Exclusive GAME# 57: WARRIORS @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 13, 2019 - Quote Book

[SlyPokerDog]

HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS

“Really proud of our team. Obviously the guys that came off the bench really played well in the second – well the first half and second half. I thought it was an entertaining game, neither team really could get any stops in the first half, but the fact that it got a little chippy in the second half, it was a good game.”


What did you think of Collins defensively, particularly the block and taking an offensive foul?

“Zach’s plays, I thought, were a turning point – particularly the one where he either gets the ball stripped or blocked and then runs down to the other end and makes the block. I thought that was kind of a turning point for us because the game was going either way and if they score there, it’s a big turnaround. So that play was big and then he made other effort plays, emotional plays that fired up the team and the crowd.”


On only four turnovers:

“We said when you play Golden State, you have to play good offense. You do your best defensively but you know that they’re always dangerous at the offensive end. But your offense can’t fuel that. You’ve got to take good shots, make good decisions, not have turnovers fuel their transition, things like that. We did that tonight.”


You didn’t bring four of the starters in during the fourth, is that how it’s going to be – riding with certain guys?

“Yeah, it’s going to be a transition, but we’ve got a lot of good players who are able to contribute to winning. Obviously, the bench guys played well. I thought the starters played well, I was prepared to come back. I thought Moe and Chief did a good job when they were in there, set the tone defensively, but just wanted to ride the momentum and the guys out there deserved to finish it off.”


Is that just a feel thing in-game?

“Yeah, you know with five or six minutes to go in the game, I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do to finish the game, but the guys on the floor answered it for me.”


How much of your time over All Star will be trying to figure out the rotation and what do you view Kanter’s role as?

“He’s our backup five. As far as the rotation, that should be pretty seamless. He’ll get the backup five minutes. He’s a proven NBA player. He can score, he can rebound. He’s played in big games. So it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

 

[SlyPokerDog]

DAMIAN LILLARD

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. They played last night, so we just wanted to try to keep our energy up, keep the pressure on them and I thought we did a great job of each time they made a little run, we just weathered the storm and stayed with it. It came down to the last few minutes and it kind of got out of control a little bit – we finished it out how we needed to.”


On Collins getting a block at the rim at taking a charge late:

“Both game-changing plays. I think the first thing you think about is a big shot or somebody getting dunked on or something like that as an energy, game-changing play, but I think those two plays was kind of what changed the game completely for us. Him, it looked like he had a lay-up. I was looking at it from the bench and I didn’t even see Zach coming, so for him to make that play and then back it up with another defensive play instead of patting himself on the back, that was huge for him but that’s huge for our team. I think it kind of turned the game completely in our favor.”


On how that’s an emotional lift:

“I think just because it shows desire for one. For a guy that big to kind of be behind the play, recognize where the ball is going and who’s where and then make a play on the ball, that type of effort, and also feeling good about yourself. You’re making them miss and then if it looks like they’re about to get an easy one and you take it away from them, now they’ve got to work for it a whole possession. So I think that’s why it’s so big, because it goes from being a lay-up to an energy play for us. Now we’re feeling good about ourselves. It’s like okay, we just had a turnover, it looked like it was going to be a lay-up and we still didn’t give it to them, so that’s why it’s so big.”


What’s your reaction to the Kanter signing?

“I like what he can do. I think since I’ve been here, one of the things we’ve always done well in taking advantage of is second chance opportunities and offensive rebounding. Just from playing against him, seeing him all the time, you know he’s a great offensive rebounder, you know he’s good in the paint. You’re going to be able to give him the ball and he’s going to score. And the experience being on a good team. He’s been on good teams. I think he brings something that we can use. He can help us.”

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Postgame Notes - Feb. 13, 2019

Portland 129, Golden State 107

Game #57 • Home Game #32


TEAM

• The Trail Blazers finished with just four turnovers, matching a season low.
• Portland improves to 5-0 when all five starters score in double digits.

• Tonight marks the second time Portland has had eight players score in double figures (12/14 vs. TOR) this season. Portland is 2-0 in those games.
• Portland’s bench out-scored Golden State’s by a 52-23 margin.

• The Trail Blazers won their first game of the season when trailing after three quarters (0-22 entering tonight).

• The Warriors’ 12 fourth quarter points were a season low in the fourth by a Portland opponent and the lowest output by Golden State in any quarter this season.

• Portland has defeated Golden State twice in each of the past two seasons, going 2-1 last year and splitting the series 2-2 this season.

• The 22-point victory margin was Portland’s largest vs. Golden State since winning 137-105 on Feb. 19, 2016.

• Tonight’s win marks the second consecutive season the Trail Blazers have defeated the Warriors entering the All-Star break. Portland won last year 123-117 on Feb. 14, 2018.


PLAYER

• Damian Lillard led the team with 29 points (9-15 FG, 6-8 3-PT, 5-6 FT) to go with three rebounds and eight assists.
• With 11 points and 11 rebounds, Jusuf Nurkic logged his 26th double-double of the season, one shy of his career best in 2017-18. It is his second double-double over the last three games.
• Seth Curry (11 points, 3-5 3-PT) recorded his 10th game in double figures this season, improving the Trail Blazers to 10-0 when that happens.
• Evan Turner recorded 12 points (4-10 FG, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes off the bench. It was his 20th game scoring in double figures this season and the third time this season that Turner recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.

• Jake Layman tallied 17 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3-PT), two rebounds and one assist, with 12 of his points coming in the fourth quarter. He has scored in double figures in five of the last six games and 16 times on the season.

• Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant both scored 32 points to pace the Warriors.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

HEAD COACH STEVE KERR

On tonight’s game:

“I’m really proud of our guys. They battled like crazy, you know really tough schedule game with the back to back, there’s three guys out and I thought our guys really fought. It’s one of the reasons I was really frustrated because there – our guys were fighting, we were scrapping and clawing and it was, you know, tough on them. It’s the way it goes but I’m really pleased with where we are in the rest of the league and everybody’s going to get a chance to get away for a little bit and come back from this stretch.”


Anyone stand out to you?

“I thought everybody came in and did a good job. I was really impressed with Jordan Bell’s energy. He got us several extra possessions and he hustled. You know, I thought Jonas came in for the first time in a while and got good minutes and held up really well. Damion Lee and Zo [Alfonzo] did a nice job and so did Quinn, so I was really pleased with the bench.”


Is there a benefit to getting any of the frustration out of the team’s system in a game like tonight?

“Haven’t thought of it that way. I’m going to talk to my psychologist tomorrow and see if that’s accurate.”


On Draymond Green:

“I was shocked that they even were looking at the replay. So, I’m going to, you know, we’ll obviously get an explanation from the league, but I just thought it was just a good hard foul. So, I guess I was wrong.”

 

[SlyPokerDog]

KEVIN DURANT

On the Blazers making a run in the fourth

“They got eight points in that one possession and that kind of broke it open for them and that took our momentum away. They were on a run already, but I thought we were still in the game, down seven I think… Momentum is a huge part of basketball and that took our momentum away.”

On the play of Zach Collins

“He played with a lot of energy, blocking shots, and the crowd got him hyped.”

 

[SlyPokerDog]

DRAYMOND GREEN

On heading into All-Star break

“I think we’re in a great place. We’re not playing our best basketball, but our chemistry is great and that’s the most important thing for us. We’ve got a lot of talent, we’ve got a great team. We’ve got to clean some things up after break but we’re in a great place.”

 

[SlyPokerDog]

STEPHEN CURRY

On the eight-point Blazers possession

“I can’t say that I have [seen an eight-point possession before]. Obviously, it was an emotional game, we fought really hard for 42 minutes or 43 minutes. It was a questionable foul on the flagrant and the fire came out.”