Cavaliers 114, Wizards 106
Q. Kyle, what stands out to you about the box score you're looking at?
KYLE KUZMA: I mean, we just didn't score enough. We scored 106. We played solid defense tonight, for sure. We just couldn't score. Cleveland is one of the best defensive teams in the league. They got two bigs that are always somewhere weak side. Especially with us, we're like top-five paint team.
They did a good job of guarding us tonight.
Q. What makes Mitchell such a tough assignment?
KYLE KUZMA: He's in attack mode every possession. He's a shot-maker. He shoots a lot, high volume. He makes shots. That's always the top of the scouting report, his ability to shoot off the bounce, shoot tight spaces, finish at the rim, high floaters. I mean, he's a tough guy.
Q. What did you notice about Corey's improvement over the season? Notice anything about him coming off the bench?
KYLE KUZMA: He just needs to continue to play, play more and more. Out of everybody on the team, I think this year from start to finish he's gotten a lot better. He's no longer just a shooter. He is a basketball player. He plays with a lot of effort. Does a great job of mixing it up, attacking closeouts. He's a ball mover. He just knows how to play basketball. I've always said that about him.
This year he's taken leaps, so...
Q. The vibes in the locker room, the eve of the trade deadline, is it easier when you're on a roster with a rebuild? Is this different than any other trade deadlines you've been through?
KYLE KUZMA: Not really. Every team makes trades. It's part of their business. I've been in this league for seven years. Every year every locker room I've been in has been kind of the same around this time: a lot of anxiousness, a lot of uncertainty. It's always like that.
It's part of the business, so...
Q. Kyle, what did you see the Cavs try to do to shut off Jordan tonight, try to keep him from scoring at his usual rate?
KYLE KUZMA: I mean, we just need him to just continue to be aggressive. I don't think they really did anything. I think he just has to continue to be confident in himself and trust his work. He works harder than anybody on this team. Just going through a storm right now. But it's okay.
Q. Tonight the looks like Gaff had a bounce-back game, establishing that paint presence. What did you see from him tonight that you liked?
KYLE KUZMA: I mean, we play a different style of defense now. I think those two games, the top of the year in Cleveland, we were playing a different type of defensive scheme that really allowed him to really cook. Gaff probably remembered that. Played a lot more physical tonight. He had a good showing, so...
Q. Now that you're a veteran, do you go into a trade deadline with less individual anxiety than you would have earlier in your career?
KYLE KUZMA: Yeah, for sure. I think when you're a young player, it's a lot of uncertainty. It's a scary transition to get traded, especially I can only imagine if you get traded midyear. Never always ideal picking up and leaving in the middle of the season, for sure.
But I think once you are in this league for a little while, you just understand it's a business, you don't get too attached to things. You always understand just the business of basketball at this point, so...
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports