D-Lo, Reaves, Coach Ham, Metta Sandiford-Artest x Horry React To Laker/Raptors | March 10, 2023

The Lakers with a big win. It's their third in a row. They're 3-1 on the five-game homestand. They beat the Raptors in L.A. for the first time since 2014. And after a dismal third quarter big shot, the Lakers bounce back with a great fourth quarter. They outscored the Raptors 37-22. And on a night where A.D. just scores eight points, but by the way, he also had nine rebounds. He had four blocks. He had the five assists. But on a night where A.D. only gets eight points, it's a huge team win. What a gut-check time, too, for the Lakers. It was a huge gut-check. If I had sat here and said A.D. had eight points, like you said, and it was the start of the third, they went on a 0-9 run, meaning the Toronto Raptors, you'd say, oh, we lost that game. They were 1-for-12 at one point. But, man, this team showed a lot of heart, a lot of grit. They came out and played extremely hard. You look at the way Schroeder turned the ball over. He didn't give up. He didn't quit. He learned from his mistake a couple of games ago when he turned up and didn't get back. He got back on defense, caused some turnovers, got the ball back. And let's just talk about your man D'Lo. Take your shot. Took him for take your shot. I know. You know what you're talking about. Back in the game from an injury and on fire. It's just so many guys in this game you can talk about. You can talk about how Vando kept him in the game in the first half and how D'Lo kept winning the game for him in the second half. Just a great opportunity by everybody to come out and show what they could do. And they all played well. I mean, it's looking like this team could be a well-balanced team. You see A.D. having eight points. But it was the type of eight points where he was very effective. That last shot was incredible. And he has a great supporting cast around him. So if they can sustain this, you know, they should be okay, in good shape. And to quote the young man, it's like I never left. Welcome back to D'Lo Russell. Let's go downtown to D'Lo's with Mike Trudell. All right, D'Lo, it's been a few years since we did one of these. That game certainly looked like fun. You looked like you were having some fun. Just describe all of the emotions that you're playing. I mean, I just want to bring that element to our team. Obviously, we've been through some things, a few ups, a few trades, a bunch of random stuff that we can use as an excuse. I just want to bring that fun back to this organization, bring that laugh, in fact, bring all of that, and let it translate onto the floor. So simple as that. Could you feel the energy coming back from the building as you guys made those pushes? And a lot of them, a lot of the runs cemented by pull-up threes from you tonight? For sure. Shout out to everybody on our team. Everybody played a major role. Austin Reeves is special. Ruiz is special. Dennis Schroeder is special. Like, all these guys are coming in and trying to make up for what Brian, you know, what we're missing with him. So our whole team did a hell of a job in contributing tonight. So you get traded to this team, and right away, you guys go three in the ones in the games that you play. Then you sprain the ankle. It's been a couple weeks. You come back, have this kind of performance as the team continues to rise at the end. So just put that all in perspective as you're trying to look ahead to these next couple weeks and make a push. They lucky I sprained my ankle. Simple as that. I was ready to go crazy. Ready to have fun with this and embrace the challenge and opportunities, all the pressure, whatever y'all want to call it. I was ready to embrace that. Unfortunately, I went out with the ankle thing. But like I said, everybody stepped up and everybody held it down. AD been holding it down for us tonight. We tried to hold it down for him. So returning the favor as a team is what it's about. Last one for you. A lot of new pieces on this team that you guys are trying to figure each other out on the fly, but it's already been working. What does that tell you, and then how does that give you some level of confidence? Man, if we get one training camp under our belt with this group, the sky's the limit. With that being said, we don't have a training camp under our belt. The sky's still the limit. Our guys are ready. Our guys are hungry. And as an organization, these fans are going to get us through a lot of it. These fans are going to get us through a lot of it with their energy. So we're just ready to compete and ready to return the favor for the organization. Thanks, D'Angelo. Lakers 8-3 in their last 11. What a game for D'Angelo Russells. Greets the fans. Welcome back. And as he said, they're lucky because I was ready to go crazy. Referring to his sprained ankle that had him miss six games. What a night, guys. 10-17, the efficiency. He finished with 28 points, played 31 minutes, five of eight from three. He also had nine assists and five rebounds and a steal. And Metta, you look at the fourth quarter numbers, 16 for D'Lo, seven for Reeves, 10 for Dennis, that three-guard lineup, working wonders for Darvin Hamm. D'Lo, a perfect five for five in the fourth. He was a closer tonight. Yeah, I mean, they all take pressure off each other. You know, Dennis Schroeder, he doesn't have to take all the weight of not having LeBron out there. And these guys could share the love and, you know, share the workload. I remember being like, he's a youngster. And I was like, wow, this kid is pretty good. And he knows he's meant for this league. And this is his moment. Rob, I asked you in the pregame show just how important it was for this team to get a shot maker and a playmaker back, a guy that can hit threes, a guy that can get hot, a guy that can find people, whether it's in transition, whether it's in the half court, can run the pick-and-roll. That's what he provides, and that's what they've been missing. How important was it? It's huge, you know, that streak he went on in the second half is big, especially when you have AD who's not scoring at a clip like we like to see him at. But the fact that he was able to draw the defense and kick and Schroeder was able to use his hotness to make his step go, and that's what people have to understand about his game. A guy might be hot. That means the defense is going to be on him. They're going to go up and play him and guard him. That allows other guys to step up. And if they don't step up, you usually get a loss. But other guys stepped up. You know, we saw Schroeder step up. We saw Reeves Riverboat come out and do his thing. Even Vendo got some breaks. And it's just wonderful when you see good basketball players. But I also want to say this. What made this a wonderful game for me is the run the Lakers went on when AD was on the bench. Yes. This is your go-to guy and you made a run. And AD was like, no, I don't want to go in. Yeah. And I show you a great teammate. First six minutes of the fourth quarter. Yeah, it's a great teammate. Say, no, they got a nice run, roll with them. And let's get up a hand. So we can always talk about the players, but let's give up the hand for saying, okay, I found the right chemistry. I found the right mix. I'm going to go with these guys. Yeah, I'm glad you said that because they went on a huge run, 23 to 9 in the second quarter. They had a horrible third quarter. They were one for 11 at one point. They were down 19 to 2 in that third quarter at one point. But in that fourth, as you mentioned, only 15 points, as you mentioned, that first six minutes was crucial. Austin Reeves was keeping them in. Rui, Dennis, D'Lo came in. And they got guys right now that can score, could defend, you know, D'Lo can work on his defense a little bit, but he does so many other things and vice versa for the other guys. Guys got amazing defense, you know, and maybe not as good of a scorer, but it seems like it's a great fit right now. You know what I like best? When you look at that bench, you can't say, you know, you have a guard that does this, you have a big that does this. They got a variety of guys over there that can do so many things. You got Rui, he can score inside, outside. You got Schroeder, he comes off that bench, he's a speed demon. Then you got my boy Reeves, who can do everything. He's so, he's methodical in what he does. You know, everybody expects him to be fast, but you don't have to be fast in this league. You know, Lucas proves that. And that's what kind of Reeves kind of does. He just loves you to sleep. Next thing you know, he blows by you. This bench has been fantastic. I just hope they can keep it up and keep that energy and keep being aggressive. I think about winning plays a lot, like Vando, who we haven't said his name a lot, but he was perfect for most of this game. Started the first half with 14, ended up with 16, but he made a defensive play that got this entire arena going nuts. Remember, he was guarding two guys that were split in the corner in the wing. He ends up getting the steal, winning up to Delo, pulls up for three. That was Delo's moment. And from that point on, the snowball went downhill. I mean, the Lakers started to roll. Also, Austin Reeves, hustling back on defense, getting that ball to go off Trent Jr.'s leg. Like, just plays like that, it's just infectious. And it kind of led me to Austin Reeves. We said it in the pregame show. He's a guy that can play with anyone. Like, all the chemistry he has with Dennis, he has chemistry with AD, with LeBron. We saw with Delo tonight. He and Delo tonight were working off each other well. You know, he's the type of, you know, seven, eight man you want on your team. Yeah, I love his IQ. I know we talk about it all the time. And it goes to show you, if you have four years of college, you can learn this game. You might not be as talented as some guys, but you can learn the game and become an IQ guy. Can use that talent to beat you mentally. And that's what he does. He beats you mentally. He sets you up so perfectly. And just not uses, and I'm not saying he's not athletic because he is, but he's smart and athletic. Yeah, the way he can draw contact, too, is pretty next level. By the way, Dennis, how about this Dennis game, 23 points, right? He had three threes. He also had seven assists. He had six turnovers, but he was a plus 32. I think on four of his own turnovers, he stole the ball back. He also had four steals. So pretty crazy. Let's hear from Darvin Hamm. He's speaking with Mike in a minute. Hey, Darvin, acknowledging some big-time shots from D'Angelo. Do you look at the bench unit, and whether it's Dennis and Austin, but that kind of combination in those huge shifts in the second and fourth quarter as keys tonight? Absolutely. You know, they play so well off each other. They take turns handling the ball, three of those guys, D'Angelo, Dennis, Austin. And you put them out there with A, or whether it's Van Do, or Winyan, or Rui, whoever, we just figure the rest out in those pivotal moments, as you mentioned, end of the half, end of the game. And even before then, you know, those guys starting to run, getting us back in it. You know, we were really flat for most of that third quarter, but really right at the ship in the fourth, and was able to run away with it a little bit. Darvin, we were sitting in this room. We heard some commotion coming through the locker room walls. Joyce commotion, I guess. Can you describe to us the scene in there? Just wishing the big fella, Wilt, a happy birthday. Turn 30 tomorrow at midnight. I don't know what particular time he was born, but it's definitely tomorrow. But yeah, it was just a joyous celebration. Gutted out a really good win against a really good team, who's also, you know, fighting for a playoff security, playoff security in the East. So, you know, it was a hell of a game tonight. That's a hard team to play against, man. I mentioned it in the presser, in pregame presser. Like, they're able to throw those long athletic wings, slash power forwards that can all run, jump really high, handle the ball, make the right play. You know, they present a lot of challenges for you as a ball club. How did you think the partnership of Dennis and D'Angelo worked tonight? I thought it was great. You know, I like staggering them, obviously, with one of them out there at a time. And then, you know, when it calls for it, to get them out there together. And I think they're both highly competitive and highly capable. You know, you saw the shooting display that D'Angelo put on today. And, you know, that's why he's here. Darvin, you mentioned their size and length defensively. 80 only had eight points, took seven shots. What did you think about the way they defended him and kind of his aggression level? And what does it also say that you guys were able to get this win, despite, you know, he'd been kind of carrying the offense and you guys still dropped 122? I think it's good, man. They basically were keeping a guy on his body whenever he went to set a screen or post up. And they were bringing a guy, the bottom weak side guy, they were bringing a, you know, sometimes it was another big, sometimes it was, I just remember Siakam, Scottie Holder, all those guys basically taking turns pre-rotating behind the play. So really trying to front them on the post, not letting them touch it at all. But, you know, to his credit, you know, he tries to play the right way and he doesn't get frustrated, you know, that he's not getting touches, even though the defense is geared that way. So he was just encouraging his teammates, you know, to be aggressive and go make plays and try to, you know, play on the backside of the offense. And whenever we did that, you know, we had a lot of success and got good looks. But, you know, he accepted what the defense was taking away and we found guys, you know, we found other options. But I think it's a huge step in the right direction when, you know, a guy who's been putting up the type of numbers he's been putting up, you know, also with Bron being out, that tonight, you know, we were able to come away with this win against a very, very good team. With him only, you know, what, eight points? That's, you know, that's a sign of growth and that's a testament to how deep and talented we are now. Darvin, there was a stretch in the third quarter where I think you guys had seven turnovers and only two made field goals. And then Austin hit a bucket, I think, and got to the line a little bit. And then Rui, too, to get you guys out of the mud. How key was that stretch to kind of staying in this? And what did you think, generally, of your second year and its resiliency tonight? I thought it was huge, man. We always say don't get discouraged, just get more competitive. And there are definitely some times, you know, some disappointing turnovers and that's leading into easy opportunities, easy looks for them, and we were following them, giving them land ones, they're hitting threes. So we just had to stay the course, man. Again, can't get disappointed in this game, 48-minute NBA game. No lead is safe now with the three-point shot and the number of possessions, you know, with people playing with pace. So different things are going to happen during the course of a game. You just have to stick to your guns, understand what's going on, make your proper adjustments. But never can you ever lose your competitiveness or togetherness. Just got to put your heads together and try to find the right lineup, find the right rhythm. And trust it, believe in it, and try to sustain it. And we were able to do that. Hey, Coach. There's clearly a different kind of energy in the room the last few weeks. Like you can just tell online and in the stands and just a different kind of enthusiasm around the team. There's a lot of ice and veins happening among a bunch of your players. Do you sense like an uptick in swagger with your team? Like, do you feel like, yeah? Yeah, we got a locker room full of swag. Yeah. Coaches and players. Has there been like a change with that? No, I just think the guys that we brought in brought a great energy. I think the guys who are still here, you know, beyond the deadline who are already here have embraced those guys. And I think it's been a seamless transition for us to come together. You know, these guys came in, all our newly acquired players came in with a mindset to help us go somewhere. And that somewhere is the postseason. And so they're proving it with their play, their commitment, everything they're doing for one another. You know, whether they're starting, coming off the bench, high minutes, one night low minutes, it doesn't matter. Everybody's bought into the group. And it's a beautiful thing to see, a truly beautiful thing to see. We just gotta, again, keep stacking days, taking one day at a time, getting what we can out of each day and approaching each game as its own entity. Thanks, Coach. Yep. Austin's on his way here. Austin, so the second and fourth quarter, you and Dennis out there with the bench just seemed to completely flip the game. So wondered what it is that you noticed during those time periods and how that kind of fed into what the energy in the building was shining back, I guess, on you guys and the court. I just thought we gave a really good effort. They come out in the first five minutes and were really making shots. So, you know, we had to make a couple adjustments and just play harder. I think it was in the third, when Dennis got the steal, he missed the layup, but it's just like those types of energy plays. It really spreads throughout the team. The next thing you know, you got another guy doing it, another guy doing it. The bench tonight, everybody was almost a plus 20. And that's what we're capable of because we're so deep. You know, every night it's not going to be like that. You know, starters have been that way, I think, the last three or four games. So it was our time to, you know, kind of pick it up. What about D'Angelo Russell's skill set fits in well with this group? He's a really good basketball player that plays the game the right way. You don't really see him too many times in the midst of a game, you know, making a wild play. Like, he's very under control, plays at his own pace. And like I said, he's just super talented. You know, the shots he was hitting in the fourth is ridiculous. You got only a handful of guys that take those shots in those situations. So shout out to him. It's good to have him back. You know, we're looking to keep it rolling. Austin, you had some buckets when it kind of looked most adverse for the team, thinking about breaking the drought in third quarter and that fourth-quarter stretch where you had the and one and the pull-up back-to-back. What's sort of your mentality in some of those moments? Are you looking for your own shot because the team needs it? Are you saying, hey, we just got to generate offense any way we can? What are you thinking in some of those moments? In those types of situations, you really, you're just looking for something to get out of it. Tonight, you know, I made a couple good plays and, you know, D-Lo is on my back all the time about, you know, staying aggressive and being myself. So shout out to him for, you know, having the confidence in me, boosting me up to, you know, make those type of plays. But, you know, on every night basis, it could be anybody. Just tonight, it happened to be me. Made a couple good plays and then energy in the building was great. Austin, AD had been carrying the offense these last few games, but tonight, eight points, seven shots, yet you still win by double digits. What does it say about the type of groove you guys are in offensively that even on an off night for him, when they're taking him away, you guys can still win by double digits? Yeah, I mean, it's major. And shout out to AD because the way that they were guarding him really didn't allow him to, you know, get many touches, many looks, seven shots for, you know, a guy of that caliber. It just shows the character that he has. You know, he was as happy tonight after winning, scoring eight points than he's been when he had 39, 40, whatever. So, you know, that's super impressive when you got a leader like that, that, you know, trickles down to everybody else. And then I think it's just the depth that we have. We got a lot of guys, like I mentioned earlier on the radio, that, you know, could possibly start on this team, other teams. So we just got to use that to our advantage and we did tonight. How much more comfortable do you think Rui has been these last couple of games and what do you think triggered that? He's been significantly more comfortable and you can just tell by the way he's moving on the court, kind of figuring out spots, you know, he'll get opportunities, you know, early, you know, coming to a new team is hard. And shout out to him for, you know, sticking through it because, you know, sometimes it's not that easy. But the last two games, he's been massive and, you know, the energy that he plays with, the skill set that he has is unique and we're going to use it a lot going forward. Over here, Austin. That bench unit, you, Rui, Dennis, Wenyin just dominated their bench tonight and really was the catalyst in those two comebacks. What was going right with that group tonight? I think it's just the energy and effort that we played with. Like I said, they come out and we're really making shots at the first of the game and I think the new unit just brought a little spark to the team. Dennis, you know, being a pest on the ball, picking up 94 feet and really just making it hard for them to bring it up. And like I said, those types of plays, that kind of energy trickles down to everybody else. And like I said, you look over and you got Vando getting deflections, diving out of the bounds, diving out of bounds, saving the ball. It leads us in transition. So I think it's just energy and effort and it was a well performance. The team really have a chance to have a huge run before the playoff. And what is the environment, what does it feel like back in the locker room right now? It feels great. You know, I think since the break, we've been playing really good basketball. I think even the games that we lost, you know, we had opportunities in those games to win those games. The energy, the chemistry's fallen in place really well. You know, we're not satisfied with where we're at. We're gonna keep trying to, you know, take another step and another step and take it game by game. But as of right now, you know, everybody's vibing and having a lot of fun. Thank you. What's up? Yeah, shout out to y'all. Not keeping me too long. Four points, three blocks for Wendy and Gabriel. He's in the locker room with Brez. All right, Wendy, you guys had 15 points in that third quarter, but a huge U-turn in the fourth. What kind of sparked it? What'd you see out there? I think we started to defend a lot better. That was something that was big. And we started playing fast, getting out in transition. Also, we made a few shots. So, I think we got into a good rhythm. And, you know, the coaches kind of ride that group we had out there. And we was able to produce. The bench for you guys, 61 to 12. You outscored them tonight. Ever heard anything like that? No. Short answer is no. And I didn't even realize that that was the margin that we had there. But like I said, we had a great rhythm. And that's something that we hope we continue throughout the season. I mean, you guys have guys on that bench unit who have started for this team throughout this year in various circumstances. All that being said, what kind of pride do those guys have in that group and making the most out of those minutes? And, I mean, they really seem to turn the momentum a lot tonight. I mean, like you said, we all had moments where we contributed to the team, whether we were starting or playing big minutes here and there. So, we all got trust in each other. And going out there as a group, just having confidence in each other. Like, there was a moment where I got subbed out. And then I had my teammates out there vouching for me to keep me in the game. And also, like, it was a few more minutes, but that meant a lot to me as well. It shows that my teammates have trust in me and my coaches have trust in me. And it shows that all of us have trust in each other. Like, the ball was moving a lot. It was just sharing and playing as a one unit. And that's the type of stuff you need to win big games and the games that we're going to play down the stretch. I saw you putting a little ice in your veins at one point in the celebration. I was trying to imitate D-Lo real quick, you know what I'm saying? He was really balling. He was out of his mind today. And we was riding that wave today. How much more confident is this team now than maybe three weeks ago? I mean, three weeks ago, we was a different team, honestly. Like, I've been through, what, three different waves of players here. And this is a team that there's a different energy to this group we have right now. And it's something that's really positive. And I like, we just want to keep going in the right direction. You know, we're all focused on winning. And, you know, we like this feeling right now. We're going to continue to try to get more wins. We could hear the AD birthday song through those walls. What was it like in here? It was live. I mean, they brought out the cake and all that. We got all the cameras out. We got the rookies in here. It's a moment where we get to celebrate something that's good, that's not even just basketball, and also someone who's been carrying us the last five different, five games. So we finally kind of had a gift back to them today. Good cake? It was. I mean, I didn't try it, honestly. You don't have to lie. It's OK. I didn't try it, honestly. All right. Thanks, bud. Thank you, guys. D'Lo, it looked like you were letting a lot of emotion out, especially at the end there and 5 for 5 in the fourth quarter. What was your energy at the end of the game tonight, and how are you feeling it? That was just fun, honestly. I was just embracing it. Simple as that. You work so hard, and you don't really embrace the moments when you're in them. Obviously, this is my first getting back. Just itching to get back on the floor. So to get back out there and perform and be out there with those guys, they were playing at a high level and be able to contribute to that. It was just fun. I couldn't help but smile. D'Angelo, how does your confidence level rub off on this team, or how does it maybe mesh with this team? Because it seems like it's a group that's pretty determined right now. I'm not sure, but I definitely try to be a guy that if you're lacking it, you can look across your shoulder and see me kind of really embracing that and knowing that just having that confidence gets you over a lot, gets you through ups and gets you through downs, whatever you need. Having confidence gets you through it. So as a young player, knowing that I used to lack it here and there, and to be a semi-veteran in the league now, trying to embrace that and make it contagious, for sure. Hey, T-Lo. When you hit some pull-up threes tonight, how early? I'm just curious on a possession. When do you feel like you're going to pull up from three? Is that something you're taking the ball out, bringing it up court, you're like, oh, I'm pulling this? Or do you wait till Seattle plays? I feel the flow, feel the flow. Honestly, I used to take more of those throughout the flow of the game. I started realizing they were bad shots as far as offenses. We get a stop. We're pushing it. Everybody's crashing, trying to run in transition. They think I'm about to make the right play, when really I'm just all out on this three that might turn this place upside down if it goes in. And I can feel the energy. If we come down, get a dunk, get a steal, come back, get another stop, in transition, pull up three, they call it time. I can feel that. So making it is the reward. Missing it is a high risk, but I work on it. I trust it. It's fun when it goes in. Hey, D'Angelo. There is a play where Jared Vanderbilt was kind of guarding two guys. They weren't really sure what they were doing. He comes up with the steal, hits you, or it eventually gets to you for the transition three. You've played with Jared in Minnesota. Why do you think he's been available so many times for trade? And what does he bring to this team? I think he brings what he brings to any team. Unfortunately, teams didn't take advantage of it. And I mean, he's a dog. He sacrifices a lot. He tries to play for other guys. He's just a winning player. It comes down to that. So now when he's in the corner and they're leaving him open, everybody encourages him to shoot it because he's making up. I could have been the guy that was rotating over there, and he could have bumped back corner, and then my guy would have been. But I kind of seen Scotty Barnes over there, and I was just like, ah, I'd rather him play in between and bounce back to the better shooter. And he ended up getting a steal. And that's just that chemistry, honestly, just trusting him, knowing that he's capable. And he will if he has the opportunity to take advantage of just making up for other guys' mistakes, for sure. Teelo, what'd you learn about Anthony Davis tonight, the way that he processed? Selfless. Before you even finish your question, he's selfless. To be that good, I don't even know your question, but I just want to give him his flowers. I've been around a lot of players, players of his caliber as well. For him to be selfless and allow guys like Winnie and Gabriel and Vanderbilt to come in and stay in the game and control that momentum that we had going on was huge. And it's contagious for the rest of our group to want to play for one another. It starts with your best players. So for him to do that, kudos. I don't know your question, but I had to give it to him, for sure. Yep. Mike ain't got no question, man. Well, if I get you on the court, I try not to bug you too much in here. D'Angelo, as you think about these next couple of games and how you fit in, what did you notice in the games that you were sitting with your ankle and what were you coming into this game thinking, here's what they need from me? Energy. I keep saying it, but the fans here, I noticed from being here, the fans are ready to explode at a certain point in the game. It could be the start of the game, and then it dies down a little bit, and then in that third quarter, fourth quarter, they're ready. So I know that. I just want to bring that energy and give them that. Vandals making all these Dennis Rodman plays for us. I want to be the guy that's hyping up the crowd and letting them feel that more, because it's huge for us. You got Austin Reeves coming in dominating the game. Schroeder, those guys dominating. Rui. I want to be the guy that's hyping that, because it shouldn't go unnoticed, and our fans are the first ones to kind of put a battery in something's back that has a little momentum. So why not the right things? Not always the BS that goes around. So just try to bring that positivity and embracing what our fans have to offer and giving it to them as well. D'Angelo, how do you sort of view the opportunity that's in front of this team over these next 15 games? I mean, the West seemingly every day gets a little weirder with a team that somebody gets hurt in warm-ups or something like that. Like, what is the opportunity that's in front of this team, and how do you view it? I think, you know, it's a big opportunity. It's a major opportunity, but the mentality is trying to simplify it and keep it simple, and that's just my message whenever I can relay one. Obviously, it's a lot of pressure. It's a lot of tension. It's a lot of, you know, whatever, but it's still one game at a time. It's still just basketball, and it's still, you know, just us coming out there and doing it. Are we going to take it, or are we going to kind of let it just flow by? Like I said, everybody seems passionate about getting this done, and I think that's all you need. You need just a passionate group that's willing to fight together and compete every night no matter who coach throws out there, and tonight our bench and our other guys kind of got it done for what we were struggling for a moment, and that was a product of us playing for each other, so. Last question, Kyle, and then just so you guys know, Dennis is going in the locker room. D-Lo, you were just touching on it, but, you know, bench 61-12 advantage over Toronto's bench. You know, what energy did you take from that, and what did you think Dennis and Austin, especially as guys who have stepped up when you were out, what did they lend in terms of identity to that group? I think they held it down well. Like, we may have lost a game or two, but I think they did a great job of just kind of free-flowing and just being aggressive. You know, all the attention was kind of on A.D., so for guys to still step up and find their windows of opportunity and take advantage of it, it's big for our team. I mean, I don't know what the past looked like, but the more we can have everybody aggressive and asserting themselves into the game, it makes us hard to guard as a team, and I try to continue to give the Troy Browns, the Vanderbilts, the Beasleys to be aggressive. Like, you know, it's easy to guard LeBron when everybody's watching, you know, but if you got somebody that's next to him that's a killer and he's willing to make something happen, you can't just watch LeBron. You got to watch your man, too, and I think that's our goal, just continue to be dominant next to these guys. A.D., Brown, when he's back, like, continue to help those guys by being aggressive in our own way. Thank you. Yep, thank you.