Wizards 112, Toronto
Q. Tristan made his NBA debut, what do you think?
DENI AVDIJA: He was here for a short period of time but I feel like it's the first time being on the NBA court, it's tough. He got a good board and it's his first stat, still looking for his first point. He's really talented. I think once he figures it out on the court and figures the space of the game, he's going to be really good.
Q. You limited Sacramento to 102 a couple games ago and you limited Toronto to 109 tonight. What's been going well defensively?
DENI AVDIJA: I think tonight defensively we were not as great as Sacramento. They struggled a little offensively. But at like when we needed to tighten it up, we did, and it was a scrappy game. Wasn't the nicest game but we managed to come away with a win and played some good defense and feel like we can learn from it for sure.
Q. Speaking of scrappiness, how would you describe that final sequence, the last plays to make sure they didn't tie it?
DENI AVDIJA: I think we gave the best effort we could have got. You know, obviously I was really upset missing those two free throws. I feel like it wasn't me. Even though we won, I was so down on myself because it's not me to miss free throws. I face it my whole career and I usually knock them down. But my teammates were great. My teammates came to me and supported me, which made me feel good.
But eventually, as a team, I think we did a great job at the end. Also communicating on screens, making sure we are taking the right shots. Corey hit a big corner three. So I think it was a really good team win for sure.
Q. How about the way Kuz got past an off-shooting night in the first three quarters to play so well in the fourth quarter?
DENI AVDIJA: That's what big players do when they feel like sometimes it's not going to go your way at the beginning of the game, or some nights are just off. But the real evaluation comes when, we need you. Like we need Kuz to be good. We need him to be focused and I feel like when he turn it up, like it's a big, big, big, big play for us as a team and for him.
You know, big-time players make big-time plays, so I'm happy for him.
Q. Your aggression has been on display this whole year but on nights like tonight where Kyle and Jordan struggle for the first three quart quarters, does that turn something on in your head, like you have to put the game in your hands now?
DENI AVDIJA: I'm not stressing about it. I'm not really thinking about it. I'm going to be aggressive regardless, taking the right shots, making the right plays. Even though when I'm getting going a little bit I'm still looking out for my teammates. Still looking for open shots and I feel like it just come naturally. When I don't chase and stress about it, I feel like, yeah, sometimes I need to step it up a little bit more and maybe sometimes I'll have an off night or other guys will need to step it up. But it's part of a team. I feel like I was aggressive tonight. I struggled a little bit in the fourth quarter, but I feel like I still managed to be good on defense and be solid and that's about it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports