LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 3, 2020

Doc Rivers

Press Conference

Q. What type of match-up threats do the Phoenix Suns pose, especially with Rubio and Devin Booker and Oubre and those guys for you?

DOC RIVERS: Well, number one, they're just a well-coached team. They play hard. They play in space. Devin Booker is just -- he's going to be and is a terrific player, terrific offensive player who plays very aggressive. Rubio is very clever. So they have a lot of skilled players that you have to deal with.

Q. From your observations, have you noticed that the lack of photographers and maybe fans on those baseline seats in this type of format, has that given guys a little bit more authority to drive with more acceleration to the basket?

DOC RIVERS: I don't think it matters. I mean, obviously there's times where it looks crowded, but I don't think -- I've never heard of a player saying he didn't drive because he was worried about the people under the basket. You know, I don't think it matters. I think clearly there's more room, which is a good thing, but I think when you have to make a play, you have to make a play, whether they're there or not.

Q. You talked last week about the NBA giving you an erratic schedule, practice schedule, if you will, and availability to the court. Has that limited your time? Do you feel you're getting enough time on the court for practice outside of --

DOC RIVERS: Yeah, we're definitely getting enough time. It's just all the different times are a little different because we usually set our own times for practice. Because there's a lot of teams, obviously that would be impossible to do, and so they're doing the best that they can, it's just something different for us, and everybody has to get used to it and deal with it. 8:00 practices at night, 9:00 in the morning practices. But I give this credit to our players: No matter what time the practices have been, no one -- I've not heard one complaint about a practice time from our players. They show up and they do it.

Q. When players return to the bubble and they're quarantined for however many days they're in their hotel rooms, can you describe the challenge of getting those guys some sort of physical activity so when they come back to practice or a game they're not completely starting from scratch? Can you get them free weights? Pat talked about having a bike in his room.

DOC RIVERS: Yeah, and every team does that, not just us, so I don't want us to sound like we're standing out. And I'm assuming every team does it. But we either put a bike or a treadmill in the player's room, and then we do a daily Zoom session with our strength and conditioning staff where we're doing conditioning drills in your room. Every guy has done it. No guy has not or even complained about doing it. I'm sure that's still not a lot of fun, but guys are doing it.

Q. I have a question about the coaches' wardrobe on the sideline, and you've talked before that you guys should be able to wear sweatsuits and whatnot. What's that been like? Do you feel more comfortable out there?

DOC RIVERS: It's nice. I get dressed quicker. I don't have to tie a tie, match a suit. It's been fantastic, honestly. Wearing either the polo shirts or the zip jackets, you know, it's been really nice. We are on the sideline anyway, no one should be looking at us to begin with, so I think it's been great.

Q. My question is about Paul George. He's playing very well in these first two games in the bubble. What have you seen from him compared to where he was in March?

DOC RIVERS: Well, in March he was playing well, too. That was right when he started rounding out in shape. The first couple months, you remember he missed the entire training camp, preseason game and the first 16 games, so he was playing from a deficit as far as conditioning and rhythm, and then right before the shutdown happened, I thought PG was playing unbelievable, and then where he's gone is up from there. Like he's in better shape now than he was when the season ended, or shut down. He's in a great place right now for our team.