Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Phoenix Suns Post-Game | Feb. 24, 2022
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00:00 Nick Gallo, KC Thunder.com.
00:02 Shay, just your thoughts on how efficient you were able to be tonight,
00:06 hitting the ground running, scored so much in the paint,
00:09 able to get to your spots after missing 10 games.
00:13 >> Yeah, I felt pretty good out there.
00:17 Once I was cleared to be on the court, I tried to make sure my conditioning was
00:21 good enough to where I could come back as soon as possible.
00:24 That work paid off.
00:27 I felt pretty good tonight.
00:29 >> Can you take me through a little bit of what that conditioning work was like?
00:33 I know you had the all star break where most guys are kicking their feet up and
00:36 trying to get a little bit of rest.
00:38 Were you kind of grinding through that whole time?
00:41 >> Yeah, I was.
00:43 I kind of had a little bit of a longer break myself from the court.
00:47 So I tried to use that time to, I guess,
00:51 maximize it as soon as games came back.
00:54 >> And then what did you see from the second unit tonight,
00:58 how did they compete, getting to pop and have that opportunity and
01:02 some of the energy swings that they were able to create for you all tonight?
01:07 >> Yeah, they were ready to play.
01:09 They were good on both ends of the floor.
01:12 Offensively, I think for the most part, they played the right way.
01:18 They got the game back into, they can run the game a little bit in the second
01:22 quarter, so it's gonna be competitive in every way.
01:26 >> Pierce Lawson, okcdinner.com, Shay, we know how competitive you are and
01:30 we know just how much you love to play basketball just from a personal
01:34 standpoint and emotional standpoint.
01:36 Just how excited were you to be back out on the floor again?
01:39 >> Yeah, it was super fun.
01:41 There's no feeling like it.
01:43 Obviously, I love the game.
01:45 It's a big part of who I am.
01:49 >> And then just kind of piggybacking off Nick's question,
01:52 just the defense for you guys in that second quarter kind of ramped up.
01:55 You guys were able to get out and transition.
01:57 Just what did you see on that end of the floor that kind of helped you guys to get
02:00 some of those looks?
02:02 >> Yeah, we just tried to make it difficult for
02:05 the guys, try to make the play through plan B and C.
02:09 Now that we get to where they want to, I'm trying to make it as accomplished as
02:14 possible.
02:14 We need to have more staff, get stops, be able to run, get back to playing for
02:18 ourselves.
02:18 >> Joe Masato, The Oklahoman.
02:21 Shea, yesterday, Mark talked about with you back, you guys have to play to
02:26 let some of the younger guys emerge like Trey Mann, Josh Giddy.
02:32 When you were out, what kind of progress did you see those two in particular make?
02:38 >> Yeah, a ton.
02:38 They obviously played huge on the road in New York.
02:43 But throughout that whole span, they were good.
02:47 I think I've said this before, with those guys, as much as they work,
02:52 as much as they love the game, the more opportunity they get,
02:56 if they continue to work, it'll show.
02:59 That's what you guys saw in the past couple weeks.
03:01 They get more opportunity.
03:03 >> Mark also said that moving forward when you and Josh play together,
03:08 that Josh might be on the ball more and you'll be off.
03:12 Like how did you sort of take that news or
03:16 what do you think of that plan moving forward?
03:17 >> I think it kind of goes back to what I just said.
03:22 Josh was really good, last couple weeks obviously.
03:26 And me as a player, I don't want to hinder that at all.
03:31 I want to make sure I'm as comfortable as possible with myself coming back.
03:34 And I know to be one of the best teams in the league, you want to be very soon.
03:40 You got to have multiple guys that can play on the ball.
03:44 I learned that early in my career.
03:46 So it was no biggie.
03:47 >> Does it help that you mentioned earlier in your career,
03:50 like two years ago, you're playing alongside Chris Ball and Dennis.
03:54 You were off the ball a lot.
03:55 Like do you lean back on some of that and know that you can be a threat off the ball
04:00 and are comfortable in that position?
04:03 >> Yeah, absolutely.
04:03 It's something, obviously, it's still not my playmate.
04:08 But it's something that you have to sacrifice to be a really good team.
04:13 I know that, I learned, like I just said,
04:14 I learned that early on in my career with that team.
04:17 We were really good, obviously, we had a lot of threats on our team.
04:22 And you had to sacrifice, each guy had to sacrifice to defend the team.
04:26 And the results were really good.
04:28 I think it doesn't change no matter what team you're on,
04:30 you get to a point where it's a sacrifice.
04:32 >> Thanks, Chad.
04:32 >> Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic.
04:36 Just curious what you saw from Darius in the time that you were out to just
04:40 defensively, he seemed to take on a lot of tasks tonight.
04:43 He defended Devin Booker to start the game.
04:45 What were your thoughts on his game?
04:47 >> Raze is an elite defender for sure.
04:52 Something I knew before that stretch.
04:54 Great size, great life, great athleticism.
04:57 He was great, usually he's great defensively.
05:02 He was really good in that stretch offensively, kind of picking the spots.
05:05 Getting a good rhythm.
05:07 >> And what have you seen from Poco?
05:11 He seems to be a little bit more consistent recently.
05:15 >> Yeah, he's getting better, just like the rest of our guys.
05:18 Like I said, they work so hard.
05:21 Like I said, 1 through 15, we all work hard.
05:23 And we're getting opportunities.
05:26 And guys are ready for it, as you're seeing in Poco as well.
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