Mark Daigneault | Portland Trail Blazers | Mar. 28, 2022
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00:00 Yeah, broken play. Um, you know, they switched everything out and we're
00:05 trying to get the ball to mallet on at the top of the key and you get denied
00:07 and we get stuck. We're out of timeouts. So we had to force it in bounds and he
00:12 flashed the ball, drill the shot, big play, obviously, really sharp shooting
00:18 for both teams tonight for you guys specifically, just what stood out
00:21 offensively about the way you guys are able to kind of practice those plays
00:25 tonight. Just most of them assisted. You know, I thought the ball really
00:28 moved. I think we had 17 assists in the first half of the game. Um, some of
00:32 the threes down the stretch were unassisted. You know, like Maladon had a
00:35 tough step back. V hit one. Um, but for the most part, we had the ball zipped
00:39 around tonight, kept it ahead of the defense, continue to invest in the way
00:42 that we want to play. Um, and it puts everybody at advantages. And I thought
00:45 that was the case again tonight.
00:47 To prove to Isaiah in general for most of the season, you all really were
00:54 trying to get into the efficient and short minutes this season. Um, now that
01:00 they're getting these extended minutes, are you seeing sort of maybe rhythm
01:04 from them and the 10th longer minutes for those guys in terms of helping
01:09 them? Well, it's nice to be able to give guys the type of minutes were able to
01:13 give these guys right now because it is hard to play when your role is really
01:17 thin. You know, if you're playing six minutes a half or you're playing 10 15
01:22 minutes a game, it's tough to get into a rhythm and it's tough to really
01:26 contribute in that run of time. Um, and so it's nice to be able to give these
01:30 guys extended run and allow them to, um, you know, continue to develop and
01:34 play and like you said, get into a rhythm. So, um, guys played well
01:38 tonight. You know, everybody that went the game, all eight guys played really
01:41 well. Um, you know, and I'm happy, like I said many times during this run, I'm
01:45 happy for these guys that early in the season weren't really in the rotation,
01:49 weren't in the fray now able to compete and get some minutes and contribute to
01:53 a win.
01:53 What did you like about what Jeremiah was able to do? Um, just have, I mean,
02:00 anytime a guy comes off an injury like that, I'm just happy for them to get
02:03 back on the court and something to take for granted when you're available
02:06 night after night. Um, he sustained an injury. It was obviously a longer term
02:10 thing. It took him all of, you know, seven weeks to get himself all the way
02:13 back. Um, he looked fine, you know, up and down and just got a good sweat. He
02:17 played right around the amount of time that we had planned going in. Um, and
02:21 we'll just continue to build them up and monitor them and, you know, hopefully
02:24 get him playing pretty good down here, um, down the stretch of the season.
02:28 I say shooting better than 40% three this year. He talked pregame and
02:34 noticed that he turned the ball over last. Just how have you seen him take
02:37 steps? Um, I mean, both of those things, you know, I think, um, the five he
02:43 played some for tonight, obviously, when he was out there with Saur, but, um,
02:46 he's primarily been a five for us. And that position is a playmaking position,
02:50 you know, no matter who's there him, Jeremiah, fave, Mascala. Uh, oh. And so,
02:56 um, you got to be able to shoot pass and make decisions with the way that
03:00 we're playing systematically. Um, we played like that last year. I thought
03:04 he made a lot of progress with it last year. He shot the ball really well,
03:07 obviously this year. Um, even before tonight, he shot a great, great tonight,
03:11 obviously. And, um, you know, just another example of a guy, you know,
03:14 played a lot of minutes last year, early in the year, wasn't in the
03:16 rotation, spent some time with the blue, had to battle through, uh, not
03:21 having the role I'm sure he wanted to have on. I give him credit for keeping
03:25 his head down, and now he's seeing some some fruits of his labor here at the
03:28 end of the season.
03:28 What was, I guess,
03:31 Isaiah said a big reaction, just the reaction in the locker room among the
03:38 team for these guys who are in different spots than they're used to to
03:41 hear? Yeah, like I said many times, I mean, it's the way you earn respect in
03:46 the locker room is, you know, through your commitment to the team and being a
03:50 team player competing, um, and working hard, you know, and the guys that are
03:54 playing right now are team guys, their competitors, and they work really,
03:58 really hard. And so, um, they're excited, you know, when they play well
04:02 and I give, you know, the guys that are hurt right now, a lot of credit that
04:05 are here. They're creating a really good environment around the team.
04:08 They're very, very encouraging in the locker room and in huddles. Um, and it
04:13 feels like a team environment, which is exactly what we want.
04:15 What else?
04:17 You got nothing on zoom. All right. Thank you.
04:21 [BLANK_AUDIO]