When I came to the league, back in Europe I was so much faster than the other guys, I was always penetrating. I didn't use my jump shot. When I came to the league it was tough to get to the basket. All those guys, they went under the pick-and-roll. It was long threes, especially for me coming from Europe.
And what if I never go of my own free will? Will you pitch me from some window so that I must fly or fall? Will you bolt all shutters after me? You had better, because I'll knock and knock and knock until I fall down dead. I'll have no wings that take me away from you.
When they take away some of our main guys, I just find myself open sometimes and knock down shots.
I'm not better when I force shots. I'm going to take them as they come. They are really sagging in there, trying to take me out of the game. It's my job to find guys. I want to be aggressive and take my shots, but I can't force them.
I've seen a lot of highlights of Steve Kerr knocking down the big shots ... when a legend, Michael Jordan, trusted his teammate and passed it to him. He might have played two minutes, but he was ready to knock down the big shot.
For me, it's just finding ways to create shots. I feel like if I got a shot off, it has a good chance of going in. So it's finding ways of creating different shots. Being smart. I watch film a lot, and different tricks that I can do to get my shot off the ball and creating ways to get shots off of pick-and-rolls or one-on-one situations like that.
I mean, defending isolations is easy, but it's hard at the same time. I think I'm a pretty good defender, but when you go against guys that can make tough shots, it makes you feel so bad, like, 'Oh, man, these guys just made a tough shot on me.'
If I get a chance, high pick and roll more. I want some triple doubles. I've got to get my handle right so I can pass and get it to guys where they can make shots.
In piano, if you try to force hitting this key and that key, it's very broken. It's not pretty. When you're in archery, you can't try to force it step-by-step-by-step. Then the shot doesn't flow and it's not a good shot. If you just let the performance flow, it's really beautiful.
Every opponent is different. Some guys are going to be in pick-and-roll a little bit higher, and then you have opportunities to drive for layups. Some guys are going to zone deeper and then the mid-range shot is open.
The problem with my guys, all my guys, they come in and improve themselves so fast in college: they go from 'He's this and this' to 'That kid is the first pick or second pick. Four. Five. Seven.' Tell me about those teams: not great. So my guys are walking into bad situations.
Mike Bibby was a huge help for me on the court, giving me advice pick-and-roll wise, where to get my shots, things to do.
Defenders tend to leave me open on the elbow and when I step out, so it was only the smart thing to do to start to knock down the shots so they can't leave me open up there.
I think [Otto Porter Junior] just took a couple tough shots so far - a couple tough jump shots - but I think he has a great mid-range game, he's very tall and can create his shot. So, I think with more spacing he'll get easier shots, I think he'll be fine.
Sometimes fate or life or whatever you want to call it, leaves a door a little open and you walk through it. But sometimes it locks the door and you have to find the key, or pick the lock, or knock the damn thing down. And sometimes, it doesn’t even show you the door, and you have to build it yourself.
I mean, I know I am, let's say, a good shooter. So I hope I will start to knock down those shots.