Bliss | Bucks Post-Game | Nov. 20, 2021
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00:00Um, you know, first off, just really proud to wear these colors right now, you know,
00:09we talked about it before the game, you know, understanding the being interested with the
00:15opportunity to lead this group and, you know, thought we gave it gave it everything we had
00:21out there.
00:22You know, obviously the second half holding in the 38 points, you know, they have on the
00:27floor and I thought it was collective effort, you know, obviously not the start that we
00:32wanted to there.
00:33Some of us shot making on their part to pick up to them, but, you know, down 10 on the
00:39road, very easy to just let things slide and splinter.
00:42And our guys did not do that, but we, you know, had leadership shown from a lot of different
00:47guys in holding it together.
00:50So just really proud of these guys and, you know, ready to turn the page and get back
00:53at it tomorrow here.
01:00Um, it felt good, you know, I, you know, getting, you know, 89 points, I'd like to, you know,
01:10maybe put us in some better spots, you know, help us out there.
01:14But, you know, those guys put it on the line and, you know, anytime you can get those guys
01:18playing together and playing with that level of competitiveness, you know, our coaching
01:22staff feels pretty good, you know, about the chemistry of the team and the way things
01:26are going.
01:27And that's, that's not just me.
01:28You know, that's, that's a collective effort.
01:30Um, you know, same thing, Mark's preach, same things our other assistant coaches preach,
01:34you know, that permeates through the roster.
01:37And I thought that showed up tonight, you know, even without Marker.
01:53Yeah, you know, we're always looking for opportunities to get guys in there and I thought he earned
02:01it, you know, flat out.
02:03Um, you know, we're not handing minutes out, you know, to anybody and the way he played,
02:08he was a big part of that defensive effort in the second half.
02:12Really like his approach.
02:13He's always ready.
02:14He's always focused.
02:15You know, he showed that whether it was a training camp practice, a preseason game,
02:19a blue game, you know, it doesn't matter the situation.
02:23So huge respect, you know, for a young player to be able to have that kind of mental maturity.
02:28Um, I thought it was impressive and I thought he warranted a little bit longer run there
02:32the way he played.
02:52Yeah, I mean, I feel like we come in here every night and talk about Lou and how special
02:57he is in different ways.
02:58And, you know, I, you know, I call him the captain, you know, he's his leadership qualities
03:04are just off the charts and, you know, I think some of the stuff with him handling the ball
03:11more doing different things, the thing about him is he's just fearless.
03:16You know, you ask him to do something, take on any defensive assignment, guard anyone
03:20walking planet Earth, you know, and you ask him to do something offensively, he's given
03:24it all.
03:26You know, we talk a lot about culture, you know, everybody does and, you know, the part
03:30that gets talked about is creating an environment, you know, but culture really is, who are your
03:35people?
03:36You know, you want to create a culture like Lou Doerr helps you create a culture, he's
03:40a, he's a walking, you know, culture and especially in the NBA, you know, it's a, it's a players
03:46forward league.
03:47You know, if you're, if your players are high character, gritty, unselfish guys like that,
03:52you know, that really goes a long way in terms of, you know, what we're trying to build
03:56and the values we're seeking here.
04:09Yeah, I thought he was, he was really good.
04:11You know, he's played him a couple of times now in his young career and, you know, that's
04:15a huge development piece for him.
04:18You know, he's, he's got a good motor out there.
04:21He's got great length and quickness and, you know, he's got good toughness and more
04:24strength than you think he does, you know, to, you saw it in there and him sticking his
04:28nose in there and standing down and stuff and fighting him, you know, I think he was
04:32six for 16.
04:33So, you know, he doesn't have a lot of nights like that.
04:37Right.
04:38And I could be wrong.
04:39I don't think he had a dunk.
04:40So, you know, I mean, he's going to get his points.
04:43He's obviously a super player, you know, you're not going to stop him from scoring entirely,
04:47but, you know, with phase, we always talk about, you know, just make every shot difficult.
04:52And at the end of the night, if you can do that, everything can test it, everything over
04:55your length, you know, everything with physicality will live with the results.
05:11Yeah, I mean, you know, it's huge.
05:13I think it's six, you know, that's, that's elite five man.
05:18And again, you talked about a little bit before the game, but just his instincts, his feel
05:22for the game, picking his spots, not going in there every time, but really situational
05:26and seeing how the floor is balanced.
05:28And, you know, he's gotten a lot sharper as well with that decision making piece, you
05:33know, of how the floor space and when he can go without giving up transition.
05:38That's been a focus for us a little bit this year is trying to get a little bit more of
05:42an uptick, collectively offensive rebound and no one, you know, you know, we don't have
05:47the luxury of some of these teams that have a center who gets you for a game.
05:52But you know, we have done that as a group and we've been able to maintain pretty good
05:56transition defense as well.
05:58So there's a there's a nice discipline piece to that for Josh too.
06:13Yeah, this shows a lot of maturity, you know, from those guys, I think it's interesting
06:19that you mentioned those two, like, I think I've been around, Mike is really helping him,
06:25you know, and grow into that, just that reliable player, no matter what situation he's put
06:30in, he's a weapon out there, you know, comes in and the other team's got to account for
06:33him.
06:34You know, right away, if you lose him for just a split second, he can make you pay,
06:38you know, with with his shot, but you know, can make some plays off the dribble.
06:42You know, just fun to see those guys connecting with each other.
06:44And, you know, Mike's really brought the professionalism, you know, everybody's talking about that.
06:49But I think, you know, seeing that rub off on Ty, and he's always been a great competitor
06:53going back to college, you know, he's just a winner, you know, national champ, like,
06:58guy that helps you win, you know, that's play, you know, so type of guy you root for.
07:12Yeah, yeah.
07:14I mean, if you want me to go out there and throw one, you guys can see where the ball
07:30goes.
07:31Just for contrast, but no, he, I think it's really unique, because, you know, it's not
07:38just the left hand and the vision, it's also like, like the balance of velocity and touch,
07:44right?
07:45Like, so that one, you got to put a lot of mustard on that thing.
07:48Right?
07:49It's like a third baseman digging one out, diving and getting up and firing it across
07:52the diamond.
07:53Like, not a lot of people that have that kind of zip on their passes, you know, and then
07:57at the same time, you know, when he needs to throw a lob, he can take some off, you
08:01know, and put it on a spot as well.
08:03So like I said, it's unique.
08:06You know, it's just one of the skills that we really like about him.
08:09And I'm just excited to see, you know, looking back at his career reel someday, he's going
08:14to have some really fun ones on there.
08:36Um, I think it just speaks to, you know, the values and what we're preaching every
08:44day.
08:45And, you know, I think these guys take a lot of pride, you know, I saw some of the comments
08:50from the previous game where we had lost to Houston, you know, and those guys came out
08:55and said, like, let's, let's, you know, step it up, and did a much better job and built
09:02the lead and kind of handled that game really well.
09:04And then same thing here, we had a bad taste in our mouth, I think, from the preseason
09:08game.
09:09And, you know, we just talk a lot about putting your best foot forward, and nobody can prevent
09:16you from giving your best out there, right?
09:18We know that those guys have a lot of skill, and a lot of ability, and they play really
09:22well together.
09:23But they can't stop us from playing a good game, you know, and putting our best effort
09:28out there.
09:29So, you know, that's what we've been preaching since day one.
09:33You know, and that's something that's a tip of the cap to all the Thunder people that
09:37have gone before, as well, you know, that's, that didn't start.
09:40Now, you know, that's, you know, Scotty Brooks, that's Billy Donovan, that's Russell Westbrook,
09:46you know, that's Kevin Durant, like, go down the line, like, you know, part of the thing
09:50that people look for your competitiveness, that's, that's what it's all about, you know,
09:56and these guys are no different, you know, and Lou Dohrt and Shea and Bayes, like, they're
10:00trying to put their stamp on the Thunder now.
10:02But the common thread is that competitiveness, you know, and just lining up every night,
10:07let's go play to win.
10:16A little bit, yeah, last night, I had a little bit of a chance to do that, my, you know,
10:23my brother and his wife are expecting in December, so got another baby on the way.
10:28So it's exciting to spend a little time there.
10:30I saw dad at halftime, you know, and he was, he brought one of his buddies who was a D3
10:37player back in the day, so he was a huge hoops junkie, so they were nerding out up there.
10:42It was, it was, just gave me a good feeling to see them up there.
10:46So, you know, it's not a, not a ton of social time on these trips, but, you know, just having
10:51that support, you know, it's pretty, pretty unique.
10:59Hello, Coach, hope you're doing well.
11:02The 96 points on defensive end tonight against such a gifted team like the Bucks are, what
11:08did you sense about your effort and your intensity on that end of the game?
11:14Yeah, I think, you know, a couple of big things on that is just being really tight in the shell.
11:20You know, you know, with Holiday, Middleton and Giannis, those guys are all, you know,
11:25huge threats to drive, but the challenges, right, the shooting around them.
11:29So, you know, I'm always preaching defensively on these guys talking about trust, and it
11:34starts with trusting that the guy on the ball is going to give his best, you know, and then
11:38if that breaks down, trusting that the next guy is going to be there, you know, and then
11:42for that guy to do that, he's got to trust that the next guy is going to be there for him.
11:45So, you know, it's hard to do with the personnel that they have out there.
11:50It's very easy for me to say that, but credit to those guys.
11:53You know, all the huddles, you know, just kept reinforcing the game plan, even the guys
11:57that weren't playing, you know, chiming in, encouraging the guys, you know, just reinforcing
12:01those details.
12:02So, you know, I tip my cap to our guys.
12:05It was, you know, whenever you can have that leadership within the group, that's the most
12:10powerful thing.
12:12Thank you, Coach.
12:13Firefighter, one more time.
12:15Thanks, guys.