Suns 115
Wizards 101
Q. Tre, the obvious question also seems like the simplest question. What did you have going tonight when it comes to the way you were able to shoot it, especially from three?
TRE JOHNSON: I just took what was given, to be honest. CJ said during back-to-backs you got to learn to have elite focus. Even when I woke up this morning, that's all I was really thinking about, was today's game. I think that helped me out getting into the rhythm, I guess.
Q. Your footwork is very impressive, especially for someone as young as you are. How have you managed working on the footwork to be able to have as quick of feet as you have but as quick of a release as you have to be shot ready?
TRE JOHNSON: I feel like it's all props to my dad. I don't really pay too much attention to it now. I just remember, like, the different shots we used to shoot when working out. He always used to talk about footwork. To me, it was just normal, just catching and shooting the ball. Just having my feet up under me helping the shots and stuff like that.
I feel like what I was doing younger just helped me out now, I would say.
Q. You scored almost the same amount of times as the amount of time you were on the floor. What can you say about how you make the most of your time on the floor, especially after the injury?
TRE JOHNSON: Just taking what's given to me. Just try to play off my teammates, create shots for myself moving off the ball. Just finding ways to score, to be honest with you.
Q. Going back to your quick release. Is that something you worked to I guess shorten over time? Is that something you actively try to do, have a quicker release?
TRE JOHNSON: Yeah, I would say that's the goal, to try to get it off as quick as possible.
But I feel like also it ties back into the footwork. I feel like it's all, like, a step-by-step process. My feet are under me, I have somewhat of balance I guess, I'm able to get the shot off. I feel like it's something I have worked on before.
Q. I know Devin Booker is a guy you've studied quite a bit. What was it like playing against him? Did you have any interactions with him?
TRE JOHNSON: No interactions.
It was kind of some of the same stuff I've seen. I guess kind of knew going into the game we'd be more physical, especially guarding him. I used more shot fakes to get guys off their feet. Some of the same stuff I saw film-wise, did the same thing in the game.
Q. You mentioned that CJ gave you some advice. Any other additional advice he's given you with these back-to-backs?
TRE JOHNSON: Yeah, he was talking to me especially like during the timeouts when he was in the game just about the amount of focus he put, like, on his body the night before, this morning, going into the back-to-back. He's older than I am, so he has to do more obviously.
Just still having that knowledge that those are the things that go into it to still be at somewhat peak performance going back-to-back. I feel like that was helpful for me.
Q. There were a few times you're pulling up a few feet from the three-point line. What does it take to have that confidence to shoot from three in the NBA?
TRE JOHNSON: I don't know what kind confidence it takes (smiling). I don't even know how far I am half the time. Really mostly all the time.
It's really a normal shot, I would say. It's not nothing I really work on. I just feel like I can see the rim, I can get it there, and I shoot it.
Q. Your concerns on draft night when you got drafted was your defense. Do you feel you've gotten more acclimated on the defensive side of the ball this season?
TRE JOHNSON: Defense has always been like a focus of area to improve just because I want to be one of the greatest players to play. That's something you got to be able to do.
But it was never a worry for me. Like nobody has ever been worried. If you want to call me up, that's perfectly fine, it's going to help my film look better. That's perfectly fine. I respect that, if you want to call me up on defense.
All the comments about me not being able to guard, I kind of just brush it off, to be honest. Nobody is just saying we want to attack him the whole game.
Q. You talked a little bit about your off-ball movement. Brian talked about how a lot of that is physical stuff, but also being able to read and react. What are you learning about the looks you're getting off the ball?
TRE JOHNSON: It's not so much about really me. I think the way I move off the ball, it was never really to give myself a shot. It's really to open up somebody else. It happens to be they mess up, miscommunication, then I get the shot.
I usually do like mainly with Bub or CJ, guys that are known to get downhill and score, stuff like that. It just kind of helps me out trying to open them and free them up.
Q. Now that you've played Devin Booker, does anything about you being compared to him feel different than before you played him?
TRE JOHNSON: I wouldn't say I want that as a comparison. I don't really want any comparison to a player, to be honest.
I feel like there's things going back and watching in the film, there's things I can get from the game because he got to the free-throw line quite a bit, especially with, like, aggressive defense. That's probably what I'm going to start seeing, guys having their hands on me a little bit today. I think there are things I could watch, for sure.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports