Bucks 142, Wizards 129
Q. How did they gain momentum there early in that fourth quarter?
WES UNSELD JR.: Oh, I think a lot of it was the offensive rebounding, and that essentially I think was the difference. 16 for 27 points for the game, but 6 for 10 in that quarter. That really makes it tough.
We shot 50 percent from the field. We just couldn't get enough stops. Being able to finish those possessions is huge.
Q. How do you evaluate Jordan's performance tonight?
WES UNSELD JR.: I thought it was positive. He's been struggling a little bit from the field. Was able to play downhill, play through some contact. Didn't get the benefit of the whistle, but I thought just had a level of aggression.
I think it's probably a good thing for him to see that ball go in, and I think that'll start to open it up for us.
Q. Giannis has been on a scoring tear the last few games. He was super efficient tonight. Can you evaluate your defense on him?
WES UNSELD JR.: Well, he got some easy ones early. When you allow a guy like that of that caliber to get going, he's a tough out anyway. The way he plays downhill, plays in the paint, the force which he plays with, it's just hard to guard.
Being able to wall him off early, minimize some of the easy ones he got in the first quarter I think would help. But to your point, he's been playing at such a high level. I don't know if you'll put that fire out. We did want to try and minimize the easy ones.
Q. That third quarter was a really exciting stretch there that Kuz kind of capped with the three to tie it. What did you see that your guys were doing right?
WES UNSELD JR.: Well, some of it we got some stops and we were able to run. Our tempo was good. I think we were spaced correctly. Playing out of early pick-and-rolls I think kept them on their heels. So that's really positive. I think Kuz was really good, well-balanced game, good floor game, helped facilitate a lot of offense for us. That's a good sign.
Q. Can I get some thoughts on leaving Tyus on the bench in the fourth quarter?
WES UNSELD JR.: Yeah, I was talking to Tyus throughout that stretch, and I thought he was terrific. The point was I wanted a little bit more size to keep on Dame, to handle Giannis, and hopefully help us rebound. Didn't quite get the benefit of that, but I think he understands the rationale. I thought he was great early in the game, getting downhill, playing out of picks and rolls, but I just wanted to try and keep a little bit more size with the matchups.
Q. I know you get this every night about Bilal, but more star power coming in off the road. How do you feel like he's grown against that type of competition?
WES UNSELD JR.: Yeah, I think it's a test for him nightly just to be exposed to certainly matchups, to have an opportunity to guard marquee players in this league. A little bit of trial by fire, but that's the only way to get through it. That's the only way it figure it out. I think it's going to expedite his maturation as we go through the season.
Q. You talk about Bilal's defense and wanting to go big down the stretch. What did you think about his minutes on Dame specifically, he was picking up Dame 94 feet from the --
WES UNSELD JR.: I think that's kind of what we spoke about pregame is be aware on a guy like that. He's too good to allow comfort. He's too dangerous to give him airspace and allow him to play downhill. So I think just finding that balance of picking him up, deny his catch, get him off his spots a little bit. Bilal has done that at times throughout the short season, but I think it's good for him.
Q. Is that where you see Bilal right now as the most dangerous weapon, when he's guarding smaller guys and using his legs to be disruptive?
WES UNSELD JR.: Yeah, I think Dame is a tough out. It's not like he's a Dame stopper. But those type of players I think he can impact. He's got the length. He's wiry, wiry strong, can fight through screens, does a great job of pursuing, and I think that bothers guards at times.
Q. How hard is it as a head coach when a team fights so hard in the second half but still comes up short to maintain maybe not necessarily positivity but a sense of optimism in the locker room?
WES UNSELD JR.: Yeah, I mean, there's a balance. You've still got to coach and hold guys accountable and teach and clean up, but at the same time highlighting those small wins. Those stretches, you get down 14 in the first half, climb your way back, get down 18 in the second half, it's a two-point game at the end of the quarter.
Those are wins. I know it doesn't feel like it, but when you can highlight those things and get our guys to understand, how do we get ourselves in those positions, show a little resilience, showed some fight, did some good things on both sides of the ball in stretches, and can we find ways to elongate those stretches even more.
Q. Gafford was a little shaken up there in the second half. Do you know if he's okay?
WES UNSELD JR.: He appears to be, but I don't think it's anything residual.
Q. 84 points in the paint for you guys is a lot. How were you able to score so many?
WES UNSELD JR.: Well, that's one of the things we highlighted, playing downhill, playing in attack mode, hitting the paint against this team. They're a really good paint defense. That's a positive for us. We knew that was going to be a priority to try to attract attention, get to the rim, get to the line. Didn't get to the line as much as we wanted, but we were able to convert quite a bit of those short paint push shots at the rim, so to your point, it's a lot of points, but we knew we were going to have to find ways to hit the paint to beat this team.
Q. How do you like Kuz' balance of offense versus defense in general this season, not necessarily tonight?
WES UNSELD JR.: As far as?
Q. He's been tasked with scoring a lot. I know you said you had wanted him to step into more of a primary defender role, and he's ended up just naturally --
WES UNSELD JR.: I think for him, he's got to do both, and I think he has. We need him to do both. Not only because he's got positional size, but he's got versatility, the play making. He plays with great tempo. I think that helps kind of galvanize our group. But we need him on both sides of it.
Q. Do you like where his defense is at?
WES UNSELD JR.: At times, yeah. That's for us as a whole. I think at times our group has been good. Then there's times where it's not up to par.
Q. Kuz is always asking to facilitate more. What did you think of him tonight, a career high 13 assists?
WES UNSELD JR.: I thought he did a terrific job. To the previous point, him playing with that tempo, he has the ability to play downhill but make the right read. Those are unselfish plays, and I think it helps get the team going.
Q. He had 11 assists at Milwaukee last year. Is there any coincidence or a matchup thing he's taking advantage of?
WES UNSELD JR.: I think he plays downhill by nature. Some of that might be the way that they guard, a lot of pick-and-rolls, they're in that deep drop. He has a pretty good knack of engaging the bigs, create that 2 v 1 and then at the moment making the right play. There's something to that. I think just that overall mindset, setting guys up, making the right play at the right time, that's a credit to him.
Q. What did you think about Deni's defense against Dame, Middleton and Giannis?
WES UNSELD JR.: Yeah, I think good at times, and I think we got caught hands over the ball, fouling a little bit too much. It's tough. Those guys are really talented offensive players. But just showing the discipline, get your hands out of over the top of the ball and minimize some of those mistakes.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports