(19-7) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS, 112 VS. (16-8) TORONTO RAPTORS, 92 SCOTIABANK ARENA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019
TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES
NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)
On the team’s shooting … I thought we came out pretty revved up and executing really well. I thought we were really flying around out there and I thought it looked like it was going to be a hell of a ball game and then we went through a really dry spell offensively and deflated us I think, all the way through the second quarter and into the half. Again we came out and started, I think we were scoring it okay there. Got off to a good start in the third and started getting a few a stops and I thought played some really solid man-to-man defence, got back in the game and then dried up a little bit again at the offensive end. I think we got it down to five and felt like we were in a really good position there to be in the game then they went on a like an 11-0 run or something, maybe 12-0 run to end the quarter and it got a little tough again.
On Kyle Lowry forcing shots… Well, I don’t know, Kyle has seven threes there and I am just trying to think if any of them were really bad ones and I can’t recall if they were forced, not open. I think they were decent shots, he is just in one of those grooves that he is not making some right now. We will get to work on that and look at it. He goes through some shooting woes every now and then for a few games and snaps out of it. He is too good of a shooter to do that.
On being happy that you can finally move on from last year … Well, we keep saying that we are going to move on from it, but then Danny Green will roll into town here pretty soon and we will do it all over again. I think again, we are in a period where were not playing very well here for about a week. It’s strange because, last Monday against Utah we may have played the best half of basketball we have ever seen in this building. So, things can change quickly, it is a fine line between things and we just have to get back to a little bit of who we are, which is very good defensively, ball movement and a good shooting team and we will do that.
On Kawhi Leonard tonight … I think that everybody knew he was going to get a warm reception tonight and deservedly so. I thought we were doing a pretty good job on him. We decided to go straight up in the second half and he shook free a little bit more, but I still thought we, he was eight of 14, not a big deal, 23 points I think you are going to live with as well. We held (Paul) George down pretty well, but Lou Williams I thought was a guy that during the stretch when they pulled away was incredible, especially to end the half and he can do that too. But Kawhi played good, he was efficient tonight, I thought he passed the ball well, he was strong in there, we were hitting him a lot and he was battling through some double teams early in the game and he played well.
PASCAL SIAKAM (24 points, four rebounds)
Where did things go wrong after the first quarter? They got stops and we weren’t making shots. They got stops and they were scoring on the other side. We couldn’t respond for a good period of time. Given the lead, down by – what, 18 at the half? – it’s always tough when you are down that much. We made a run in the second half and got it down to six or something, just couldn’t hold on.
Is the team confident shots will start falling? We hope so. We are going to continue to shoot them and just continue to play our offence and making sure that we make plays for each other and take the shots that are there. We can’t shy away from it because they aren’t going in. Continue to move the ball, play as a team and shoot open shots.
KYLE LOWRY (six points, four rebounds, six assists)
What went wrong after the first quarter? They made shots, played more aggressive than us and we just did not make enough shots offensively.
Are you happy with the looks the team is getting on offence? I think the shots are coming. I think we put ourselves in predicaments where we are getting some good shots, but we have to create better shots, drive, kick, swing a little bit more. Help our defence with our offence making some shots.
Thoughts on pregame ceremony for Kawhi… It was great. It’s well deserved, he helped this franchise do amazing things and he got his ring. I think he was pretty happy with it.
Is it a relief to have this game over with? It was a game we lost, we didn’t play well and it’s over with now. It was a great moment and it’s well deserved and with Danny (Green) coming in, it will be another great moment, but other than that, we are just moving on throughout the season.
(19-7) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS, 112 VS. (16-8) TORONTO RAPTORS, 92 SCOTIABANK ARENA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS QUOTES
DOC RIVERS (HEAD COACH)
What’s the greatest areas of growth you have seen in the team in the last couple of games? The defence tonight was phenomenal, and then our patience. We anticipated the traps and I thought our guys did a great job, like PG (Paul George), Kawhi (Leonard) and Lou (Williams), we talked about it in shootaround, just let them come, move the ball and find the open guy. I thought our passing in the first half probably was the best we’ve had all year. But we did it because of the traps and our guys were patient. A lot of times guys want to force it. Early in the year we would have forced it. When we played them earlier in the year we didn’t handle them very well and tonight I thought our guys were phenomenal. Other than the first quarter, I thought our defence was absolutely wonderful.
On the defence in the second quarter… We kept telling our guys, the way we’re playing offensively we’re going to keep scoring but if they keep scoring it’s going to be a close game. At some point, one of the two teams is going to play defence and it was us in the second quarter. They made a run in the third quarter and Rex (Kalamian) went to what we call a zone. I’m not sure what that defence is yet but it was effective. We just have so many long guys where we can do so much switching, we can be really good defensively.
Could you sense what the moment meant to Kawhi Leonard? It meant a lot. Again, some players just don’t let you in but I can tell you that ovation to him was very heartfelt, there’s no doubt about that. It meant a lot to him. I thought what the Raptors did overall, the video, the players coming out, all of them who played with him, that’s the best that I have seen since I’ve been in the league. That’s a really classy move by the organization and then by the fans as well.
PATRICK PATTERSON (11 points, seven rebounds, two assists)
On the Raptors championship series … I watched every game. Once we exited the playoffs, the Raptors were pretty much the only thing that I watched just because of Pascal (Siakam), Fred (VanVleet), Kyle (Lowry), (and) Serge (Ibaka). You know, guys that I’ve known from playing here and also guys that I’ve known for some time. Just rooting for them (and) cheering for them, so I’ve watched every single game throughout the playoffs.
On how Clippers defence is a key part of the team chasing a championship this year… It feels good to be able to take that as an opportunity to compete for a championship. It’s all about finding identity, finding roles, buying into the system, seeing how superstars with key role players accept their jobs and play those jobs to the best of their ability, and that’s what we have here. We’re still growing. We’re still getting better … There’s still so much room for improvement. There’s still so much we need to get better at, but this game here today, in Toronto, was a step in the right direction.
KAWHI LEONARD (23 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals)
On the Raptors tribute video and crowd ovation… It was great. It was a great moment. They did a great job putting it together. Having all the players out there that won it with me, standing there and presenting the ring – it was great.
How was that moment with Kyle Lowry before the game? We just laughed at it. I knew he was going to present me the ring before the game. Just a lot of memories ran through our head. We just laughed.
Did you get a chance to take a look at the ring? Yes, I got it after the game. Sat at my locker with it for a little bit. I just admired it and remembered all of the memories and the hard work that went into it.
Does this feel like this chapter is officially over for you now? As far as winning a championship it pretty much comes full circle now. Being able to get the room and see the result of the hard work, it’s more than that. It’s just a journey. For me, as far as playing, for the city, the chapter was closed once I came over to play with the Clippers. Still love the city. Those guys on the team, the players, the coaching staff, still have love for them. I wish them the best.
Has it sunk in how much this city loved you and what you meant to them? Yes, they did a great job last year of embracing me, embracing the team and helping us get to the finals, just cheering us on the whole way, throughout the whole journey. It wasn’t even about tonight. They did a great job last year.
Are you getting any similar feelings with the Clippers in terms of what the potential of this team is? It’s still early. Obviously that’s my goal every year is to compete my heart out and have fun on the court, set that high standard so we can push each other every day. I think we’re still doing it right now. Last year, I didn’t know where we were at. We were playing great, but I never said we were going to win. We always just put that mindset in of having that confidence that we could win, just pushed every day to get better.
What have you seen of Pascal Siakam this year? He is their go-to guy now and with me leaving I knew that it would make him better carrying that load. He did last year in some of the games I was out. He’s able to grow now and become the player he wants to be without me being there. He’s going a great job. He’s more aggressive, shooting the three with more confidence and he’s approaching every game with the same mindset.
On the growth of OG Anunoby? I’m happy for him. He’s out there being aggressive, doing his job, shooting the ball great. It’s about your mindset. Not being scared of the moment. That’s when you’re going to get better in a game. He’s shooting shots at practice that you don’t shoot in a game it’s never going to translate. I see him doing that. He worked on his shot and his form is looking a lot better.
Were you conscious of not letting the emotion of the ceremony carryover into the game? It’s my ninth year. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs of emotions as far as going through playoffs and having bad and good games. It’s kind of like that, kind of controlling it. Coming out in that first four minutes that was in the game plan they were bringing of putting two on the ball when me and Paul were in position, double teaming my post-ups. When that happens I’m going to take my time and just wait for my open shot to come. That’s what I tried to do.
The view from left field 