Deek

Donovan Mitchell Postgame After Win vs Timberwolves: "[0:00, Meleek Thomas Debut] It's very rare to ride the coattails of a rookie going into a half. We didn't have energy; we were playing the wrong way, weren't doing the right things, and for him to be the spark in his first game of the year, that's not normal...he made some mistakes, but they were aggressive mistakes...he made the most out of his moment...I told him the best part about this game wasn't even the 16 points; it was his energy. Credit to him for staying ready and continuously asking questions to make sure he's in the right spot--[1:12, Surprises About Meleek] His attention to detail defensively, I think, was the biggest thing. Offensively, he makes shots. He's a killer. That doesn't surprise me, but the fact that he is trying and willing to learn. He texts me all the time saying, 'What about this clip, why did you do this, should I have done this'. This morning, he was working on shows like what Rookie is working on shows...he's working on trying to impact the ball defensively...I think we've definitely got lucky with him--[2:20] We don't get there, I don't get to do what I do, James [Harden] doesn't get to do what he does, Ev [Evan Mobley] doesn't get those big shots without Meleek Thomas giving the energy in the first half. Even Peyton Watson...it's the other guys, it's the role guys...there's so much built up towards that, and that's why I try to make sure we get the recognition to the guys that deserve it. Even Sam [Merrill], he didn't shoot it well from three, but he got two huge offensive rebounds; he's in there fighting--[3:53, Peyton Watson's Defense Down The Stretch] Those plays go a long way for us. Him being in the gaps, being on the boards, just making it tough. Ant [Anthony Edwards] is Ant. He's gonna have nights like this, but making it tough on him...we ended up getting the stops we needed most, and that's all that matters--[4:41, A Big Win Over A Good Team] I think Tony [Pesta] or whoever asked me about the purpose of the regular season, and it's for stuff like this. This is exactly what you want in a season--[5:38, Difficulty In Playing With A Lead] The pace and three-point shooting, it's just so different now...there's just so much chaos, it's the whole NBA--[8:13, Perspective On Talking About Playing With A Lead] It happens across all sports. There is a psychological piece to it...there's a mental part but also a mental awareness--[9:51] It happens...it happens a lot more."