The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Mike D'Antoni On Eric Gordon And Getting Back To Play Season Friday

Episode Date: July 29, 2020

Mike D'Antoni On Eric Gordon And Getting Back To Play Season Friday

is the Matt Thomas show. One o'clock, Sports Talk 790. It is our pleasure to have with us on a weekly basis, hopefully through the end of October, the head basketball coach of your beloved Houston Rockets, and Mike Dan Tony with us here on the show. Coach, good afternoon. How are things? Good, Matt. How are you doing?

Good. Really enjoyed the game until late second quarter with EG. Obviously, at least somebody's checked in. What can you tell us as of right now? well you know it's sore and it's a good sprain and it's going to take you know i don't know how many days i have no idea how it responds but uh it's going to be a little bit uh but hopefully we go he'll get back you know uh and we can hang in there until he gets back we'll know more in a couple days and see how it responds but i guess obviously the thought of the x-ray being negative was probably the best news you could have gotten the whole situation yesterday yeah yeah yeah and he's you know working hard

of already getting treatment. And one good thing about the ball way and get treatment about 10 times a day because that's all that's what he's got to do. So, you know, they'll work around the clock on him. And, again, it just depends on how it responds and everything.

But we just got to hang in there until he gets back. And hopefully, like I said, that's not true. You know, I don't want to put it at a date. I have no idea. No, that's all right. That's okay. We understand that. So have you, do you have a definitive answer

to who's going to reply? I know that was a big deal going into this, was that you wanted Eric to start. So what's going through your mind right now? Well, we'll figure out some. I'm sure Daniel House is right there ready to roll. You know, we have guys that are playing really well, and next man up, and we'll just close ranks and then push forward. I called the Memphis game and then watched the game yesterday. Ben McLemore and Jeff Green, I'll go back to those two guys in particular.

whatever you fed him in the pregame in the Memphis, I hope they can feed it to him during the regular season because those guys were shooting lights out for you a couple nights back. Well, better than that. I mean, they can shoot and we know that. It'll be nice for them all, but they're doing all the little things. Ben, it's because they're on the floor. They do exactly everything to enhance Russell and James and everybody else.

They're just playing great basketball. And so those are two guys. Then Austin has had a great. pre you know had a great practice saying that he missed those days but he'll be back ready and daniel's been playing great so uh like i said it's uh next man up and uh you know we got our work cut out but we can definitely do this uh ross here coach and as you mentioned daniel house playing great for you what what has changed or improved in his game because obviously last year somewhat fell out of favor in the rotation but this year looks improved uh defensively

offensively more comfortable. Just what are you seeing from him this year? Well, all that you said, more comfortable. But I think the biggest thing is that during the five months that we're out, he worked extremely hard. And he's on a different plane athletically. And he's really improved his athleticism and his balance, his ability to run the floor and his stamina and just a lot of things, more confident. and, you know, again, he's played well. I know last year there were some defensive lapses that probably didn't please you all that much. Where is he on the defensive side, and is that going to be still a work in progress for a young player like that?

Well, it's always a work in progress, even if you're old players, but no, he's one of our best. And his athleticism gives us the ability to be able to play small and get to the boards and run the floor and a shooting. But there's a lot of good things. You know, like I said, we have a good opportunity that if we can do the things that we talk about and consistently play well, we're pretty good shape. Yeah, I will say DJ's got a lot of steals. James has gotten in there. I can sense that passing lanes aren't easier.

They haven't been the last couple of games for opponents, and that's got to be a good sign for you. Well, they just, they've bowed into knowing that, you know, we always, going to have one of the best offenses. So, you know, where can we be real effective or improved? And that's on the defensive end. And if we come together, chemistry-wise, and the way we're doing it and just be conscientious and boxing out and talking and rotations,

then we become very good defensively and it would be a handful for anybody if not, you know, the best out there. So they've, you know, so far so good. and I think everybody's in a pretty good place mentally and athletically. And like I said, I'm excited about getting started. We'll know more in the next eight games, but it should be a good trip. Coach, you mentioned the offense, obviously, one of the best in the league. And Robert Covington, as the addition has helped Russell Westbrook on the floor.

But losing Clint Capella kind of takes some of the pick-and-roll verticality element from James Hardin's game. And it looks like, are you guys thinking of Jeff Green, and I've seen you also using Robert Covington some in the pick and roll? Is that some of the options you guys are going to go with to try to maybe plug that gap a little bit? Yeah, a little bit. I mean, we'll try, but we're not going to be. Like Clint, he had a special ability to be able to do that.

So you've got to solve it some other way. There's other ways to do it. And by playing small and spreading the floor, you have, you know, Russell can get to the realm. And so there's just different ways you've got to be able to solve the same problem. And, you know, we have to be efficient. And we have to hit certain marks analytically that we feel that makes the offense great. And we can do that without lobs or, you know, some of the stuff you're used to see with Clint

and James the last three or four years. Just do it a different way, but just as effective. Mike, Dan, Tony, with us here on the Matt Thomas show on Sports. I think that like 40 or 50 can go first come, first serve, other players. But, you know, because all the games are on TV and, you know, you're in your, you know, we have a meal room where we sit around and watch games and the big screen. So it's really you could go over there, but there's really no reason. You know, they keep you socially distant.

So there's really no benefit of going over there. It's not like you're hearing the roar of the ground. So being in the middle room with the guys and watching the games is just as good. Mike, you have great respect among your fellow coaches around the NBA. Have you been able to kind of talk, shop with any of the guys, and collaborate on, hey, how are y'all handling this? How are you handling this? Or is everybody kind of in the same boat right now?

We're all competitive, so we all keep our secrets. They'll tell me about stuff I wouldn't do, and I'll tell them the same thing. Oh, so you're flat-out line to them. I love it, coach. That's the best. But it's good. They're great. You know, we're in the same, you know, Steve Clifford is right across the hall where we eat, so I get to see him a lot, Brett Brown, and Rick Carlisle.

All these guys are around, but now everybody's got in their little realm of Houston Rockets, for many of Houston Rockets, and kind of enjoy staying there. Friday, speaking of Rick Carlisle, the Mavericks are in. Look, I don't know if the word is anxious, but how are the guys going into this? I mean, is it like, now these are for real, or do you think you really won't feel that from your players until the playoffs start, you know, basically in two weeks?

No, I think they're excited. I think they're excited to work on things that we need to do, and there'll be a good test. And also, you know, it doesn't really matter if you move up or move down in all slot or maybe just who you do. We just want to play well. And in fact, you don't have to worry about other teams who they play. I hope they lose because then we can get home quarterback.

all that, you don't, that's going out the window. The only thing that matters is that, for me, is for us, the use of the Rockets to play well and be ready to go whoever we have to play. So it's exciting. I think they're excited to get the competition and then be able to turn up another notch when this day was playoff time. I feel like James already turned that notch up.

I think you wanted to sit him probably towards end of that Memphis game in the night, and I don't think he won any part of that, and then he scores 30 other night. So from what you have seen, it feels like to me he's ready to go, even if he had gotten to the camp a little bit later than everybody else did. Well, you know, not did he get here later? No, I was Russell got here a little later. James got here. He went there the very first day, was he?

Oh, I can't remember. You're right. You're right. You're right. You're right. But anyway, whatever. James works, and he works extremely hard in his craft. And that's probably an underestimate other people.

and he's really working on his defense and set an example for everybody else because he knows the win. And we're a good spy. Everybody knows that the only thing of batters to be, to them, anybody on team is winning. And nothing else counts. And so whatever it takes, they're willing to do. And they're working hard and putting in a lot of shops and a lot of rest. And so the competition should be great. Speaking of the competition coach

First game coming up against the Mavericks Just your Your thoughts on what the problems that they present Of course, Luca Donchich being a phenom And all that Just what do you think about the matchup Friday? A good one They play a lot like us

And they're five out And they got a lot of shooters And Dante just very, very good At creating for other people But also himself And hit big shots you know, they have some of the best shooters in the league and Seth Curry and he is, I don't think he's ever missed in the bubble, seems like.

But so it'll be a good test and see where we are and see what we have to correct, see what we've got to get better. But that's the first step of eight of them and try to get to get to get to last question. Has the mask saved you from really wearing out an official? Because what is it like? Can you get their attention? have to really scream a little extra to come over and say something if you needed to argue about a call. Every once in a while they go, ah, what'd you say?

Because it's kind of muffled a little bit. Oh, but that's kind of good. But that's kind of good. Yeah. But trust me, when I need to get their attention, I can get it. So there's nothing, doesn't change anything. Well, just tell Ross not to get any more. I think he's close to getting suspended for a game.

We don't want that to happen. No, Russ is good. No, we have to worry about Russ. And Luke Baimute, what have you seen? What do we know? Is he got a chance to play for you or be a part of at least the first couple of games? We'll see. I mean, he's a ways away.

So we'll see how it goes. But he's working hard. That's for sure. He's probably swore he's going to be right now. So we'll see what happens. All right. Do you miss anything besides me being in the bubble at this point? No, I think that would do it.

That would put me right over the end. Well, that's, I'm glad you said. I'll talk to you Friday night before the Mavericks game, friend. Thank you very much for the time. Sounds good. We'll see you. Mike Dan, Tony, with us here on the Matt Thomas show. I tell you, coach misses me.

Sounded like a genuine, genuinely misses you, Matt. You could hear it in his voice. Yeah, I mean, he could listen to the show on IHeart Radio, which is a bonus for him. He's got a lot of free time. He has a lot of free time for that. 113 is our time. 713-21, 5, 790. By the way, Dusty's going to speak to the media.

It is an early game today, so everything is pushed up an hour. we'll be able to hear what Dusty has to say during the 2 o'clock hour. We're going to roll on the press conference. It's a, well, press conference. It's a Zoom meeting. We'll play some of that. And talk more about just how much we appreciate Joe Kelly. To the bigger issues of that, not just about yesterday when we come back, 113 on Sports Talk 7.9 with a message here for the Shell Federal Credit Union.

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