Quick Hits: LaMelo's 3-Ball, Injury Update, Defending Home Court + More
Update on injured guys
"They're getting there. It's going to take some time for Mason [Plumlee] and Gordon [Hayward]. They haven't played an NBA game in a while so I think we're going to learn a lot more about it tomorrow. I can't simulate an NBA game in a practice right now but what we were able to simulate, they got better each day, so that was a positive sign. Terry [Rozier] was out there today so a lot of positive signs there. We'll learn more tomorrow as the game unfolds."
Having the entire team practicing together again after several injuries
"It's been a long preseason. Glad to be done with that. Hopefully, this gets out all of the protocols and injuries for the year. That would be a positive. It's not how we drew it up for preseason but it could be a lot worse. We could be without these guys and we're not. It looks like we're going to be whole tomorrow. That doesn't mean we're going to look perfect but at least we're whole again and we can start our journey and it starts tomorrow night. It feels good that we're back together and we're very fortunate on a number of these injuries."
How the team responded after last Wednesday's blowout loss
"We practiced hard and we moved on. We've integrated the new guys. We've had good practices and we're ready to go."
Playing the team that bounced you out of the playoffs
"Well, it's right in front of us so we're going to deal with it and I think it's good for us. We get to go right back at the team that put us out last year. It's one of 82. It's not the defining moment for our season and everything rides on one game. There's a lot of motivation for tomorrow night for a number of reasons but to face Indiana again after what happened to end last season, I think it's great for our group. We'll see how far we've come. Win or lose, we're going to take a lot from that game and move forward."
If the home games carry a bigger importance
"We don't go in there saying we've got to win this game because we only got 20 games of this first 40 at home. We just don't play that way. We just take it one game at a time. The schedule dictates that. Obviously, when you look at the schedule in totality, there are a lot of games early on the road. We like being on the road together. I like that. I'm okay with road games early. But we've got to do a better job at home in general. I like our group on the road, we had proven that last year and so far in the preseason, we are locked in on the road. I like being on the road early to bunker in as we go. We've got to protect our home and be a better home team in general and tomorrow gives us that opportunity."
LaMelo Ball's three-point shooting
"Yeah, he's shot the ball a lot here in the arena. We've got a lot of shots up here in the last two days in the Spectrum Center and just getting those guys comfortable again is important for us. He's such a confident kid, a fearless kid. He's going to continue to shoot the ball. He's got great confidence. I think he's got his legs underneath him and we'll see that percentage climb throughout the season."
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