Kevin Durant, Devin Booker x Coach Williams React To Suns Game 1 vs Clippers | April 16, 2023

Coach obviously a game doesn't come down to one possession, but that one that extended probably yeah 30-something seconds How big was that I mean? I think they had about three or four possessions where they got like four cracks at it because we couldn't secure the rebound and you know if you look at the The defensive possessions if you just get the rebound the numbers are extremely in our favor So we gave them 14 offensive rebounds tonight, but timely ones and then we had a Couple of mishaps down the stretch and gave Kawhi One three and then Gordon got a three and so those things just kind of piled up at the end Curious with the possession that you guys had obviously look like he was trying to get it to Duran What did they do defensively to maybe take they just switch they went small and switched And that's why sometimes you don't even want to call the timeout because you know they're gonna get the big out of the game And and switch everything and you know book got the ball and rush just made a good play Curious, what was your message to them after I mean obviously which is the earliest early in the series, right? Oh, it's one game We'll look at the film and regroup and get ready for a big game here when we show up on Tuesday Coach when you look at the second quarter the end of the second quarter in the third quarter What do you feel like clicked for you guys? We just played point five basketball, and we got stops The last part of the third I thought we gave a lot back. We were up eight and Then just like that it was a tie game, and I got a look at the film and see why we just I thought we took a couple of shots. We didn't need to take we could have got it to the second side They were forcing us to take mid-range shots in the pocket high instead of swinging it to the second side Which is how we got the lead in the first place down the stretch were you comfortable with the way the offense looked or yeah? It was all over the place. I mean we missed shots In the paint that we typically make but It didn't look like there was a great flow tonight, and we got to get more organized and run our stuff I thought when they put smaller guys on da and bigger guys on Torrey We had Torrey setting screens in the pocket and typically we don't do that we put Da in that screening action if they switch it then we throw it to him And then he has to convert or find somebody on the second side, so we got to get more organized On offense money with what you just mentioned How do you like the way the guys adjusted to using Torrey as a screener and game was okay? I mean when he was diving and getting to the basket I mean he scored tonight Which is great, but I still think we have to take advantage of da size in those situations and have him screen He's got a small guy on him, and then he's screening a smaller guy, so if they Want to put that guy on da we can throw it to him or see if they help on the second side But Torrey in the pocket wasn't bad tonight It was an uneven start defensively, but how'd you like the way the guys started to compete a bit? I thought we just gave up stuff out of timeouts There were a few times where we just didn't get back in transition not a ton And then there were times where we didn't even see the guy behind us. You know those are plays that At halftime when you look at our defense. It wasn't bad. There was just Miscommunications, or we just didn't see a guy behind us, and that's something that you know you can't have that in the playoffs And coach right here good to see what What do you attribute the slow start to? You could make all kinds of excuses. It doesn't matter. We had the same time off as they did you know what I mean you could say we didn't have a Lot of time to play, but we played two days this week. You know so we just have to come out with that NBA term urgency right out the gate, and I didn't feel like we had that Defensively to start and then we got it a bit in the second quarter And then we played really good defense and offense to begin the third and then it just kind of went a little bit Offensively I thought our offense hurt us at the end of the third and gave them possessions and transition Money we saw over here. We saw quite a few guys get some run. What were you looking for? When you were deciding what lineups put out there just who to play off the bench Yeah, the minutes are gonna go up for the guys who play a ton You know we're trying to match up and keep size on Kauai as best we can but we also have attention on Powell and Gordon and so a lot of it was getting some defensive guys on on Powell and Gordon along with Kauai But I think I could have given Terrence a longer run tonight Just to get us somebody who can knock down a shot in space the floor Coach you you mentioned having some size was that kind of the thinking behind having Torrey? Yeah over Josh in the starting line. Yeah, Torrey and ish have You know done well against guys like that now nobody can stop Kauai But at the same time we feel like you know putting size on him gives you a chance But they they screen the size off of them a lot And so you're if you go back and hit them or blitz them then you're in rotations Coach obviously looking at the bench a lot of guys I mean they were the minutes were low, but they weren't being aggressive as far as shooting How do you well I didn't think we were organized enough to get those guy shots. I thought we allowed there The way they matched us I thought that messed with us a little bit We have to just run our stuff, and that's what we're gonna talk about tomorrow Just run our stuff no matter how they match up and make them play against our offense our offense is pretty good Coach how did you feel about jock when he came in during the third quarter to kind of come and help the guys just a Tiny bit it was it was okay. There was a couple of times. I felt like he could have got the ball to the second side Sometimes you take that mid-range free throw shot You got to make that shot But there his energy is great. I thought he had a really good dive. He got to the free throw line So that that's something that you know we'll talk about Tomorrow so that we can be better Coach how do you look at Chris as a rebounder tonight rather than just he had a double-double and assistant rebound I mean is what we needed Russ had five offensive boards. You know we have to have more attention As far as keeping their guards off the glass. I mean we needed Chris to rebound they had 14 offensive boards 10 more possessions You know I thought that was Along with the stuff that happened down the stretch with you know the two threes we gave up I thought the extra possessions we gave them Really hurt us tonight Monty not that we haven't seen defense from book before, but do you think he takes? That end to a different level in the postseason I think he's just competitive and aggressive no matter what the situation is, but I thought he took the challenge Tonight against Kawhi Kawhi hit some tough shots But book is you know I've said it since I've been here. He's a better defender than people give him credit for All right, thank you Obviously you guys were we're down early, and then you know came back and took the lead What do you feel like maybe was the difference in the last? Five minutes or so on the fourth. I have to go back and look at it But I know he got a lot of extra attempts offensive rebounds that led to open threes I remember three in a row two from Kawhi and then one from EG You know so limiting them to those possessions. You know one shot defense and get the rebound and you know go do what we do Curious with that possession with Russell. I initially thought you were gonna go for a three But what did you see on that that made you decide to take it to there? I just try to get a quick one They're obviously playing the three you know not falling so just try to get a quick one Maybe a and one and you know I just didn't happen Book what do you attribute the slow start to I? Don't know again. I have to go back and watch it You know I know we started off slow But you know found it got it back before half and then came out on the third quarter with you know good energy big up-and-down game you know and then give it away at the end of the third and You know the rest was what happened in the fourth to your point How did you like the way you guys responded as a team defensively? It's important. You know we talked about her on the bench. You know we understand. It's not gonna be easy It only gets harder from here on out so you know just understanding that going into the game and You know just locking into it, but you know it feels good to be playing playoff basketball again Book on that last possession foul or clean play um I mean, I don't know how the rule works You know I know when you shoot a jump shot. You know they can go hand-to-hand but on the scoop wrist and You know we it's over with When you look at the offense down the stretch What do you feel like you guys could have done better, or did you feel like you were getting shots that you normally make? We got shot, I mean they push it to six and You know six or eight, and we you know kept fighting back. You know I made it a one-point game You know so I think we got some good looks There wasn't maybe necessarily good flow to the offense tonight Is there anything you could attribute to that too, or what do you think where that stemmed from would you think I? Have to go watch it to be completely honest The only other thing I had was just when you have that week off in between do you feel like maybe that Led to the slow start of not playing games or do you or no No excuses no No, it's that time of year. You know if you're not up and ready for these and you know you're playing the wrong sport Book what you see offensively in terms of using Torrey as a screener and adjusting to the way the Clippers were covering you guys Yeah, I mean he did great in it. You know just playing in that pocket You know if teams are gonna play like that. You know put fives on them Then he can just do like that. He played unbelievable tonight on both ends Yeah, hell of a game by Torrey Does this feel differently at all it's the first time you've lost a game one before I mean, it's just a series you know I mean as you guys know I've been up to oh, you know and lost it So I feel like I've seen Pretty much every scenario as it goes to count except losing the first one, but you know we respond next game And you know it'd be fun And book I was actually gonna ask about that same thing. Do you think the playoff experience the last couple seasons makes this? Easier to deal with and maybe if it was your first playoff game going down on one I mean no matter what year I'm in or how many times I do it. You know I think it's gonna be a rollercoaster You know even thinking back to my first one like every loss is you know the worst thing ever and every win You're gonna win the rest of them. That's just how the playoffs go Kevin obviously you've been in so many playoff series before what do you feel like maybe in the last five or so minutes? Wasn't working or didn't work or what they did well that led to them coming out on top I was a great back-and-forth game all game Those three threes they hit late in the fourth was huge. I think we was pretty even game until then Pretty even game all the way around Outside of the three-point line curious with the just you know obviously you and Devin it started a little slow as you think that's maybe a product of The week off or was it the Clippers? What would you attribute that to oh? Yeah, I get him credit for playing good defense But I think we was able we missed some good shots there in that first quarter And we was able to get it going there in the second third quarters We definitely like to have better starts, but Sometimes that happens, and it's about how you bounce back from it, but I think we did a solid job in the second and Second and third bouncing back the only other thing I had was when you look at the play of cool Why just just just curious and your thoughts on how he was able to to play the way he played tonight I mean, it's a tough tough cover the score from all areas, so Yeah, he was making shots there in the second half We made some big threes there in the fourth quarter. It's all-time player, so we got to you know continue to be physical and denies catches and Make it as tough as we can on Kevin what do you think clues to get together for you guys in the middle of the second and then at the start of the Third we just got stops I was able to get out and run in that you know just play off the pass play off the pick and roll just make quick decisions once we got stopped so You know I think that's the name of the game for us is getting the rebound getting out and going and and Finding a play from there It's not like you to be unable to get shots up in the last five to six minutes of a close game like this in The playoffs, what do you attribute that to? Just I think they did a good job when I did get it. They put the trap on me and I Come off the ball, but a lot of time. I was spacing there in the corner. Just waiting for it Providing space for my teammates. I think we got some good looks there in the fourth. We didn't knock something down, but You gotta get credit to the Clippers With you being off the ball and spacing Do you feel like part of that is just kind of the feeling out process and you've only had eight games with these guys I wouldn't say it's a filling out process. I think I'm good at spacing out and attacking off to off to off the catch I Think like I said, we provide a lot of space for my teammates and you know, we got good looks We just said knock them down. Bonnie was talking about the offensive boards. It wasn't a ton It was 14, but it felt like timely ones. What did you see on the defensive rebounding side of it? Yeah, Russ got five and he had some he made some huge plays there in the fourth on the offensive glass And that's how they're gonna get points, you know, and that's how they're gonna get you know extra possessions Ten more possessions than us, you know, you can't win a game like that Kevin I think fans it's easy for them to overreact to a game one loss with all your experience. How do you not do that? It's a long series You know, we know that Anything can happen in a playoff. So We guarantee to play another game. So you just got to go back to the drawing board Just curious of money was saying and hey, yeah, I just got to run their stuff and get shots out of that What do you feel like as far as can help the bench to be more? Productive, you know, I know the starters are playing more minutes there Yeah, just get be aggressive Make quick decisions. I think once we like I said get stops and get out and run I think that's the best version of our team So I think everybody could benefit from boxing out getting out getting to get into the glass and pushing the pace Kevin to go back to those middle quarters wasn't encouraging to see the way you guys defended specifically and just all five of you in General. Yeah, it was cool to see but we want four quarters of it Kevin obviously not the result you guys are looking for but how big was Tori's production out there? Yeah, he played great ball great ball, you know, they were leaving him open He's knocking down shots being aggressive on the defensive side of the ball. He had five fouls, but I like his aggressiveness You know, he moved the ball pretty well, you know, he's got out in transition. So I think he played a great game tonight