You know, what exactly happened with Rob's knee? And do you have any update on the status? I
don't know exactly what happened. He said it wasn't even a specific play that he remembers, but came out of the game, had some pain, obviously went back to get checked out wasn't quite a bit of pain. He'll get scanned in the morning. And we'll know more than
is there. Is there some concern for that being a potentially long term thing? Or is it too early to know
is too early? Got looked at by the doctors, but until the scan comes back in the morning, well, no more. Like I said, quite a bit of pain in the lateral side. Nothing more than
that. And just to clarify from before the game says, You guys are playing in Toronto tomorrow. If you have a class, here's a Toronto, is everyone on the roster able to play there?
Yeah, I mean, our thing is, like I mentioned housing, personal situation, we got some guys that are banged up, including Rob tonight, so he won't be going we're getting some other guys looked at now. And so our thing is injury prevention going forward in the last eight games, and Jalen Jason had the flare ups before I looked at it tonight, but you know, second night of a back to back, we'll see how they feel after the game. Get checked out shortly.
But you could but if it was a playoff game, you have your whole roster available to play in Toronto.
Yeah, I mean, we are obviously Canada to change their rules. But we're looking at our guys available to play. All the guys are healthy, if healthy, though, are available to play.
Mate, how do you manage the last eight games? I mean, you guys are now tied with Miami for first. So it's a it's a precarious situation. You said before the game you might want to avoid someone in the first maneuver. Who you might want to play in the first round or where you land. How do you manage over the next two weeks when you get some difficult games coming up? That could mean seating?
Yeah, what I said before the game was other teams do that I've said I'm not really worried about that. But teams manipulate where they want to play. And we're not concerned about that ours is winning health and playing the right best best basketball at the right time. So like I said, there's too much closest to try to maneuver, manipulate things and pick an opponent, you can go from one to four and 567 can flip in the night. So we're not concerned with that. As far as wrestling, you know, that's, that's the main thing. We got some guys who got some nicks now and you got to be smart about it. home court advantage is the main thing. And wherever the chips fall, they kind of fall but you know, playing the best basketball at the right time keeping guys healthy and picking the game if we can get guys one. That's what we're looking at now.
How do you kind of bottle up what you're doing now and save it? Keep it in? Make sure you're playing that way, two and a half weeks from now.
I think the main thing that we've seen is consistency over the last, you know, a few months and a lot of areas that we really targeted offensively, sharing the ball defensively, coming out with that mindset and then playing with a sense of urgency getting off, the better starts. And so the consistency is what we've done. There was no reason to go back on that we see the success has brought us and unselfishness is contagious. Everybody cheering for each other playing a certain way. And so no reason to think that that'll fall back at all. We see what works and what didn't work early on in the year. fine tuned a few things and so guys understand that and it's pretty simple message play the same way we have to get us to where we are.
Is there a chance I'll make a trip to LA to Toronto?
Right now it's he's still dealing with some stuff. And like I said he's he'll get the proper time needed to take care of this stuff. And it's not looking likely right now. You sent Jason back into the game pretty late. He will stay with Jalen out there just what was your thinking? You guys are up by probably about 18. At that point. Yeah, we had some stagnant possessions, they went down quite a bit of time. Still, I think it was the 10 minute mark nine minute 10 minute mark, just to get you know, get that lead back up and got them out around the four minute mark. So kind of steadiest against his own. We've got about four or five positions where I didn't love how we looked against it. He's obviously one of our best in the middle or initiating. So I wanted to get him back in there. Keep it around the 20 mark. And that got him out. I think well for 40.
Because there's been a lot of talk about the defense this year, and deservedly so it's the top of the league but the offense in the month of March is the top offense in the league and he did it tonight against the top defense in the league during the month of March. What has led to this change. I know you talked earlier in the season about making shots. But there's got to be more than that.
And unselfishness. guys learn to play with each other as coaches learning how to utilize guys in certain situations. So all that's you know, kind of played into it. And I said, Our defense is really good. And that turns into offense a lot. We target a few areas of weakness in Minnesota and although they're playing really good defense, they give up a lot of offensive rebounds, give up someone transition and want to focus on those areas. And I think overall we had an 18 Fast breakpoints 92nd chance points so we attack those as well as some specific specific matchup. So targeting what we want to get across there and I think we did a good job of that. Thank you.
Cat was kind of having his way in the first quarter and then he barely scored after that. What did you guys figure out with how you wanted to kind of timer double teams Ottoman for spot was hands,
hey, even without the double teams, we mixed it a little bit, keep them off balance there. But you know, he's a heavy right hand driver, he got to his right hand two or three times, tried to send left a little bit better, which we did and just taking up his airspace on the perimeter. And grant Jason's some smaller guys on him and he just kind of teed up some shots, or just drove by and so 12 in the first quarter, one in the second and then you know, for the rest of the way, so I think our physicality was increased. You got some fouls drawn, but for the most part, only shooting for free throws for him is a big deal. And I think they had 12 on the night, if I'm not mistaken. And so yeah, 12 on the night and so that's a big part of them when he shoots and for those are winning percentages. It's crazy how high goes up so I think we just increased our physicality took away his airspace, and that game was easy opportunities ahead in the fourth quarter.
Were you looking to get into kind of go deep to the left side so we either as a try to shoot on the left side or spin back and then you can just send help to stop it when he spins back.
It's more so keeping away from his right hand regardless where he was on the court. And so, like I said, he got to his right hand drive a few times and did a much better job in the last three quarters of people who have left. Thank you, Coach. Thank you safe travels to Toronto.
