Raptors 140, Wizards 110
BRIAN KEEFE: Obviously third quarter was the thing that changed the game. I actually liked what we did in the first quarter. We kept it within 10, and we were playing the right way. We were getting in the paint and kicking out, we just didn't make our threes. But our attempts is where we wanted.
We obviously went small tonight with some of our big guys out, Marvin and Alex. We wanted to get the court spaced and drive and kick, and we got up the attempts we wanted. We loved the process, just didn't make them. But our guys stayed within the game. They just kept doing it.
Obviously that third quarter I think they shot like 15 for 19 and were 9 for 11 on twos. We just didn't get the paint done. A couple turnovers in transition. But it was just really that one quarter that kind of opened up the game for them.
Q. What was it about the way that they were able to kind of find their advantages in that third quarter? Was it the seams and the shell they were finding? Was it just the way they were moving the ball on you guys?
BRIAN KEEFE: A little bit were turnovers. Some were transition. Some were just getting in our paint. We didn't rebound really great in the first half either, but it was just we weren't swarming and scrambling as much as we should have been in that third quarter.
Q. When you look at this type of a game, especially with the bounce-back in Minnesota, coming into this one, where can you find those lessons in this type of game to look at the film because it's the first night of a back-to-back, you've got to travel and then get ready for Chicago in the morning?
BRIAN KEEFE: Take what we did in the first half that we kept building when it wasn't -- the ball is not always going to go in. That's the thing, that NBA games, any game you ever play in, you're not always going to make shots, but we maintained our energy. It was just that defensive part in the third quarter.
Playing small was a different thing for us. A bit of an adjustment. We had some guys out tonight. But we're more than capable of doing that and scrambling and helping each other. We just didn't get it done in the third.
Q. You said you kept up with the Raptors in the first half. In the last two years that they have been rebuilding around young players like you're doing now, what is this telling you the most about the Raptors this season compared to the last one for them to be winning like that?
BRIAN KEEFE: They've done a good job here, obviously, and they've got some guys who have developed over time. I think adding Ingram has helped them, too. Their team is growing, getting better. Nice job by them.
Q. The bench, even with a shorter rotation and moving Tristan to that starting unit, your bench comes up very big tonight. What was it that they were able to have kind of a rhythm even with the rotation kind of shifting?
BRIAN KEEFE: All hands were on deck tonight with bodies we had came in and tried to contribute. Obviously we were playing small for a lot of the game. That's why we wanted to keep the speed up and get our three-point attempts up, which was a good thing for us tonight.
Our bench has been ready all year. Nothing has changed.
Q. You look at the first, I think, eight or nine games versus the last six, specifically for Cam, is it as simple as he's just adjusting to the system on both ends of the floor, or is there something else that's allowing him to kind of get into a rhythm and have that consistent --
BRIAN KEEFE: I think it's all those things, yeah. I think he's getting used to playing with his teammates, getting used to things that we do within our system, just getting used to our environment. It's all new stuff for him, and it's very early in his career here, but he's had very positive pro.
Q. I know just a short stint, but what did you see from Will and Jamir in those minutes in the fourth quarter?
BRIAN KEEFE: I thought they were actually really good. Those guys have played a couple games down in the G-League that show that they were prepared in their training. Our G-League guys do a great job of keeping guys ready to play. I thought they were good, played the right way, made the right plays. I was really impressed with them in the fourth quarter.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports