The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Mike D'Antoni Gives Latest On Westbrook & The First Round Playoff Match-up

Episode Date: August 13, 2020

Mike D'Antoni Gives Latest On Westbrook & The First Round Playoff Match-up

is the Matt Thomas show. One o'clock straight up here on Sports Talk 7.90, Ross Vierreau, with you until 3 o'clock. And right now, very pleased to be joined by the head coach of your Houston Rockets, Mike Dantonie. And coach, Matt, is out. We thought we'd give you one week off of them if that's okay. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it.

Yeah, I thought you would. I thought you would. So a rough couple of games in the back-to-back with the losses there. First of all, let's talk about Russell Westbro. We got the news yesterday. He had the MRI. What's the latest on him? We don't know for sure.

He'll be re-evaluated this weekend. He will miss tomorrow. That's for sure. Probably a couple of practices. But then we're trying to get him as close 100% as possible. But we'll know more how he responds to treatment and also how the, you know, a couple of MRIs going forward. All right.

And what about PJ Tucker? the leg injury and also the finger. Is he going to be okay? Yeah, I think his fingers will sore and stuff, but it should be okay. You know, the last two, three games really, in reality, we weren't fighting for anything. We were probably locked in a fourth or fifth, which means no difference.

So, you know, we didn't have, you know, the energy that we've had. We're trying to rest guys as much, and Friday will be the same thing. It's more just who needs the work, who needs the rest, reduce minutes at all. So that's kind of what we are right now. So, yeah, you are having to do that? Is that, are you just going case-by-case basis?

Because normally it would be the same for everybody, but you had the long layoff, and now you have everybody in the ramping up period. Where do you think guys are at physically now than they would be at the end of the regular season if it went as scheduled? Well, I don't think they're, they might not be as sore different play,

but they're not as ready for the playoffs as they would have been if they play regular schedule. I think, but everybody's in that same boat. And the biggest thing is just trying to get in closer as you can, and every team is doing the same thing. And it's hard to figure out do they need more game work on the floor, you know, together, just them individually, finding their rhythm,

or is it more important that you don't risk injury by not playing them, but then do they need the work to get in shape? You know, there's just so many questions to go into it. And the medical staff really will determine the minutes for guys and all that. And I'll put my two cents in about, well, you know, like Eric Gordon, for example, needs probably to work. But then again, the medical staff has got to tell me how much that is. I mean, there's just a lot of things to go back and forth.

Yeah. And when you putting your two cents in, what are you looking for? You're looking for how fresh they look or the sharpness of their play. And how do you think Eric Gordon played last night? I think the sharpness and just the togetherness, you know, ideally, I would love to be able to get the rotation that we're going to have on Monday as close as possible. But it looks like that's not going to be possible. That would be ideal. But by the time the end of the season, you know that.

You know what the rotation is. They've been doing it for about a month. And then if you take the last couple games off of the last game, all you're worried about a little bit, lose the rhythm, I hear a bit. But now it's, you know, our rotation has been all over the place for the definitely past three games, but the whole, really the whole loving games. And so we just got, you know, just play it by here and get everybody. I think right now, the biggest thing is just trying to get everybody healthy.

And Eric, going back to Eric, I'm sorry. No, go ahead. Yeah, back to Eric, he didn't look real good. I'm but that's normal. I mean, you know, he was rusty and had six turnovers and couldn't hit a three. we knew that and that's why it's good he played yesterday and he'll he'll play some Friday and then have a couple of cracks so hopefully that'll get back in rhythm. Now he looked pretty good going to the basket.

He lost some weight. He was quick, man, and he was getting, he was getting to the hoop pretty easy. I think it was those old uniforms kind of style that was looked good. But yeah, he was. And that's very encouraging. The other stuff will come as long as he physically feels good and his quickness. So, yeah, I mean, it was definitely good. that's good and the other part, hopefully will come, you know, real quick.

All right. Austin Rivers, it didn't be three points for you last night in 30 minutes, but of course he had the 40-point game earlier. What is the difference between when Austin Rivers is right? Is it just the aggressiveness and his mindset? Because we know that he has the tools to do what he did when he dropped 40. Yeah, a couple things. I mean, yesterday we had him and Ben and Jeff couldn't make a three.

you know, mainly because they played the night before. This is the first back-to-back we've had since the four-month layoffs. So I knew their legs were going to be dead, and we had to get through that. So, you know, James is really good. Well, he had a day off the day before. So, you know, you have to put that into context. And then Austin, that is a little bit of a strickey shooter. When he's hit his three, he's going to score, he's going to score.

He's not hitting his three. They'll back up, and then he's got to drive, and sometimes they can clog that up. and that's probably his thing that going forward is going to have to get more consistent on his outside shooting. And on the offense as a whole, I haven't seen the last few games a whole lot of the teams doing the trapping offense. But do you think it seemed like you guys are getting better and better every game at the four on three situations? Do you think that's a product of that teams going away for it? Or do you think you'll still see it in the playoffs?

Different teams have different philosophies. And I won't see what they do. But we'll be ready for each one. Obviously, you know, having us in the middle really may put a lot of stress on teams. If James gets it going, then you might see some double teams. They might try not to it first so that the other guys don't get started. So each coach will have a different philosophy. But it shouldn't make any difference.

We have our attacks. If it gets doubled, then we should be able to exploit it. And if not, then James will go do his thing. Rocket Tech coach Mike Dan Tony continuing here on the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas and coach Let's talk about defensively how do you feel about where you guys are at and do you think Communication you've always talked about is huge for the defense is that a little bit easier in this bubbled environment for the without the without the fans or is it just about the same? I think it's about the same, but I do think you do hear a little bit more It's easier to communicate it verbally so I guess that would

help. But I think also the players know the urgency of doing that. James is doing a good job. I've really pointed out that we've got to talk and Tyson Chandler up from the bench is really talking and you can hear inside the bubble. So a lot of things happening. I think our

defense last maybe four, five, six games actually have been really good. Making some mistakes but that's to be, you know, that's normal. But we've got to get it on point. You know, if we're going to beat teams, especially, you know, starting in the playoffs,

then the only way we're going to do is just be really good defensively. And then if we do that, we won't be a hardout. Yeah, I think so. And speaking of the defense, it seems to me, inside the bubble, the team defense has been good. And James Harden, I feel like, is playing some of the best defense he has. Is it just him knowing he needs to lock in? Or would you agree with that assessment that his defense has been pretty good in the bubble?

And what is causing that? Well, he definitely has been a lot. Real good. I think just the urgency of winning and understanding that no matter how good you are offensively and how good he is offensively, that defense has got to be a priority. And it's also leadership. If he does it, the rest of the team will do it. And nobody should have an excuse us.

So he's taking that role up. And yeah, he's playing a really good team defense and he's getting some steals and rebounding. And you don't have to do it. You know, it's going to be a monument, monumental. effort to be able to beat anybody in the playoffs because all these teams are good and everybody is in the same boat and it's going to be interesting to see. And speaking of that in the playoffs, you guys are locked in against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Just your thoughts on that team, what Chris Paul and Billy Donovan have done.

They've surprised everybody. Just how you think they're playing and what kind of challenges they pose? Well, you hear that Billy's always done a good job there. Oklahoma City. And the adding Chris Paul, you've had another coach on the floor with that. That is just phenomenal. And just his mind and

ability to come up with big plays down the stretch. And they've won so many close games because he can hit that little mid-range and doesn't miss five shots and comes up with big steals. He's just a very, very, very smart player that can maneuver the game at the end. And they have some

good time. And Gallinari's playing a while for him. Stephen Adams will create problems. The two little point guards out, I Schroeder and Gilg, they're good. Shea is good. And, you know, they've got a lot of problems that we'll have to match up. We'll have to play well to beat them. But they're also playing, you know, for parts of the bubble, the restart, they play better than any team here. So it's going to be a challenge. You mentioned Chris Paul and being a coach on the floor. I mean, you've obviously been around the game for a long time. Is he one of the smartest players you've ever come?

And what is it that sets him apart from mothers as far as the floor generalship? Yeah, I mean, obviously, his brain and how he works at defensive and offensive, yes, he's one of the smartest. And he just knows all the tricks. You know, he's got a lot of gamesmanship where, you know, you foul. He just barely touch him, and he's able to knows when to flop and when not to flop, when to trick you, when to trick you. He also has his mid-range shot as deadly.

And once he gets in there, he's almost automatic. and then he's 90% foul shooter. So he just has a lot of things to his game that makes him a winner. And he's been that way all the time. The only time he hasn't been a winner is when he's been hurt. And now he's not hurt. He's playing back-to-backs and he's playing all year. And he's played, I think, every game since the restart.

And he's in phenomenal shape. So, yeah, he's going to be a handful. All right. Rocket's head coach, Mike Dantone. Final question for you, coach. What's the plan on Friday? The game not meaningful for. seating, but what do you want to see other guys and what's the approach?

Well, I'm going to talk to the medical staff and get a better feel. But, you know, the time we play, we want to play really well. And then see whatever that means. I know Eric has to get good work in. So he'll play for sure. And then we'll see what the rest of the guys do. If anybody needs any special, you know, special rest or whatever, we'll see. All right, coach.

Thanks for the time. Appreciate it, as always. No problem. All right, Rockets head coach, Mike Dantonie, here on the Matt Thomas show. Good for stuff from him. We're going to take a quick break here on the Matt Thomas. Without Matt Thomas, you want to get in, react to anything coach had to say. We were talking a little bit about Joe Kelly and what he had to say earlier.

Astros, Rockets, college football, all that good stuff. You want to get in. 713-1-3-790 is your phone number 7-1-3-21-5-7-90. The Matt Thomas Show without Matt Thomas continues after this short break.