WATCH: Everything From Quin Snyder After The Hawks Win Over the Thunder
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00:00 >> Team, love how we came out.
00:03 The first half offensively we were really good.
00:07 Obviously, Alexander's tough to handle when he gets going.
00:14 But when JJ got into trouble,
00:16 there was a stretch there where we had a really hard time getting stops.
00:22 But we kept our composure and extended,
00:26 got the lead back to double digits.
00:30 And then obviously at the end of the game, we got one.
00:33 So like I said, it's a good win in the home run.
00:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:41 >> Coach, obviously JJ had an amazing game today, but
00:44 we all know how athletic he is.
00:46 Are there any other aspects of his game that you've seen thus far this season
00:50 that you're really, really impressed with that he's improved thus far?
00:55 >> Well, whether you wanna call it playmaking or facilitating,
00:59 I think he's getting more and more comfortable.
01:03 And our team is getting more comfortable with him having the ball in his hands,
01:07 whether it's transition or in situations tonight where they were coming to double
01:11 team and trying to impact our guards.
01:15 He's capable of making plays and making plays for other people as well.
01:21 Which is something that I think you've seen him do that in practice settings.
01:28 But I think his comfort and his confidence,
01:31 doing those things in the game against a good team.
01:35 That's something that's unique to him with his size and
01:40 his athleticism as you mentioned.
01:44 The other thing, we wanna continue to use him defensively in various matchups.
01:50 And he's learning to do that as well,
01:53 learning to play out on the floor more, guard the ball more.
01:58 That's tough, it puts him in some situations.
02:03 But he didn't really foul when he was guarding the ball.
02:06 He had some help situations.
02:07 And those were tough situations, some tough calls.
02:13 I'm not saying he didn't foul, but I don't know what kind of advantages came.
02:19 We just have to be more disciplined in those situations.
02:21 And he does, obviously, because we need him.
02:23 >> Trent played 14 minutes, was out there for the final play.
02:28 What did you see from him in this game?
02:30 >> We had a lot of confidence in Trent.
02:32 And he really knows who he is as a player.
02:34 We felt, along with JJ, that Trent was a good matchup.
02:41 Where we had the opportunity to, during various rotation situations,
02:49 we needed a matchup on Shea.
02:51 And Trent was able to defend and defend without fouling.
02:57 And then on the offensive end, he's capable of getting in the lane and
03:01 making plays.
03:02 He's got a lot of poise in the lane.
03:03 He made his floater a couple times.
03:05 And I think our coaching staff and his teammates as well,
03:10 have a lot of confidence in him.
03:12 We've had a number of guys like that, whether it's Patty or Wes,
03:18 Garrison, Trent, guys that have come in in different times for
03:24 different matchups, different reasons, different games.
03:26 And for those guys to be able to produce like that when they're called on has
03:31 been really, really good for our team.
03:33 And as I said, they're all different.
03:37 Tonight was a night that we felt like Trent could give us something unique.
03:41 And he did.
03:41 >> During the break, during the third quarter,
03:44 how pleased were you with the guys for not losing focus on the men?
03:48 >> It was good.
03:50 I think when we have some empty possessions offensively,
03:54 and they were able to convert,
03:56 I felt like we did a really good job early getting back in transition.
04:02 And then there were a number of situations where we either gave up open looks or
04:07 gave up the rim right away, early in possession.
04:10 Don't give ourselves a chance to guard.
04:12 So I thought we corrected that, would like to correct it more.
04:17 But enough where we were able to make some shots and re-extend the lead.
04:22 So we did a good job of keeping our poise in those situations.
04:26 >> Coach, JJ has talked in depth about his dad always pushing him when he was young
04:30 to now to just throw it down.
04:32 He loves to dunk.
04:33 But I'm curious, what are your thoughts when you see him throw some of those
04:36 slams down tonight?
04:36 >> They're efficient.
04:39 >> [LAUGH] >> He doesn't need to lay it in,
04:45 unless he has to.
04:46 And I think his balance as he's attacking the rim is unique.
04:55 I thought there were a couple times tonight where he couldn't get all the way,
04:58 and he did a great job of staying under control and
05:01 finishing over the top of somebody.
05:02 So guys have a lot of confidence in whether it's transition or
05:08 half court to make the right play.
05:10 And W's a good play.
05:13 >> And then you talked over here, and you talked a little bit after the game in DC
05:18 about how it didn't really follow the same form as the previous Charles Layton game.
05:23 And tonight was kind of more like that, where you were holding on, holding on.
05:28 What do you kind of attribute that whole sequence to at the very end,
05:31 where obviously you got out there with a win, but it wasn't the cleanest?
05:35 >> Well, I think when you're ahead and
05:38 if a team gets you on your heels, in JJ's case,
05:45 there was a couple times he didn't wanna foul.
05:46 If that is the case with any of us, when someone's got their head down and
05:52 they're going full speed in transition, you can't guard them one on one.
05:55 And we just have to shift to the point where they see bodies and
06:01 don't allow them to get through those gaps.
06:04 And in that time when you have the lead,
06:11 the offense is just in full blown attack mode, and it takes more urgency,
06:17 even if you score to get back.
06:18 There were a few times we hit a shot and then they're back and
06:21 they scored in six, seven seconds.
06:24 And those possessions are tough.
06:26 Tonight we did enough offensively to give a cushion.
06:31 Some of that will happen to a degree, but we've gotta do a better job.
06:35 We did a great job at the end of the half.
06:39 And that mindset, I think, it's a collective focus that you have to have.
06:43 >> All right, thanks, Coach.