kind of outlook, how you felt after?
02:54 >> Well, I mean, the thing is this, is that we haven't even practiced and
02:59 you saw the ball movement.
03:01 And again, so we're, I mean, for me,
03:06 it potentially looks like this,
03:10 like the two things you want in this league is one is smart, high IQ guys.
03:18 I think we added a bunch of those.
03:20 And then also I think there's very much a veteran presence that they're gonna bring
03:25 to our locker room.
03:26 Those guys that have obviously sat,
03:29 Graves played in the finals, he played deep into the playoffs.
03:35 Other times, Basa was obviously had a huge career in Europe,
03:42 like you said, and DB is a veteran player.
03:48 I mean, really, he too was in the middle of, the biggest run in the game was
03:53 really in the third quarter, which he was a big part of.
03:56 So I think that we have veterans who, again, have a good IQ and
04:01 there's certainly a lot to like and just watch the film and try to build on.
04:07 >> Coach, Bertone, Smechich, Seth Curry, they had a couple threes today.
04:11 Can you just talk about the added floor spacing and
04:13 how that can also help people like Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges going forward?
04:17 >> No, yeah, yeah, and that's also in the fourth quarter,
04:21 playing five out with Grant out there and we did get a lot of good penetration plays.
04:25 Miles had a couple of really terrific drives and finishes.
04:31 Well, Trey had the good, the kick out to kick out for the three off.
04:35 I think Cody had a drive and then he touched it to Trey,
04:39 Drew, and we got an open three.
04:40 So yeah, look, the five out stuff, it's a different thing to deal with defensively.
04:46 So that's one of the things that Grant will bring to our team.
04:52 >> Thanks, everyone.
04:54 >> Good.