What Steve Clifford Said Following the Loss to the Lakers

Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford met with the media after Monday's game with Los Angeles.

On when the game turned tonight

“LeBron (James) was great, obviously, the whole game. We were better in the second half, but yeah, for sure, the second quarter. We tried to double team (LeBron) as much as we could, but 19 fastbreak points, it’s going to be hard (to win). That’s their strength, and he was right in the middle of that.”

On the team’s shot selection

“Before watching the film, it’s the shots that we take early in the shot clock in transition. This has become a league where in the first eight seconds of the shot clock, by the numbers, is the best time to shoot. The defense isn’t set. Everybody’s numbers are up in that time, and we’re all taking a lot of shots that I would say even five years ago we probably wouldn’t take. All 30 teams take them, but you still want to get uncontested shots. We took contested shots early, and it hurt us.”

On fighting back from a deficit

“The thing to me, and this is what I just told the guys, sure, we don’t have a lot of room for error, but we can play a lot better. We gave up 19 fastbreak points. Early in the year, we were never doing that. The first, say, 15, 16 games of the year, we were first in transition, we were like 13th, 14th in defense. Our pick-and-roll defense was good, our individual defense was okay. Right now, over the last 12 games, we’re like 29th in fastbreak points allowed, our pick-and-roll defense isn’t nearly as good and we’re getting crushed off the dribble. You can’t win like that. We could beat any team. We have enough offense, and we’re going to start to shoot the ball better if we get these guys back. But still, you’ve got to guard. You’ve got to guard.”

On Gordon Hayward leaving tonight’s game and the team’s injuries in general

“Like one of the coaches said, Gordon walked off and you could feel it on the bench. We’ve had so many of them. But again, it’s part of this league. Some years you’re fortunate and guys stay healthy and you have your whole team. It’s definitely part of winning in this league. And some years you get more than your share of injuries. Again, that’s why you’ve got to be locked in on what wins, how we have to play so that no matter what, we’re controlling that.” 

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