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NIT SEASON TIP-OFFNovember 28, 2008Jeff CapelBlake GriffinWillie WarrenNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Q. Blake, you were down 9, with I guess about seven and a half minutes left. What was going through your mind and especially the way they had got the lead by throwing bombs out there. Were you a little concerned at that point? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I thought we needed to play with more urgency, but we really weren't concerned. They hit a lot of tough shots. They hit them in a row which kind of put them up but Coach always tells us if we just stay calm and play our game, don't get frustrated, don't get mad and don't start to pointing the fingers, things will eventually turn our way and they did. Q. A year ago would you have reacted the same way you did? Would you have started to get a little more frustrated? BLAKE GRIFFIN: Definitely. I think that comes with maturity. Having a year under my belt, I kind of realize that we're never out of the game. We had kind of a wild season at the end of the year last year. We won some games that we were down a lot. Everybody else did a great job, Willie did a great job of stepping up and going to the hole. I mean everybody played well. This was a team thing, and you know, this is what it's supposed to feel like. This is what we work so hard for. Q. Can you use this as an early season measuring stick to where you eyes are and if so, where are you? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I think so. Purdue is a great team, and for us to come in and play like we did and stay together like we did, I think that shows a lot about us, but at the same time we need to learn from our mistakes because we did make a lot in this game. I think we're right where we need to be right now, but we can't settle. We need to keep improving. Q. This seemed to be a tougher game for you personally on the court. Was it a matter of the way they were defending you? BLAKE GRIFFIN: Yeah. I think so. I think it was the way they were defending. I mean which is fine. You know, it's going to happen. And you know, in this game we needed other guys to play well, and they did. So I don't think teams realize yet that -- how good our guards are. I don't think the nation realizes how good our guards are. Coach Capel said earlier, I'm tired of hearing about people saying stuff about our guards, and I think after today's game they have to give them a little more respect, especially Willie (Warren). I think everybody did a great job on defense. And like I said, it was a team thing. Q. Can you talk a little bit about the defense down the stretch, you held them to only five points the last few minutes and then only six meaningful points in the overtime. Was defense the reason why you win this game? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I think so. We switched into the zone at one point. I can't remember. And the tide started to change a little bit. I think that was because we did a great job talking. Willie did a great job talking up front. You could see him out there. Everybody was playing hard even when they were tired, and I think that got us going. Like I said last night, I think our defense is what's going to help us change the tide of the game and put a team away, and we did that again tonight. Q. Were they more physical with you than any team's been in terms of -- it's a Big Ten team that you know, that's what they're known for. BLAKE GRIFFIN: Yes. I would say they were more physical. You know, just always having a hand on you in your back, wrap around you, whatever. Yeah, they were definitely more physical. Q. What are your thoughts on the final foul shots? BLAKE GRIFFIN: They were huge. That's what we always practice, and we have guys that do hit foul shots step up. Last year Cade Davis didn't miss the ball the whole year and that's why we wanted the ball in his hands and also Willie (Warren) stepped up to kind of seal it. Crock (Tony Crocker) did too. We just did a great job. Like I said it was a team thing. Q. What people are saying or not saying about you guys as guards, do you guys get offended by that or does it motivate you? WILLIE WARREN: It kind of motivates us. Going every day and practicing hard and that's what I think prepares us for Purdue's pressure because you got Crock (Tony Crocker) and AJ (Austin Johnson) who pressure us every day and to help me going against Crock (Tony Crocker) every day, we listen to what people say. But it doesn't affect how we play. We just go play our game and whatever happens on the court depends on what Blake does, then our guards step up and make it happen. Then the pressure eases up on Blake. It's easier for Blake to get the ball. Q. There was a stretch there right before half time where you seemed to take the brunt of the ball on the floor and go on the basket. Was it something you saw that was opened up a little bit or did you feel like you had to maybe take control a little bit and be a little aggressive and go to the basket and get your guys back into it? WILLIE WARREN: Yeah. I saw a couple turnovers. I realized what defense they were playing and they were really trying to pressure our guards and our guards are very talented in our field and no one in the country can guard us that close. Our guards are too quick for anybody to play us like that without being able to get by them. So once I saw Blake had two people then I realized penetrate middle or penetrate baseline and then it was an easy skip pass or then dump it down low to Blake. Q. You yourself got one basket and 6 free throws straight? WILLIE WARREN: We couldn't settle for jump shots. If we would have just settled for jump shots early in the game and they weren't falling in, Purdue could have pushed the lead out farther. I think the lead got up to 9 or 10 and I was like, we can't settle for jump shots. Once Coach Capel called the time out, in my head I said, I'm not settling for any jump shots. I'm attacking every time. Q. Did Coach at half time make a concerted effort to get you more touches in the second half? BLAKE GRIFFIN: No. I don't think he really said anything about that. We felt like we were fine, and he said that we're going to start making shots, just keep moving. He told me to keep moving, and half time I asked him if I could step out and catch and face up, and he said absolutely. But the way these guys played in the second half, I didn't really have to. You know, I just made it a point to get in and rebound and be there, in case they wanted to dish it off, and you know, just kind of play a role. Q. Is it almost -- I mean obviously rebounding is a big part of your game but is it almost to the point where the numbers you're putting up right now are even scarey to you, another 21 rebounds today in five straight games 18 rebounds or more. It's almost unconscionable the numbers you've put up so far. BLAKE GRIFFIN: You know, I really don't think about it. It's one of those things every game I'm just trying to go after every rebound, you know, and coach tells me that he needs me in there every single time, so that's what I'm going to do. And I don't know, I hope it keeps up. We'll see. COACH JEFF CAPEL: First of all, what a great basketball game. We feel very fortunate to get this win. We beat a really good team. Purdue is well coached. They're tough. They're talented, and they play with a passion, and so we feel very fortunate. I'm really proud of our guys. I thought we showed a lot of toughness, a lot of togetherness, and I thought we attacked. I thought we did a good job of getting some of their guys in foul trouble, understanding team foul situations, which allowed us to get to the line. I thought our zone was effective at times, and we were able to come back and get a lead in the second half, but knowing the great team that they are, they responded, and we got down 9, and our guys showed a lot of poise and a lot of toughness and a lot of grit. We had some really good performances, obviously Blake, what he did over two games, but Taylor Griffin really played well. He stepped up and played like a senior. Willie Warren was tremendous attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line. Cade Davis and Austin Johnson did a really good job and Tony Crocker defensively did some nice things for us. We feel very fortunate to get this win. I'm very proud of my team and hopefully we can use this as something to build off of. Q. What was going through your mind when they were throwing in three after three after three in that stretch. You've been around and you used to do that. Have you ever seen a team do that in such a short period of time? COACH JEFF CAPEL: Not really. They were in such a great rhythm offensively. And they have guys that can make shots. Obviously you know about E'Twaun Moore and (Robbie) Hummel but then (Keaton) Grant got going and starting making shots, and you know, in the first half, (Nemanja) Calasan steps out and makes one. Lewis Jackson hadn't made a three all year and he makes two in the first half. So I'm thinking on the sidelines, goodness, this is going to be one of those days. But our guys kept responding. You know, they kept throwing punches, and we'd get dazed a little bit, but we'd get right back up and we kept fighting, and we found a way to get it done, and I'm really proud of this group. Q. What did you say to them when you were down 9, and did you say obviously it was about nine minutes left to go in the game. Did you say you still have a lot of time? COACH JEFF CAPEL: I told them we're still going to win. I told them that now we just have to adjust defensively. We're going to start making shots but just stay poised and stay together. We have to make some adjustments defensively. One of the things when our zone was really working, (Robbie) Hummel wasn't in. When Hummel came back in, our zone became a little bit less effective and we had to go back to man but they had gotten in a rhythm on making shots. The last one was on a dribble handoff when Hummel came off. So we made a few adjustments defensively, tried to pick up our pressure? Again offensively we weren't able to get to the basket and score. It's a tough game for Blake -- and I hate to say it's a tough game -- when he has 18 and 21, but they really did a good job of doubling, being physical with him, and I thought Blake did a good job of being patient and of trusting his teammates, and he made some terrific passes, and guys stepped up, and we had five guys in double figures. So it was a really, really great win for us. Q. When you guys were down four in the overtime, I think after that they only scored two more points the rest of the way, and that was a buzzer shot. I mean what did you think enabled you guys to shut them down? COACH JEFF CAPEL: Our return guys had been through that. This game reminded me a little bit of our game -- we had a game last year against West Virginia at West Virginia that was very similar. That went to double overtime and both overtimes we were down seven, but our guys just found a way. And that's what it reminded me. We fouled the very first possession in overtime. So they were plus two because they go to the line and make it. We turned the ball over. We just had to calm down and get reorganized and refocused. Our guys did a good job of that. Q. What was the ability to recognize what was going on with Blake and take advantage of it. How important is that going to be going forward? COACH JEFF CAPEL: It's really important for our team. I thought it's really amazing for a young guy, for a freshman, he really understood the team fouls. And it's something we're always trying to get our guys to understand. But you can hear him telling other guys, guys we're in the bonus. We're in the double bonus. Keep driving, keep driving and he did a really good job of attacking and getting to the free throw line, which allowed our other guys to get some opportunities. Our team has to know that Blake's going to get doubled, he's going to get tripled. They're going to try to be physical with him. We want him to get the ball but we can't force it. I thought some guys stepped up and made plays. I thought Cade Davis's two 3s in the second half were huge. But other guys stepped up. The thing I'm excited about, obviously I'm excited about this win, but I still don't think we've shot well all year long and eventually that's going to come and when we start going like that I think, our offense becomes even more dangerous. Q. The reason there's concern now is because you have a big guy who's going to touch the ball a lot who's going to get fouled a lot. And he had a lot of free throw attempts and he missed the free throws. If you miss 14 free throws in other games -- COACH JEFF CAPEL: It's definitely a concern and it's something we have to be better with, and we have to keep working on. Blake made two huge ones down the stretch. Cade stepped up and made some, Tony Crocker, but it's something that we do have to improve on. It is a concern, but I have confidence we'll get better. Q. Blake said this kind of game he might not have had the maturity to stay calm and relaxed last year. COACH JEFF CAPEL: He said that (laughs)? Q. True? COACH JEFF CAPEL: Very. Very. I mean he's grown so much, not just as a player, but just as a person, and that's what he needed to get him ready for what's ahead for him. And again, I thought he did a good job of showing poise. I thought he did a good job of trying to stay focused, and at times, you know, the last year Blake started coming out, but you can calm him down a little bit and he could realize it and the fact that he said that to you speaks volumes of how far he's come. End of FastScripts |
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