 What's up jock hey there Megan we heard the celebration even from you heard it from your room. Yeah Can you just describe what the message was to this group and what that moment was like? Yeah, I think overall we just talked about in a game like this going into the break where everyone is ready to go into the break to be mentally and physically have the will to get through this game and grind it out and You know both teams have a equal opportunity and who's going to continue to Not give in we grind this thing out. We stayed together as a team and we got rewarded for it And speaking of rewarded Michael Bridges tonight new career high night from you from for him What did you see from his game tonight that allowed him to kind of get going offensively? Yeah, I think overall just his spirit and energy and juice even at our walkthrough today like he had the mindset it seemed like that he wasn't going to let us lose and At halftime he had it going early and then just really had some good looks to go down to threes We're able to go down for him But I think overall it was this attitude and mindset of not letting us Not go away with a win tonight and during pregame You said that the challenge is going to be trying to find that new identity What glimpses of the identity that you like that you saw tonight. Yeah, I thought we really dictated things in the second half We didn't allow them to get to their spots more deflections in the second half or turned them over more in the second half So that was to our advantage and then we got out and and hopefully the strength of this team as we can continue to run Third and fourth course we were able to do that and get some easy buckets Just because we do have the depth to get out and run make or miss Coach we spoke about Generating offense has to come swinging the ball moving around has to be a team effort when the guy like Mikhail is able To go off like he did tonight. What type of ripple effect does that have on the offense and what you're able to do? Yeah, it's huge. Then you were able to see other guys have space to shoot threes You were able to see Nick get on top of the rim a few times because of that And then also, you know, you look at our ability to get into the paint Whether it was through driving kick Cam Thomas garnered a lot of attention tonight. They even got to a point of double teaming We use that to our advantage, but Mikhail's ability to just make shots at the end of the day was huge for us I mean, we've been searching for that. We'll continue to on a night where Some nights some guys gonna have it some guys don't we just need all of the above any night anyone come help us And second you guys held the heat bench to just 17 points Cam outscored them himself. Just what were you guys able to do defensively to kind of make them a non-factor? Yeah, we talked about being more physical more physical in our switching more physical on the off-ball screens Just really getting our hands on people The referees only can color, you know, a certain amount of files a little bit So we wanted to really just be more aggressive and I thought we did that and you can see it just by the drop balls They had deflections that we had so we were able to dictate some things in the second half for sure Now Bench did a great job of kind of being ready to play and giving us some juice as well I got a couple for you going off that I mean you talked to pregame about how you know you needed cam to kind of have 40 or more of those three games on the transition From the trade, but that's not, you know sustainable are gonna be deal going for it I mean what he gave you tonight with you know the 19 off the bench, you know 1011 shots for us I mean is that more of what you hope to replicate with him going forward? I guess without a doubt Alex I think that's an ideal picture tonight To for him to come off the bench and have the attention that he garnered to be able to make shots for us to be able to Create for us. There was a little bit of low low in our offense before he checked in and he has the ability to create shots for So really needed it tonight. I thought he was composed I thought he used each possession and was pretty efficient with it making the right decisions Which is growth for him. So definitely more so what we wanted to see and after go ahead I'm a rule him. Go ahead. You said to I heard you say to go ahead Alex. Yeah, thank you You a lot of guys talked after the garden about you know getting stagnant kind of what you were saying and and also you talked about the pressure that Spencer has both my playmaking in a three-point shooting standpoint You guys won comfortably I guess tonight with him only have a nine if you can just kind of speak to you know the playmaking without him you know get three six guys with three or more assists and then also just the The ability to kind of do that without him having that kind of pressure I knew you had a great question in you if we're doubted out it was You spot on with it, you know the coaches before we kind of walked in we talked about how really Nick and Spencer didn't have their best of nights So we've seen them play better and for this group to still be able to create shots for each other cover for each other on the defensive end the floor and Play collectively as a group. It's really is I think a sign of who we need to be Just because our group I'm not sure Mikael's gonna score 45 every night I'm not sure Spencer's gonna have 20 in the first half every night so that ability to pick each other up and Create for each other and stay together. It's kind of who we have to be identity-wise Okay, now it can go. Yes. Sorry. Sorry I mean, I'm sure it was a pretty, you know lousy feeling when you heard you were trading Kevin Durant When when you found out you were getting bridges back, you know, I've heard a lot of coaches through the years talk about him They seem to really value what he does on the court. What what was your kind of feeling when you heard? Okay, this is one of the guys in the package Yeah, I'm really you know just all honestly. I'm extremely excited about this group That part of you know, the old era is gone. We got a new era and we have some Some guys in the locker room who can really play the game of basketball who really want to learn about the game who want to be pushed and coached and Mikael Bridges is open-minded, but at the same time has a Consciousness about him that he can communicate with his teammates. He has a joy about him every day. I see him in the gym He works on his game So extremely pleased that he's a part of our future going forward If you want different guys to represent you as a as a franchise I'm quite sure when he goes to Schools and does public appearances when he's in the locker room with this group when he's talking to his head coach after walk-through today extremely impressive as a human being and 45 helps to as a basketball player Alex told my great question Regarding with cam I'm curious you said this is kind of the template that you're looking for is that Because you want to look at him and say alright This is a guy who can essentially be a microwave score and give me a Significant punch in very limited minutes off the bench when he's separated from our starters Or is that just because you need punch in that unit or was there some other reason that this is the perfect fit for him Yeah, I think we're really bright and boils down to the number of guys we have so tonight decided to go with ten guys and You know Seth got the short end of the stick a little bit with his minutes tonight and so I think really that's what it boils down to door and didn't play as many minutes tonight and it's just gonna be some Nights where defensively we need dodo and mckell on the floor and we need nick on the floor We went small tonight to extend and put another small with Dodo plan to five to give us the opportunity to put another small on the floor We'll plant ten guys right now eventually that's gonna whittle down to nine or eight as you get into the playoffs But I think that's the biggest thing is being able to utilize the depth the minutes and hopefully cam is Efficient coming off the bench right now in the time that he gets we've had conversations about it and he's been Receptive to it. I think tonight. He really showed how he can come into the game make an impact But we're also able to play the other smalls that we have To capitalize on the depth of our team, you know the last three games The last three games, you know nick hasn't been bad by any means, but he hasn't been You know the double-double machine that he was at the level he's playing You know pre-trait I guess what what do you make of his this recent stretch from him Alex? I wish I could tell you how much this this young man has given us he is he is tired and he has been tired and You see tonight eight four minutes into the game Nick Claxton was tired And so I said it before the game. It was already on my mind I'm already thinking about how can I get him through this game and us get a win? He's given us everything he's had Played more minutes this year like I said then two years combined and so That's why he plays 20 minutes at the at the garden We were trying to figure out how can we get this due to the in line to get to some recovery over all-star break I appreciate him. I told him that let's get through this game. I love that you've given every ounce Refresh reload could we got some more? but this is new territory for him and We have to be conscious about how much we put on this plate because we've asked a lot for him Just imagine before our new group came here and the defensive Responsibility that he had of guarding people on the perimeter at the rim on a nightly basis. So He'll recharge We'll give him some love and he'll be back to his double-double machine. Hopefully after the break