Ja Morant, Desmond Bane x Coach Jenkins React To Memphis GM5 vs Lakers | April 26, 2023

Two related things, Taylor. One, you threw a curveball late first quarter with the Ja, Tyus, Des, Luke all together. Was that something that you had planned for the jump to get to? And then related, what can you tell us about Luke's shoulder situation? Working backwards, TBD, I think he just got cracked on a screen, just getting evaluated, was feeling fine in the locker room, good spirits. I was maybe a little bit more precautionary, but I don't have all the details on what happened to Luke outside of where he got hit in his shoulder. And that was definitely by design. I just wanted to try something different, some small ball. The points of attack that we've been seeing over the course of the series in different spots at the end of quarters, beginning of quarters, that was something I just wanted to try and see. And we'll evaluate, watch the film, see how good it was for us. Taylor, just wondering, going off that same point, you had a lot of success with that lineup in the first and in the third quarter. But you sub Dylan Brooks out first in the third. I think that's usually different from your typical sub patterns. Just wondering, were you planning on going away from Dylan Brooks in that second half if Luke didn't get hurt? I was just being open-minded, seeing what the game was showing us. Obviously, wanted to be prepared. I mean, obviously, it was a win-or-go-home situation. Just wanted to try different things. Obviously, DB came back in the fourth quarter. And just having Luke out there with Des, those two guys on the floor together have been really good for us. And obviously, if Luke doesn't get that stinger, who knows what would happen in the fourth quarter. Too hard to tell. It was just going to be a matter of just kind of reading the situation, reading where we were at. They obviously think Russell went on some crazy run to start the third quarter. So obviously, we knew we had a counter. So that was just kind of my gut call. LeBron had one of his worst games of his career within this context, in the closeout game, things like that. He shot 5-17, 1-9 from three. How much did you guys, defensive pressure-wise, have to do with that? I hope a lot. We're going to need it again in game six. It's on-ball pressure. It's crowds. It's not letting him get going in transition, which I know he did a couple of times. And I'll go back and watch a film and see where he was attacking mostly from, and then just how our defense stood up. But obviously, we know he's a huge focal point. And when he establishes himself with his physicality and force that he plays with, it can be a long game. But I think our guys held up pretty well with executing our pick and roll coverages, and how we were helping when he had the ball in his hands. I'll just have to watch the film a little bit more. Taylor, you get double-doubles from Dez, Jah, and Jaron. How much does that help? And how much do you need that to keep this series going? We need it, for sure. We need better. I'm going to challenge our guys not to be satisfied. I challenge the guys coming into the game that we've got to establish our physicality. We've got to win the 50-50 ball match-up there, show them clips late in the game where in the fourth quarter or in overtime in game four, that costs us the game when we're not battling on the board. So these guys owning that and coming out with double-doubles is really impressive. We know how important our guard rebounding is when our bigs are battling down there with Davis and other guys that are crashing. We need more. We need better. Taylor, in regards to Jah and Dez specifically, you mentioned they cut your lead to one in the third quarter. It's going back and forth. And then you go on that definitive run to close the third. I'm just curious what you saw from the poise your guys had. And you had this big lead. You lose it. And then the response, it seemed like it was led by Jah and Dez. I'm curious what you saw as they were going through. Exactly that. I mean, I think I called the time out. Guys came into the huddle. And we just talked about, we just keep weathering it. I mean, they made a run. We knew this was going to potentially happen at some point, even with a lead starting the second half. And we just got to go out there and just keep executing what we know we're capable of doing and what we just got to control. I think two of his buckets were in transition. One was in a pick and roll in the mid-range. And it's just like, hey, they're going to score. We just got to respond. I thought our pace really picked up in that third quarter, which got Jah going. Our execution in the half court, the spacing and whatnot really led to good stuff for both him and Dez to operate. Dez starts knocking down threes. You just saw us get a rhythm going there. The group that was in there to finish that third quarter really set a tone for us after that lead getting cut into one and then just continue to build it and having a nice lead going into the fourth quarter. I mean, just kind of on that same point, Jah and Dez both just attacking downhill, but also two crashing glass. Did you see those two in particular take it upon themselves to play with force and just really kind of set a tone with the urgency in a win-or-go-home situation? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, those guys were spectacular tonight. We're going to need even more and better from them in game 6. But these guys definitely play with force. That was stuff we were talking about before the game. Every time out in our play calls and what we were talking about game plan-wise offensively, how we wanted to attack, it's establishing force and downhill attacks and then creating ball movement and advantages on the second side with that. But those guys were great. Obviously, they made their adjustments to Lakers, keying in on Dez a little bit more. I thought the ball movement was really good. Execute a little bit better, knock down a few more shots, and maybe they get out of it. But I thought those guys, especially just establishing the pace in the full court, getting out into our transition offense a little bit better, but then in the half court really attacking and not accepting the pressure that the Lakers have been playing with the first four games of the series. Taylor, did you get the sense from your best player and your second-best scorer most of the year in Dez that this was a game that they weren't going to let you lose? Absolutely. I mean, the mentality coming out of game 4, as disappointing as a loss that was, these guys got a lot of fight in them. They got a lot of resolve in them. The moment they walked in the building today, I could see the look in their eyes. But then when I really challenged them and the entire group, there was just this kind of stoic poise about them. They knew they received the message well. They knew they were going to go out there and execute it. Then we had to have their best. And I'm going to continue to tell them, don't be satisfied because this wasn't our best. We got to continue to search for our best. Just going off of that, you're talking about the mentality of these guys. X after the game, he's telling the fans, we'll be back for game 7. Even before the game, Des was confident that you could get to game 7. Where's that? I guess the question is, what does the locker room feel like now after this game? Having that success in game 5, it sounds like the guys are confident going into this next game. Yeah, confident but determined too. We still know we have a lot of work to do. Challenge them immediately after the game as well. And there's no celebration whatsoever after having a really nice victory. So we know we got to go on the road. We haven't run a game on the road in a minute here. And especially in the playoffs, we got to go do it. So I think the focus is being determined. Just being determined to go out there and continue to improve. These guys want to continue to get challenged. They told me immediately after the game, keep challenging us like you did going into this game. That's the mentality we got to carry going into another down 3-2 game. There were times when the offense was humming and then times when it had a little bit of a lull. I'm curious what you think the difference was during those moments. And then what role did your defense play, I guess, in creating the big runs? Yeah, I mean, we definitely had a huge spark in that third quarter. And the sustainability of it, it's going to come to a point in the fourth quarter where it's going to slow down a little bit. They make their run. And you don't want to rush into some poor possessions. There were definitely some possessions we wish we could have back in that fourth quarter. We got to get organized a little bit better. Everyone's got to be on the same page. I thought, for the most part, we're good. But the times we weren't, we had ugly possessions, first half as well. So we just got to just keep pushing that pace as much as possible. I mean, lulls are going to happen. That's where we got to really dial up our execution. And it's going to be good to watch the film and clean up those situations. I think the players even said in their post-on-court interview that we can't let a lead slip away like that as hard as we built it up. And did that answer your second one? What was yours? Yeah, well, it was important. I mean, again, playoffs are a series of adjustments. We're not making these wholesale adjustments. We had a couple of things that we threw out there from a pick-and-roll standpoint that I thought benefited us. And again, it's like when we don't execute our game plan, they make us pay. They get the looks that they want. They may miss them. But we got to just disrupt the rhythm as much as possible. But I thought our defense was really good. The way we swarmed, obviously, we just talked about three guys that had 10 rebounds. That's huge for us. We've got to clamp down on defense. I said it starts with our defense going into the fourth quarter. I said it starts with our defense. And that's what led us down in game four. Game five, we've got to have it for 48 minutes. Small change on the back of the rotation with Conshar over Roddy in this one. Were there specific attributes you were trying to get into the game with that decision? I think Roddy's done a really good job. And it was just kind of looking at some of the numbers, again, diving into the matchups and lineups, and where Jiddy's had success, where Sante's had success, where D-Rod's had success, and just trying something where Jiddy's been impactful for us all season long. His on-ball defense, obviously, in game two, he was big for us at home. So trying to just muster up that again. His rebounding, even though he plays little minutes, he gets in there, and he can really help us on the boards. So it was just kind of a gut call to maybe just change something, knowing that we were going to do some other things with our lineups as well. Taylor, when Jaren is picking up those back-to-back fouls like that late in the fourth, and you're holding on to that lead, is it a fatigue thing? Or do you think it's just how the Lakers are just trying to attack him? If so, what are you telling him when you're calling timeouts? I mean, just stay locked in, stay poised. I think his teammates are doing a great job, too. I think the second one may be a little bit out of frustration. There was a loose ball one as well. So we know that he's got to continue to get better in that area. And he's done a pretty good job all season long. Luckily, it didn't bite us. But I thought he responded well, and we're just continuing to tell him to go out there, be aggressive. Stay disciplined as much as you can. Stay locked in. Whatever happens, just get to the next play. And I thought, for the most part, over the course of the game, he did a really good job with that. Great, thanks, everyone. Teresa Walker with the Associated Press. How important was it? You've had a great game in this series. Jaron had. Desmond had. Tonight, all three of you guys had a double-double apiece. How key was that in keeping this series alive going back to LA? Definitely something we needed to get a win, and something Coach challenged us to do was for us to rebound. So that's good. Hey, John, Doc Holliday, Action News 5. Just talk about the mentality, man. You come into this game with a different, I don't want to say edge or intensity, about yourself knowing what was at stake. Did I? Nah. Approach every game the same way. John, how did going to Kennard early in the third quarter change the game for you guys? Coach's decision. We just go out with whoever the five on the floor is, and play with a lot of energy. Yeah. Avery. Avery Braxton, ABC24. That counterpunch you guys had there the third or fourth quarter after they had made their own run, what was that like for you personally? And what do you think contributed to the win there at the end? Just us locking in the detail, rebounding the ball, and getting out and running. It's pretty much one of the reasons we won this game. Things that hurt us in previous games, we did a decent job at it tonight. Going back to the question about Luke, did you feel like him being out there with you guys in that small lineup, do you feel like you found something there? Luke is one of the best shooters in the league. So obviously, that opens up a lot of space on the floor, and we just play off that. Josh, it just seemed like you and Dez both put a lot of pressure on that Laker defense tonight. Was playing with force just kind of a mentality and game plan for you and Dez going into tonight's game? Pretty much just film study for me and him, watching it with the team and probably just on our own. Speaking for me, I see when I get down here, there's a lot of passes I can make. And when we watch it as a team, coach bring that up, too. So when me and him was getting downhill, we was hitting guys. We made shots, and it opened up a lot for us. Hey, Job, the team that wins the first quarter in this series has won every game. It also sets the momentum for the game. You guys came out with better energy. Other than hitting shots, why were you guys able to come off to such a good start in the first quarter? Pretty much being ready to go and being at home with our crowd. Dez has now scored big in two straight games. What has he done so well for you guys over the last two games? And what does that say about the type of player that he is that he's been able to ramp it up when the games count so much? Him just being aggressive, looking for a shot. He can score in all three levels. So I feel like he took it pretty much personal to go out and have big games for us. And he delivered. Mark. You guys were in a similar situation as this last year, but you weren't available. In your mind, what's it going to take to get back here for a game seven? Me being a leader and being ready for this pedestal everybody got me on. What does being a leader mean? You said that you were going to be on the table with us. Yeah. Flip the page. It's a game. We wanted to go our way. It didn't go our way. Watch the film, see where we can get better, and come out and execute. Dez, you, Jarron Jive, each had great games in the series. Tonight, all three of you had double doubles. What was working to get all three of you guys clicking like that, and how crucial is that going to be to continue to keep the series alive? Coach was talking a lot about rebounding. It was something that we really talked about going into the series that would be important, especially given Steve-O and BC being out. So he challenged us today, and I think that we responded. Is there anything mentally or in film that clicked for you that's helped you get the shots that you want to get over these last two games and score 30-plus? I've had shots the whole series. I mean, they're just going in, staying aggressive. Drew, to Michael. Dez, what did you like about that lineup? You, Ty's jaw, I think Luke, and then Jarron, you guys went real small. I think you were guarding the fours in that stretch. Defensively, offensively, y'all succeeded when y'all did that. What did you like about it? Everybody can push. Everybody can shoot. Everybody can play make. It's tough. And then you got JJ down there to protect the rim. So I like it a lot. You mentioned the other night you guys had the best home record. You told us you'd be back in LA for a game six. What has to happen for you guys to get it back here again? And how confident are you that you can pull that off? Yeah, we got to come with the right edge and the right road mentality. But I said it out there, and I'll say it again. We're going to be back for a game seven in front of the best fans in the NBA. Dez, it seemed like both you and Ja were just putting pressure and force on the defense. Was just that kind of a message, a conversation with you and Ja before the game to just keep putting pressure on the defense with y'all's downhill attack? Yeah, the staff really challenged me before game four just to find my aggression and really be aggressive. And Ja's aggressive, putting pressure on the paint every night. But I've been doing it as well. Dez, you guys had a similar situation to this last year against Golden State. But this year, you've got Ja in the lineup. I think you were pretty banged up by the end of that Golden State series. What does that mean to have you two clicking like you did tonight going into a game like this? I like our chances. Dez, back-to-back games, 30-plus points. Obviously, game four, your shot wasn't necessarily falling, at least from the three-point range. You got that a little bit today. Did anything change? Or is it just keep on keeping on? It's basketball. Shots going to go in. Shots not going to go in. I'm going to keep shooting them. Dez, LeBron doesn't have many playoff games where he's relatively as quiet as he was tonight. What was worked for you guys on that end against him? I think our discipline was very solid, making him finish over top of us, not fouling him at the rim. We were in the right spots. He's a good player. It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be a team effort when we did that tonight. For sure.