Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura x Coach Ham React To Lakers Game 1 vs Grizzlies | April 16, 2023

Stretch there with with Austin initiated so much of that offense after we had stepped up as he did. What were you looking for there? How did that develop naturally in your thoughts? I thought it just developed naturally and it was slightly deliberate both Austin and D low, you know, we like just changing it up a little bit changing the music and sometimes it's bronze setting it sometimes a sometimes we run a double pick and roll with both of them in it. So a small and a big but thought he did. I know just him his ability to get downhill get in the paint draw fouls. He's an excellent mid-range score can also get all the way to the hoop pull back on a re-screen shoot a three. So it was good. We had a lot of guys rolling had their own segments of the game offensively and defensively down the stretch. We were able to lock in and get some stops and key stops and holding on one possession towards that end seven blocks for 83 steals and on, you know, uncounted number of other impacted plays. So what did you see from him defensively? You know, he's our linebacker, you know, I mean just just our middle linebacker got it's just seeing everything in front of them talking to the guys just protecting the rim being a presence in the pain his activity is his energy on that side of the ball is a great act of hands as well. So anything low anything high he can account for but the communication amongst all the guys were great, you know a set of tone. I told him before the game started. I need you to set a tone be that guy and he did it. And so, you know, it's his biggest Mark that needs to be made consistently throughout is on the defensive end. We know what he can do offensively. He has some great moments there too, but defensively. I thought he was he was unbelievable. Darwin has a 80 shoulder and can you take us back to that moment of just kind of the uncertainty obviously going into halftime and then you know him going through some tests and then coming back out in the second half. Well, the show the shoulder is fine. I think it was just a stinger, you know, he got caught in the fray. His body's crashing banging some people in the air. Some people coming down on your shoulder. Then you got hit someone landed on top of him as he was going up and got a stinger. So that was good news to know that it wasn't anything beyond that and you know, it's just just happy. He's okay. You know, I told how to instructed our medical team to get him to the back immediately and start the evaluation process and testing it out and he was able to finish the game. Darvin LeBron took one shot in the fourth. I think ad up until the final maybe 70 seconds took one shot in the fourth. What did it say about those guys and kind of making the right play that they the the trust that they had in a team and the rest of the team and how validating is that for this group considering how still relatively new it can be? I think it's huge man and you know, the game and the opponent's defense usually dictates where the ball is going to go or who's going to have to step up and make plays. Excuse me. Obviously, you know, they want to take LeBron out of it. They want to take away ad so other guys have to they have to be ready to step up and make plays. You saw it with Rui. You saw it with Austin Delo Dennis, you know, he had some good moments just just playing downhill to the rim. So, you know, that that's a big part of it. That's a part of why, you know, we made the moves we made to make to have multiple threats and where the defense can just lock and key in on our two captains and then, you know, in turn we struggle. We have a plethora of guys that can make plays with and without the ball in their hands. Darvin, how big was it to have Jared do what he did against jaw there, especially in the first half, you know, it's it's a testament to him and it's a teachable moment for all young basketball players out there. You know, they just think, you know, it's all about making threes or dunking on people or whatever. If you're able to, you know, lock in defensively rebound really embrace that role. There always be a place for you on a high level basketball team and a high level league such as the NBA. So, you know, his ability to just lock in and be selfless taking tough matchups diving on the floor doing the dirty work setting screens going, you know, going to the second and third action when he's involved. This is great. It's invaluable and I'm just happy. We have an asset like that on our roster. We all kind of saw as you came towards the end of the regular season and even in the playing game. It wasn't your sharpest basketball. You're still winning games with not necessarily your sharpest basketball. What combination of the time off to rest this past week led to, you know, the execution today or how much was it? Was it actually just, you know, guys playing really well on top of that. I think it's a combination of both, you know, guys feeling refreshed and also us looking at ways we can improve on that side of the ball. We were well aware of everything you just mentioned, you know, last week of the season or so to play a game with possessions got away from us. We threw away possessions with no pass or one pass then shot turnovers and, you know, a little bit of that rear that said and in the second quarter, but, you know, we went through the film, watched a lot of film on ourselves and, you know, that's a hell of a team over there, you know, elite defensive team. And so, you know, you're no pass shot. One pass shot is not going to work. You got to be ready to initiate quickly with pace and that nine times out of ten, they're going to take away that first option that you're looking for, but you got to be able to play to a second or third side and keep the ball moving. And I thought our guys did a hell of a job doing that. But just the film study, the feedback, the communication amongst the guys and the players to the coaches, coaches to the players was phenomenal. And again, it wasn't anyone trying to prove themselves to be right or their way is the best way. It's like, how can we best extract the most production as we can out of this group? And this is how and this is what's going to work against this team. This is what we need to explore. This is what we need to leave to the side. So I thought it was a combination of all of that being fresh and really looking, taking a deep hard look at our offense and what's been good and what's been bad. Durbin, you're down six at the half dealing with Sadie Stinger. You guys come back with a 37-point third quarter. What specifically did you like in that third that they executed from what you talked about at halftime? I mean, just being aware, you know, we talked about transition defense coming into the game. There were some times when Jaron got loose and we left our guy on the island. We could have had a bigger crowd, more activity around that matchup or whoever was guarding him. And then, you know, offensively not throwing away possessions, turn the ball over. Had a couple plays where guys went in, collapsed the defense. You see three, four blue jerseys around, one white jersey, and that guy in our uniform still trying to shoot the ball as opposed to spraying it out and make it a simple play, simple pass. So we hit on that. But also we stayed positive and stayed encouraged knowing that you're going to, there's going to be ebbs and flows to every NBA game and especially in playoff time, you can't get discouraged. You got to have a next play mentality and with each possession trying to get it right, you know, consistently at possession after possession after possession. And I thought the guys really zoned in and really did that. Darvin, Hachimura had a DNP just like, I think it was like a dozen games ago. Did you have any conversations with him around that time? And I guess, how have you seen his confidence kind of grow in the weeks since then that kind of led to maybe the fearlessness that he showed today? Yeah, that DNP was kind of on me. I went rogue with our rotation. But since then, he and I had a conversation. I love Rui. I mean, he's one of the brightest young men I've ever been around and had the opportunity to coach in my life. And you know, he's multifaceted. He's strong. He has great hands. He can get out and run. He can go up top. Very, very athletic and really can put the ball in a hole as you saw today. But just encouraging him to be assertive, aggressive. You know, you can see when he first arrives, he could try to, you know, sort of tiptoe around LeBron and AD trying to figure out where his spots would come. And I just look, man, they're gonna figure it out. These guys want to see you in a position to help them as much as you want to help them. So, you know, he listened. We watched film. We highlighted certain things in film sessions with him. And, you know, we're seeing the fruits of that labor. You know, I told him just go out, play free, be aggressive. And the only mistake you could make with, you know, on this team is just to not compete and not play together with your teammates. That's it. Those only two. We'll figure out all the particulars and the coverages and what strategic actions we want to run offensively. But at its core, you just have to be competitive and, you know, a willing participant with your teammates. Darvin, what kind of conversation did you have with D'Lo after you struggled with his shooting in the playing game? And what do you think that did for him going forward tonight? Just told him to be assertive, you know, don't defer, stop deferring. You know, if I call a set, you know, you're supposed to handle, handle the ball. And he's another one, you know, he doesn't, he wants to play the right way. He's trying to see how he can best fit in. And sometimes you just got to go out there and hoop. And I thought tonight he was a lot more aggressive and he came out, missed the first couple shots and I looked at I told him, I said, I want those same shots, stay aggressive. And nodded his head and I thought he was great for us. And now he was huge, hit some huge threes when we need him, needed him. And I expect him to continue forward in the same fashion. It was really just, you know, playing basketball. Obviously, when you got, you know, guys like Brown and AD, it makes life a little easier. But, you know, it's, it's, the game's just not the same. It's more physical and stuff like that. But like the little stuff in basketball, you know, stays the same regardless, you know, regular season and playoffs. So, you know, we closed the game great. Yeah, that's really it. Austin, after a couple of those buckets, you ran back toward the bench yelling, I'm him, I'm him. What was that moment like for you and just kind of everything that was going on in your head? No, it's a lot of emotions. You know, you, you dream about being, you know, on a stage like this, you know, this, you know, the best basketball players in the world is the playoffs. And, you know, I got hot late and, you know, have fun. At halftime, I don't know if you guys had a sense for what AD's status was. Memphis had gone out of run. What were the adjustments that were made? Was there anything major? And then, I mean, I think you guys end up winning the second half like 69 to like 45 or 47 or something like that. Like what was, what was the big difference? No, we didn't really know, you know, what, you know, AD's status was. So, you know, we were talking about next man up mentality. If something was, you know, bad, wrong with him, thank, thank God that, you know, nothing, you know, major's wrong with him. And it was, you know, it was really just focusing on ourself. I felt like there was stretches in the first half that we talked about, you know, in halftime that, you know, we kind of let it get away from ourselves. So it was more so about us. Obviously, you make little adjustments here and there, how, you know, the game's going for them as well. But it was more so about us. Were you as calm as a group as it seemed? I mean, after halftime and whatnot, because it didn't seem like anybody, you know, was worried or concerned at all. Yeah, I mean, they made the run, you know, at the end of the second and, you know, kind of felt like the game should have been, you know, 10-12, but you look up and it's six. So it's not like, you know, you're getting beaten, you know, like I said, 12, 15, 10, going into half, you know, we led most of the, the first half. But like I said, the run, you look up and we play consistent basketball for the most part, the first half and you look up after a run like that. And instead of it being 12 to 15, it's 5-6. So there wasn't really anything to, you know, worry about, you know, it's a game of run. So that was really what was talked about in the locker room. Austin, the way you guys ended the regular season and even in the playing game, it wasn't necessarily your sharpest basketball. So did you guys have any trepidation or anxiousness going into this one, wondering whether you could, you know, turn it up to this level? Or was there any signs that maybe you thought, oh, we will play at this level coming into today? Yeah, I think it really started with AD and Bronze preparation and, you know, like how locked in they were, not the day after we won against Minnesota, but the next day when we met, it was, it was no joking, no nothing. Like, they were super locked in, you know, communicating what we could do to be great. And when you have those two guys like that, I mean, you don't have any choice but to, you know, follow the lead. So I feel like we have a lot of talent. So that wasn't really a worry. It's just, you know, when we lock in, we feel like, you know, we got a really good chance regardless. Austin, what did you see out of your backcourt mate D'Angelo compared to the playing game and tonight? You know, D'Angelo is a really, really good basketball player. And I think what, you know, people were, you know, talking about for him after or during the playing game or after the playing game was, you know, he didn't play well, but you go back and look and, you know, he had eight assists. He's so unselfish that that carries, you know, a long way for a group, you know, when he comes off a pick and roll, swing, swing, or, you know, you kick it to him for what he has a three, but you know, he throws the extra. It goes a long way. So it's not always about what you see, you know, on the stat sheet. And then obviously tonight, he was, he was big, you know, what do you have? 19 points, seven assists, you know, he's, like I said, he's really good. And, you know, it's not always about what you see on here. It's, you know, other stuff too, but in the locker room, him instilling confidence in me and the rest of the guys as well. Y'all can take off. Austin, Kirk Sandoval, ABC 7. Hey, when you guys are down six at the half and there's so much uncertainty with AD, describe what it was like to put, be an integral part of that third quarter where you guys put up 37. Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, thank God AD is okay. And, you know, he come out and played a great second half, but it was, like I said, really just about us in halftime, kind of limiting mistakes and keeping those to a low so they can't get out and transition, make them, make them score and, you know, the half court. But yeah, it was really, you know, everybody was calm, like I said, and, you know, ready to just get back out there and hoop some more, you know, he throws the extra, it goes a long way. So it's not always about what you see, you know, on the stat sheet. And then obviously tonight, he was, he was big, you know, what do you have? 19 points, seven assists, you know, he's, like I said, he's really good. And, you know, it's not always about what you see on here. It's, you know, other stuff too, but in the locker room, him instilling confidence in me and the rest of the guys as well. Y'all can take off. Austin, Kurt Sandoval, ABC 7. Hey, when you guys are down six at the half and there's so much uncertainty with AD, describe what it was like to put, be an integral part of that third quarter where you guys put up 37. Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, thank God, AD is okay. And, you know, he come out and played a great second half. But it was, like I said, really just about us in halftime, kind of limiting mistakes and keeping those two alone so they can't get on transition, make them, make them score and, you know, the half court. But yeah, it was really, you know, everybody was calm, like I said, and you know, ready to just get back out there and hoop some more. It's Todd, he's Todd. Obviously, you know, Rui came here, you know, I've been kind of trying to write, get his career back on track and stuff. How have you kind of seen him, I guess, you know, find his identity more as a basketball player and just how happy were you for him to have the game that he had today? Rui is huge today and, you know, he, his skill set is crazy, like for, you know, us to get him along with all the other talent that we have, it just brings another, you know, aspect to our team, you know, he obviously shot the ball really well tonight, but he was solid on the defensive end too, making plays there, and he never really tries to do too much. He's always under control, likes to get to his spots. Like I said, catching shoot was really good. So, you know, it's a big shout out to him for, you know, having a performance like that. So we're going to need it some more. Appreciate y'all. Hey Rui, I believe you were 0-for-1 from three at halftime and then come out and have that third quarter, then get back in in the fourth and kind of stay hot. How did you, how did that come about for you? And what kind, how does that feel for you of being able to have this kind of an impact in your first playoff game for the Lakers? You know, I've been watching film with the Phil, you know, Coach Phil, he's a, he always told me the door's going to be the practice shot for me, you know, because the way that how they guard me is going to be like, you know, they're going to, they're going to, they're going to be in the paint. So, you know, I got to be ready to shoot those kind of shot, type of shot. And just the first half, I just didn't get as much, you know, I didn't get as much ball. So that's why, you know, I couldn't really, you know, shoot that. But like the second half, you know, we are in a good rhythm, you know, everybody was sharing the ball and yeah, all those shots just came to me. So I just, you know, I was in the confidence to shoot a shot. You tie for the most points in a Laker playoff game off the bench ever with Michael Thompson, of course, doing the radio now for the Lakers. What was just the feedback initially from your teammates on the court in the locker room for this kind of contribution? You know, it's funny, you know, just they, since I got here, you know, this team, you know, they really believe in me, you know, my shots and my defense side, like everything in, you know, what I do in there. It's just, you know, the before a game and before a game, they, the coaches, you know, the everybody, you know, the included field and like Bron and AD, like they gave me all the green, green lights, you know, to shoot all those shots, you know, because they told me I'm a good shooter. And so like I just was, I was in confidence, you know, I was a, I was very comfortable in shooting those three. So, yeah. Rui, you had your shot going and then you have that dunk early in the fourth quarter. Is that even a play that you're attempting to make at the rim? If you don't have the confidence of everything else flowing? Yeah, you know, I was the, I was the, I was making shots, you know, I knew, you know, Jayden Jackson, he's gonna, he's gonna try to buck the shot, every shot. So, you know, I just pump fake and then I just went to the, you know, I went to the rim, you know, strong, you know, it was funny like just like yesterday or two days ago, the whole team like me, like we got in like, not an argument, like in a conversation about, you know, my, my dunk, like my dunk package is kind of weak. So, you know, and I was showing all the, you know, my highlights, you know, on the YouTube and they're like, no, they don't like that. So I told them, I said, look, like this series, I'm gonna, I'm gonna have one. So, you know, just watch and it happened today. So, you know, they just told me, I was like, yeah, they got you, you know, I got one. So, yeah, it's just the, you know, the way they, with me, you know, talking like, you know, just they told me to be more aggressive, you know, they want to be, they want me to be aggressive on offense side, defense side, you know, both sides. So, yeah, I just, that's what I did today. Yeah. Hey Rory, what was your reaction when you saw AD going to the locker room at halftime? And then what was your reaction when you found out he was coming back for the second half? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, that was, that was tough. He, I remember he said he can't, he can't move the right arm or something. So I'm like, oh, oh my God, might be over. But, you know, in the halftime, everybody talk about the next, next man up, you know, you gotta, we gotta be ready, you know, it is what it is. And then I think the second half we started and then AD was just dunking. So I'm like, okay, yeah, he was fine. Yeah, you know, yeah, you know, it's the playoff, you know, it's more physical and, you know, they're not going to call fouls, they usually call and stuff. So it's, it's going to be, you know, especially though they were young team. So, you know, they got to be physical, you know, to play against us, you know, that's the way, that's how they can win, you know, if they can beat us, you know. So we just got to be more, we got to set the, you know, the tone, the same, you know, same energy, much the same energy and we just got to be more physical, yeah. Rui, you mentioned that guys were kind of teasing you about your dunk package earlier this week. Who in particular? It was AD, Austin. Yeah, those two especially for sure. Yeah, they will talk about my dunks, you know, before, like a little, we may later talk about this whole week, that's this past week. So it was funny, yeah. You know, just since you came here, you kind of mentioned about, you know, I know you've talked a lot about LeBron before, but, you know, him and AD telling you stuff and I guess how much, the way you view yourself as a basketball player, how has that changed since you've come here? Oh, it's amazing, you know. I'm able to walk out with him, you know, especially LeBron, you know, I've been walking out with him, you know, in the practice, you know, the individual work. It's a, you know, nobody can do that, you know, in this world, just a few players can do that, you know, end up on the same team and, you know, able to do, like, walk out with him, go through the walk out with him, you know, and he's been teaching me a lot of stuff and I can actually watch him, you know, like, you know, how he's been doing and stuff and like, you know, his skill set and everything, you know, I can watch, you know, right next to him, you know, so and I can actually walk with him. So that's the, that's really helping me and of course AD too, you know, he's a great defender and he has a good post game, you know, skill. So, you know, I just watch him like all the time, you know, in the, in the film, in the practice, in the game, you know, it's, it's amazing. Yeah. When coach tells you to be more aggressive, that's one thing to say that can you describe for you when you kind of start, start to feel and gain your confidence and, and how that progressed in this second half? You know, it just, it just since I got here, you know, that's, that's how they be, you know, they want to be, to be aggressive, you know, it's just, it's hard to get in the rhythm. It was hard to get in the rhythm because we had a couple trade and, you know, someone got injured and like, you know, somebody was out, like, you know, someone was in, I was starting, I was come off the bench, you know, it was, it was hard for me to get in the rhythm. So, you know, of course, I talked to the coaches, you know, they, they talked to me about, you know, how they want me to be, you know, when I, when I get on the court, you know, and they, they, they just told me I, they like, you know, who I, how I play, you know, they just want to be aggressive, that's one thing and to bring the energy, you know, those are, those are things like, you know, focus on and today I think, yeah, from both end, you know, I think came from, from the beginning, you know, I think I had a good energy and throughout the whole game. And lastly, a lot of people have said this is not your typical 2-7 seed, you guys won 10 of 12 going down the stretch, what's it mean for you guys to get this win and, and grab home court advantage in this series? Oh, yeah, we needed this one for sure, you know, the first game is very important, I feel like, you know, this is my second time in the playoff but, you know, those are, those every game, every positions, you know, it's matter, you know, especially in win away, so, you know, if we, if we can win these games, you know, it's gonna be, it's gonna be much easier for me, for us to win those games in the next, you know, when we get back to LA. So, you know, we just gotta, we gotta celebrate, of course, this win, maybe tonight but, you know, tomorrow, from tomorrow, we gotta switch to, you know, gear and everything and then we gotta focus on the second game. Rui, I think it's about 7 a.m. in Japan right now, just wondered how much of your circle is still there and, you know, folks kind of waking up, if they didn't wake up to watch the game and seeing you had 29 and, you know, your first Laker playoff game. Yeah, yeah, they're probably, you know, they're hype about it, you know, they watch it, a lot of people watch the games, of course, my family watch the game and I still haven't seen that message and stuff but, you know, yeah, it's a, it's a great, you know, I wanna, I wanna show, you know, you know, what I can do, you know, for my country, you know, that's my country, you know, I grew up there, you know, I was born there, you know, I missed there, you know, so it's just, just a good way to like, you know, show, you know, how much I can do here. Thanks for watching.