Domantas Sabonis, Davion Mitchell and Coach Brown | Postgame Pressers 3.25.24

Domantas Sabonis, Davion Mitchell and Coach Brown | Postgame Pressers 3.25.24

Man uh shout out to domas uh man what a job uh to break a record you know that’s been there since the ABA NBA NBA merger what a phenomenal phenomenal year he’s having uh obviously he should have been an Allstar um obviously he should be talked about for first second third

All NBA um and he should even be in the MVP discussions with the way that he’s playing um this is also his 25th triple double or something like that 25th triple double um he’s up there with guys like Oscar Rob there’s only four other players to do it Oscar Robertson uh

Joic Bill Russell and Russ oh yeah Russell Russell Westbrook and will I mean that that is unfreaking believable um so domas hell of a job buddy that’s uh that is big time and uh I hope um he gets a lot of Praise because it’s definitely welld deserved um I tell you man

Uh you know our formula I guess as of late has been to defend which we did a pretty good job of defend a three-point line which we did even though the Maxi went off we did still did a pretty good job of they shot 32% from there and also

Win The Possession game and uh you know we did that we had eight turnovers to their 15 um we won the free you know they outrebounded Us in terms of offensive rebounding but we scored more Second Chance points than them so we we we we won The Possession

Game handedly while trying to defend at a high level um Maxi had 21 points I think in the first quarter uh he had eight the rest of the game three points in the second half alone and um you’re not stopping a player like that you just want to make him work and

I thought our team did led by Keon and and Davon tag team teaming him all night um we told our guys to get out and run they did a good job in transition um but like I said just with our our latest formula of Defending while winning The Possession game that’s why

While we ended up getting it done uh Keegan was huge for us uh Dave Young was huge Off the Bench Alex Lynn was huge Off the Bench uh we just had a lot of great guys and it’s kind of how we’ve done it most of the year just you know

We have a different guy or new guy seemingly step up every every single night so great win uh by our guys tonight Mike how uh how do you feel domas um digested the moment or at least you know took in that moment from not only the crowd but even the teammates as

Well obviously he gets so locked in for games uh you know I think he I think he appreciated it you know um I think it touched him uh but at the end of the day he he wants to win he wants to win so bad he just he just wanted to get get

The game going and he wanted to get this W and um that that’s what he’s about and that’s what makes this even more special because of the human being that he is too like for the last eight games you’ve Hil your opponent under 100 points it now seems like the physical style almost

The team is thriving in a little in it a little bit just have you seen a switch being flipped specifically it almost looks like again your guys are enjoying playing that style right now yeah they they do and they’re talking about it a ton so so now I’m not the only one

Talking about they’re they’re really talking about in the locker room which is good and you know I I made I said this analogy before you know yeah we’re going to talk defense talk defense talk defense uh but we know we’re a good offensive team and we’re

Going to be able to find a way to score points uh but at the end of the day the more that we Embrace uh defending uh that’s a better chance we’re going to have because now we don’t put as much pressure on us to make the

Wide open shot or to make this play or to make that play um we can play free while knowing that hey if we buckle down we’re going to be all right cuz we can get 110 easy we can get 115 or 112 pretty easy with the guys we have

But we can’t give that up cuz we might not always get 122 you know so uh it’s it’s it’s fun when your team uh Embraces that side of the floor especially when they’re as talented offensively as they are Mike the Kings have been in Sacramento for 39 years now and of that

Time only 10 times have they had a over 500 record you have two of those Rick Adelman has the other eight just how crazy is it that you’re sort of building something here and how much do you want to see this thing through that first of all that’s crazy that’s a

Little crazy stat no no disrespect that’s a little crazy stat uh wow I it took me a minute to digest that but uh um no I you know at the end of the day um just like everybody in that locker room and everybody in this organization we want to compete for a

Championship and you know for us that’s what it’s about and we’re fighting our tails off just to do that and um you know hitting these other Milestones along the way are definitely something that we Embrace because it continues to add to the belief uh that our guys need

To have in order to reach uh those Heights um so we don’t want to take anything for granted nothing is too small but at the end of the day uh we’re fighting for a championship just like everybody else and you know we feel like if we play up to our potential

Especially like I said on the defense in the floor we’re going to give ourselves a chance so you know to to get records along the way to hit Milestones along the way yeah we love it we applaud it we embrace it we accept it uh but at the

End of the day I definitely just like everybody else in that locker room in this organization want to win a championship for the city ghost Brown uh it seemed like you know DAV y Mitchell he has a knack for timely basket so I mean he’s just right on time in the

Three or something like that at some course of the game when you guys need something can you talk a little bit about his play tonight and doing you know those type of actions first of all he was a defensive player in the game he he had had a heck of a game defensively

For us but uh he worked so hard on on his shot especially in the summertime even during the year that you know in the short amount of time that we’ve been around him he’s gotten a lot better not only he’s gotten better shooting the ball with his

Percentage but also uh you could see his confidence is going up and and he knows when he’s open uh he’s got to step in and let that thing fly and you’re right he’s hit timely shots for us all year he hit some big ones tonight when they went

On a run or when they were starting to fill themselves a little bit and he was left wide open he didn’t hesitate and that’s what we want from all our guys we don’t want him hesitate we want him to step in and knock down the shot and or

At least shoot it and he did that and uh he was very successful doing it and we don’t want him to stop Mike tomorrow big match up against the Dallas Mavericks a back toback I know not trying to get ahead of yourselves with enjoying this win but

When do you flush this win when do you start working on one of the teams that you’re fighting for in a playoff spot no you know we’ve already been working on it you know it starts with uh our our Advanced Scout Dan Hartfield he’s saw him probably a couple of times

Already and sent his report in and I don’t know whose game it is but uh you know that the offensive side of the ball and defensive side of the ball have already been taken care of we’ll meet as a staff tomorrow and talk about him and get ready for the game so the

Preparation has already started um we all know it’s important it’s one of the things I said in the locker room you know if if uh if we can find a way to get this win then obviously we’ll have the tie breaker and which is really important so uh tomorrow is a big game

For us and I I I think everybody knows it Dallas knows it too it’s a big game for them so uh it should be fun um Mike you talked about the guys kind of enjoying like this new found defensive identity how much are you personally enjoying it given that you

Were the one kind of leading the the parade uh by yourself for a while and and can you get yeah I mean for for a while you were the you know you you’ve LED them here is the point um and and so you must be gratified to to see them

Come this far and and what are you seeing EX exactly that they’re doing and how much are like we’ve heard people mention the way the game’s being called a little bit differently now how much is that a factor right now well officials are doing a great job you know prior to

The allstar break is tough because you know I started in in the NBA 33 34 years ago and it it was a grown-up game uh you had to take a hit and sometimes you gave a hit you had to play through it you had to figure it out and and that’s to me

What separated uh guys like myself ordinary guys from NBA guys because I couldn’t take those I can try to deliver them you know but I could take those hits and stay on balance and still make plays and stuff like that and you know there’s probably a little too much of

That with with the grabbing and and you know that’s why part of the reason why the scores were a little lower also part of the reason why the scores were lower the spacing wasn’t the same the skill set for in my opinion of the players

Weren’t the same you know you had a guys s foot you throw them and throw the ball into the post and you play out of it and so the pace wasn’t the same but now with the skill set where it is right now and the spacing of the floor and the

Movement off the ball and all that stuff if you touch a guy prior to All-Star break he’s going to the free throw line you see guys getting 15 17 19 free throws from one guy sometimes one guy is getting more free throw attempts than the than the other than their opponent

And so now you know they’re calling the game in my opinion like like they should you know you just hope at the end of the day that the free throw attempts are fairly even you know but you welcome that physicality because uh now we going

To see okay who’s a grownup and who not a grownup out there on the floor and and and who could play through it not get flustered by the officials not get flustered by the contact not get knocked off your spot or anything like that then on the flip side it gives you more

Confidence to okay we talk about being physical I’m going hit somebody I’m show I’m leave with my chest but I’m going to hit them now cuz I know you’re not going to get a call every single time and and It prepares you in my opinion for what

The playoffs are going to be like uh the playoffs are physical style of basketball and you know for teams that are young and that have never been there or haven’t been there much to get a taste of that during a regular season on a consistent basis and figure out how to

Manage um your play in a physical game like that it just gives you confidence and preparation come playoff time and our guys have embraced it and they’re showing it you know we say we want to play fast we want to play physical we’re doing it we’re doing it on both ends of

The floor and we want to play together and you can see that we’re still trying to move and share the basketball and you know I just love the fact that our guys embrac the teaching uh that we’re trying to give them I talked about you know breaking things down more than any other

Team I’ve been with and one of them is you know contesting that that three-point shot and you know our guys made fun of some of the analogies and breakdowns that we did in terms of trying to teach them that the Closeouts and all that other stuff but you know

Shoot they they are doing it to a te and when you see the you know stuff that you talk about stuff that you show them stuff that you teach translate out on the floor like that to me that’s that’s extremely gratifying as a coach Mike just real quick what happened on on your

Tech there did you lose track of of where you were on the floor I I didn’t notice it at first but you ended up on the other side of the of half court I I did I I you know I’ve been working out so I lost a few pounds I didn’t know I

Was that quick I didn’t know I got down to floor that quickly and uh so I looked up and Nick nurse was I had passed Nick nurse I think so I tried to sneak back and it didn’t work I I thought I would get a warning at first and

And so they gave me a tech I didn’t do it again because uh Malik just Malik stay hey get your ass back get your assbag don’t cross half court so I had to honor what Malik said because he he was right thank you guys Davon um first quarter Tyrese Maxi

Went for 21 points he had 26 and the half and you guys held him at 29 a lot of that was you what was it that you were doing to slow him down toight um I mean I think a lot of it was um I mean

My teammates I think they they kind of helped me out um especially when he’s driving downhill um they showed their bodies um we kind of just overloaded him we kind of bliss him throughout the games I mean so shout out to my teammates that they kind of helped me

Davon domas with history tonight just what was the celebration like in the locker room just and how cool is it to be a teammate of a guy that that put himself in history it’s amazing um especially um for domas I mean how hard he works but I mean he was in the locker

Room he’s a he’s a humble guy I mean domas is like the most humble guy ever he just said we just got to keep winning games he didn’t really acknowledge it what he did was an amazing amazing deal in this league but it’s amazing to see

Him do it I mean especially to be on the same team with him it’s it’s a blessing de aside from uh Tyrese Maxi 29 Points you guys were able to hold the 76ers under 100 points where that’s something that you guys would uh concentrating on yeah we just knew that

Um I mean we didn’t want anybody else to get in the Rhythm um Tyrese Maxi was in the rhym the fourth quarter we kind of blitzed him and try to make their teammates uh make plays and something that they’re not used to doing and I

Think that’s what we did and they uh we protected each other and we was there for one another building off that Davon for the last eight games yall have held your opponent under a 100 points another kind of Scrappy physical game but it almost seems like you guys are thriving

In that right now what’s changed with this group I think we’re just being more physical I think uh I mean especially with the the the lead not really calling many fouls we get to be more physical um even Mike told us we we get be we get to

Be more physical um throughout the game I mean because they’re not really calling the Ticky tack fouls no more so I think that’s what we’re doing um we’re always got a hand on the teammate um we always got each other back and I think that’s what we’re doing Davon obviously

A big win tonight and not to get too ahead of ourselves but um you guys have the mths tomorrow and Friday domas called this um a mini playoff series just with the back toback against them uh what’s your guys mindset going against um that team for the next two

Games and kind of do you do you guys feel that that that playoff atmosphere 100% especially against them I mean that’s a really good team but I think tomorrow I think we got to come out with energy um I think that the past back Tob backs we didn’t come out with energy we

Kind of try to play catch up throughout the end of the game and and we failed and I think tomorrow just need to come out with energy like we did tonight um punch him in the mouth and and go from there hey daveon just would you you know

Obviously we see what you do every night defensively offensively what was working for you tonight and uh you looking for opportunities for yourself on that on that end of the floor um I think I was just taking what the defense was giving me um I mean a lot of the shots are I

Just was open and I knocked it down um I got into the paint when I when I needed to when my teammates was denied I just got into the paint like I usually do but how many kind this take what the defense give me yeah Davon it seemed like last

Postseason physicality was a big talking point as well how much do you feel like the physicality that you guys are playing right now will help when we get to that point I mean I mean even last year uh when you seen the playoffs it was a physical game and I think that’s we’re

Thriving in it now I think last year we kind of got caught up late to it um we did it at the end of the season and I think that we kind of was tired from Miss shots and things like that because we weren’t used to being physical but I

Think now carrying on to the playoffs I think we’ll be ready for it thanks everyone first off Tomas congrat congratulations incredible stuff um for you when you broke the record I think in that timeout you pointed up to the stands just who are you pointing to and

What were you reflecting in that moment when the fans gave you that Ovation uh just to My Wife and Kids you know uh my thank C for always pushing me every game you know to be better and um yeah just little in interactions with my kid you

Know um he loves going to the games you know so it was awesome to have that moment delas I know you’re not a big numbers guy but just how good is it to have some of these things the good things that are happening for you guys especially for the group not it’s this

Isn’t just your award it’s like something that other people have taken part in uh it’s great you know um there’s been a lot of hard work here you know um we’re obviously not done yet and um I feel like we’re just starting to find our groove on on on both ends of

The floor consistently you know and we got to just keep that in keep that momentum going into the postseason noas you know your father played the game you’ve been around it you know all your life you was born into it I just want to know where the passion come okay

Because we know you do all these great things as far as double triple doubles and double doubles and but you know the energy that you bring to the game and to your you know and to to your uh teammates and stuff like that is is is it energizes everybody around here

Including the fans too so that’s where I I I would say that you know it’s like a built-in passion that kind of like spread around every you know what I mean but I just want to know what’s inside you you know that you know that pulls

Pulls it out of you and everybody else get a chance to test uh I guess just just a just a love for the game to compete you know you know uh I want to go out there and win basketball games that’s why we’re out there and uh we got

A great group of guys and it just makes it fun competing with them every night doas what does it what does it just mean to you overall I mean I know you’ve heard double double All Season even last season just to see you finally get that

What does it mean to you uh you know it’s an honor you know you’re in you’re in the history books you know of NBA you know the best league in the world so obviously um it’s it’s amazing you know it’s a great feeling uh but at the same

Time you know I’m happy it’s over you know these last couple weeks everyone’s been mentioning it you know and uh I’m just out there you know trying to play my game and help this team win and then you get honored like that in front of the crowd you have your teammates Mike

Brown comes over gives you hug just what’s kind of going on in that moment I know you’re so locked in on the game but were you able to kind of enjoy that moment uh of course you know it’s it’s it’s pretty awesome you know I thank the

Fans for doing that you know it’s it’s it’s it’s awesome to get that support and and feel loved here you know um that’s why I love it here you know and I want to keep playing here domas along those lines we know you’re not one to really talk too much about yourself but

How about Kevin Love um giving you some love no pun intended um on Twitter after uh what does that mean to just get that recognition from a guy like kayb um I haven’t seen it but that’s that’s awesome you know um he’s he’s one of the

Greats you know he’s going to be a future Hall of Famer and uh to see that you know and obviously that he he that he knows about it is pretty cool you know um he’s a guy that I look up to domas for the last eight games you’ve

Held your opponents under a 100 points it seems like now the physicality the team is almost enjoying playing that way do you agree with that I know you’ve always played physical but do you think this team is really embracing that side yeah of course you know I think uh it

Helps us you know um we are uh we are a physical team you know and um they are letting us be more physical so that definitely plays in hand and um it’s fun it’s fun to play like that you know those are the games um that you’re going

To see in the postseason so the fact that we can be playing like this now and preparing for that um is pretty coolas congrats um I’m wondering two quick things I looked at it and I think this is accurate your last non double double was November 29th you had five non

Double doubles in the first 17 games there’s probably no answer to this but like what what switches when when you don’t have them for a fair amount of that first month and then next thing you know you’re yeah you’re in beast mode for three months uh uh I always try to

Say in beast mode but um uh that uh those those first 17 games like you said um uh we were just figuring ourselves out you know um new season new expectations new everything I know foxy went out six games there you know we got blown out a couple games so you sit out

Um a lot of things go into that you know and a lot of things got to go right you know we got to be into games to finish out games uh we got to play good defense you know teams have to miss for for me

To get rebounds you know so um a lot of things play into it you know and just uh making myself available available you know to play all these games and um you know I than my teammates they they they always make life easier for me out there

You touched on of there but personally what does it mean beyond the celebration the fans and Kevin Lov tweeting about you but as as a a ball player uh what does what does it mean right now I haven’t really taken it in you know got

Beat up today quite a lot you know so everything’s kind of blurry but um you know I’ll sit down tonight when I get home with my family you know and I try and take it all in but uh it definitely is an honor you know being in history books in this

Delas what we saw from you this year and last year just combined just what is it about this adventure in Sacramento that has let you sort of find who you are as a player and Excel so much uh you know just I think the fans the community you

Know the the organization my teammates they’re um really letting me be myself you know and um step up and just um enjoy the game of basketball you know and um I feel I feel comfy here I feel good you know and um that obviously translates always to the court doas two

Real quick one you mentioned getting beat up a little bit I see the bandage did you get stitches or anything or is it just uh strips thank God got and then we’ve noticed this too it seems like you you get hit in the face every single night I’m curious if your teammates

Notice it if your teammates make comments of just the amount of shots that you seem to take oh yeah you know uh they they definitely make comments they make fun of it you know on that last one when I when I fell down um I

Think they were kind of sick of it like just get up already and I’m like dude I don’t even know where I am right now domas tomorrow really big game against the Mavericks you’ve called this a playoff game just how do you guys turn the page and just lock in on tomorrow

Yeah we got to forget about uh today you know we got to get healthy you know and uh be ready for tomorrow we need the tiebreaker against them we play them in a back-to-back sense at home you know so it’s kind of a playoff series you know

And um we we got to come in locked in like we have been these last couple games congrats uh coach has talked a lot about winning The Possession battle and I know he’s done that a lot but really it seems even more emphasized recently how do you feel like you guys have done

In that aspect and how do you contribute in that uh it’s good you know feel like uh what was it rebounding today uh we’re doing better you know everyone’s doing a collective job everyone’s hitting their guys you know they’re not getting easy ones and um you know free throws less

Turnovers all that kind of matters you know and I feel like as these last couple weeks have been going on we’ve been doing a better job we’ve been watching film on how to slow the game down you know when we’re up and stuff or um just going to the free throw line in

General instead of someone jumps in the air and getting out the way and trying to finish no just go into his body you know and go and knock down those free throws thank you guys thank you thank you thank you guys thank you

Stay connected with the #SacramentoKings:
Domantas Sabonis, Davion Mitchell, and Coach Brown speak to the media following a 108-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California on March 25, 2024.

Subscribe 👉 https://www.youtube.com/kingsflix?sub_confirmation=1

Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/sacramentok…
TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@sacramentokings
Twitter 👉 https://www.twitter.com/sacramentokings
Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/sacramentokings
Website 👉 https://www.kings.com