Theo Maledon | Detroit Pistons | Apr. 01, 2022
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00:00 change the energy in the third?
00:01 What were some of the differences you noticed
00:03 between those two stretches?
00:04 I think we struggled on the offensive end
00:08 on the-- during that third quarter.
00:11 It was not doing a great job enough
00:17 to attack their switch defense.
00:18 And then on the offensive end for ourself,
00:23 wasn't getting the stop that we needed
00:25 to get us some momentum, some transition going.
00:28 And that created that run that they did.
00:31 Just what's this like for you to see Jalen,
00:34 you know, find out yesterday he's going to get a call up
00:38 and then find out today he's going to start
00:40 and then go out there and get 20 rebounds and a double-double?
00:42 Yeah, that was-- this game was really impressive for Jalen,
00:46 really happy for him.
00:47 I mean, just being able to, in such a short amount of time
00:52 and not being with the team at all, basically,
00:55 and just coming in and going out here to compete,
00:58 again, being present on the defensive end,
01:00 doing the double-double, I think it's really impressive.
01:03 And it shows his readiness.
01:05 And I'm really happy for him.
01:08 Paris Lawson, OKCThunder.com.
01:10 Another really big night for you, scoring your fourth game
01:13 out of your last five, where you scored over 20 points.
01:16 When you're playing to this level aggressively,
01:17 is there anything over this stretch
01:19 that you've learned about yourself and your offense
01:21 and how you can kind of get things going?
01:24 Yeah, I feel like beginning--
01:27 during that season, I was struggling
01:29 in finishing in the paint and those little misses
01:33 where I feel like changing a lot of things for me.
01:36 And being able to do that now and score them
01:40 and making shot at the same time on the perimeter,
01:43 I think it helped me a lot in confidence
01:45 and trusting my work, trusting what I do
01:49 and keep being aggressive.
01:51 Teo, as the level of competition changes late in the season,
01:55 a lot of guys are missing from both sides.
01:57 Like, when you look at your game,
02:00 what are some of the things that you
02:02 think are sustainable moving forward into next year?
02:06 I think my aggressivity, being ready to compete.
02:11 I think competing, I think, is something that's always,
02:15 no matter what, no matter who you're facing,
02:18 is something that I want to bring on,
02:20 and on the defensive end as well.
02:23 And for sure, being aggressive, even though it'll
02:27 be shorter minutes or whatever the case may be,
02:29 but keeping that same mindset for sure.
02:31 Killian said postgame that it was fun to go against you.
02:34 What was that matchup like for you?
02:37 Oh, yeah, it was fun as well.
02:38 Obviously, playing against someone
02:40 you played back in France growing up,
02:43 that you play national team with,
02:44 it's always fun to see him back at the highest
02:48 stage in the world.
02:50 So it's always good to play and have those matchups.
02:52 Is that the biggest--
02:56 what's the biggest jump-- you mentioned
02:58 aggressiveness several times.
02:59 Is that the biggest thing you've just
03:00 improved on, just being more aggressive
03:02 and looking for your offense?
03:04 This year?
03:04 Yes.
03:05 I feel like it has been, for sure.
03:09 And my ability to be efficient as well.
03:13 I think those both together.
03:14 Hey, Teo, great game, first of all.
03:23 For you, facing Killian Hayes, a guy
03:26 that you know him pretty well, how
03:28 helped you to get better as a player, that matchup overall?
03:33 You said for him?
03:34 For you, for you personally.
03:35 How helped you to get better?
03:37 Oh, help me?
03:41 I think it's good to play against him.
03:45 But at the end of the day, everyone is different.
03:49 Everyone is the same, different matchup
03:51 that I want to take advantage of,
03:53 in the sense where I want to give my best every time.
03:55 So it's good, for sure.
03:58 OK.
03:59 Thank you.