3-30-24 Phoenix Suns Practice Media Availability: Frank Vogel, Jusuf Nurkić, and Isaiah Thomas

3-30-24 Phoenix Suns Practice Media Availability: Frank Vogel, Jusuf Nurkić, and Isaiah Thomas

See I saw that the other day there was some somebody a friend of mine had a like a you know like the co mask had like a purple one I’ve never seen a purple one before no I have it’s pretty cool I don’t know you ever seen one of

Them way you know what it is I be honestly when going I had like multiple colors to go co I had a black and purple and it’s a bad look coach but I’m I’m going to use them all up I got pink ones

Left I got I got I got L Lakers suns in my blood so purple’s good with me I have the black one I can’t even um you said that practices are a chance to teach and correct what was you feel like corrected and part yeah most of our

Teaching and correcting was in the film room today um today was about getting over smell in the gym um had a scheduled off day but none of us felt good about how that game felt so just therapeutic for everybody to to get around each other and you know get some uh get some

Shooting work in uh some offensive organiz ational work today was more an offensive organizational day tomorrow will be a you know defensive day and get ready for Pelicans day um but it was good for us to get get in the gym and uh you know wipe that that taste out of our

Mouths from from last game what he just told me was like you look at the game and the offensive end you know you talked about not making shots but he was like shots were there but how would you yeah I I really I really like the offensive game that we

Played we had several possessions where we executed well well didn’t make the shot um wasn’t perfect we did have uh 14 turnovers even if seven of them were whistle turnovers you know which the League’s got to look at all the flopping that Lou Dort does because it’s

Ridiculous how he gets calls and if you know they’re going to get calls like that then they’re going to have an advantage because you can’t just fall down every time there’s contact and get a whistle you know so I mean I hope the league looks at that um but our our

Turnovers you know only eight live ball turnovers is a good number for us you know we just got to make sure that we don’t have the the whistle turnovers uh that that hurt part of our offense but I like the way we shared the basketball we

Had some stretches of the game where we really look dominant and and scary and um you know that’s that’s the key to us reaching the potential on that side of the ball is committing to the ball movement how much was today also on you I think you just said it about getting

The energy back up morale back up yeah it was and energy was it wasn’t hard to do it and our guys are you know optimistic and believing in who who we can be you know we we know we missed another opportunity last night uh different different vibe to me because you lost to

The best team in the league you know or tied for the best team in the league it’s it’s not like you you lost to the worst team in the league you know and um that’s not to disrespect the Spurs the Spurs are playing really good basketball

But you know OKC even with uh with with their top guy out is one of the deepest teams in the league one of the most talented teams in the league the team that was on the floor last night one of the most talented teams in the league

And uh we would had to play better to beat them in their building uh miss that opportunity but we turn a page to to New Orleans they’re also just a really young and fast team too what can you take from that is kind of print moving forward

Yeah we got to figure out how to how to beat teams like that you know that’s the team we we we lost to in San Antonio you know when wemi was out they had a bunch of young dudes just uh driving and cutting and moving and uh we didn’t

Handle that well enough and we didn’t handle the defensive side of the ball against OKC well enough you look at eight games left in the regular season what is maybe the biggest hump that you think the team needs to overcome we got to get our turnovers under control and

We got to continue to grow with our transition defense or what we’re doing in a half court for the most part is really good even though last night it was not um you know but those two things the transition defense and the turnovers I think are a two biggest things coach

That you think get Josh I think instead of Bowl Le early what was the speed OKC speed I mean it’s just uh you know I I had a plan to read the game at that point uh I believe at the point point where we we made that decision where we

Were going to go to bowl um they had scored on nine out of 11 possessions and the game was getting out of hand you know so uh Josh is uh is is one of our best defenders if not our best perimeter Defender and he’s fallen out of the

Rotation because the other guys have played well but when you have a team that you’re struggling to slow down you have a specialist on your bench that you can utilize so um you know we took a shot at that it you know we didn’t really gain during that stretch of the

Game but but Josh is somebody that I believe in is there anything other thing I had was looking at New Orleans uh it’s been so long ago when you guys played but know they’re playing much better now um what do you pull from that last one

And what you s yeah I I still got to study that that team uh you know today was more about us uh we got two days left but a team that’s playing really well even with Brandon Ingram out you see the recent wins over Miami over uh

It was Milwaukee uh um and they’re playing again today against the Celtics you know so um they’re playing extremely well coach Willie does a great job you know I mean he was here obviously theying uh you know some some good stretches of of basketball with Phoenix

And uh he’s got those guys playing hard playing together and they have uh loads of talent like every team in the west uh we’re a talented team but you know every team in the west has two or three horses and shooting and defense and depth you

Know so we got to continue to push our our limits and reach a higher level to get back but feel I mean it is what it is you know I figure I ain’t going to be healthy for a little bit so I’d rather be out there

Try to help it um but I a I ain’t really fun but you know obviously I’m be able to to to do it so um what’s the most disappointing part of last night’s game outside of the actual boss I mean just the the challenge to play you know opponents is everybody’s

Different you know from uh from Denver to to OKC they play so much differently um they challenge you you know and know they gamble so much and and double team Kevin you know every possession so for us I think as bad as it look like it never as bad we think we

Look at how many open shots and how many you know we didn’t make or convert without our best Shooters on the floor so sometimes it’s just like that but give them credit they play great game and and they you know a lot of shots you know some tough ones too you said before

That this team is built for the playoffs OB you got to get in that position how much do you weigh that whole idea that once you get there you’ll be fine but then the process of getting there and nothing changeed man you know we in a spot right now that we are are

In the playoffs and um obviously we as everybody in the in this situation try to avoid the play in and um not having extra games um but it doesn’t change a lot man it’s you know still our number one goal is to be healthy um but like I

Said we want to win every game rest of the season and it doesn’t change that our goal but you know one game that we probably looking back right now is a still pissed why we lose San Antonio and and but you know it’s all happen for the

Reason and and we got to learn from it what were the the final boxes that you check to feel good enough to go with can you run I don’t know I feel like it’s a bottom line dealing with the all those things I did through the season and you

Know you don’t want to take that as an excuse if you’re out there you try to play the right way um I I do feel I did play right way and and try to help my team win the game but at the same time you know if I’m out there there’s no

More I’m injured or not so I play through and if that’s you know coach if he like it or my teammates like it they let me stay on the floor if not then then I’ll be on on a bench so simple as that what was the focus today during

Film session and then also prce today up mostly offensively you know we got to run the plays especially the plays we making you know baskets I feel like we easily just kind of get away with you know we score and certain things and we call something else and we try to to

Play some something you know that we don’t have to you know and obviously we have such a talented group but you know we got to I feel like utilize more everybody on the floor so they’re not going to easily just double our best players turn season is do do you feel

Like how many we have last night how many were turnovers 16 14 yes six of them probably was like offensive fouls like travel Like official like yeah so I mean Scott Foster respectfully he just need to know that Chris Paul don’t play in this team no

More so I mean all joker as side but it just some sometimes feel that way and you know like I said I don’t take away from OKC what they did and and I give them credit they they play a good game and they’re really you know confident what they doing no matter who

Going in the game they get a ball they play u it’s fun I guess when when you have five players out there just attacking your whole night how you how you look at New Orleans what’s the process of that match how do you do that

I mean we already played them so we you know they they play really good basketball um but I think it’s a more you know Denver game than is more like OKC game so they have a Zion they have a CJ they have a valent and and you

Know they obviously don’t have a b but I think they just a really good team and they still you know competing for the you know not being there and playing you see the match up with them more like playing Denver than playing I mean more like a slower phase and actually like

You know running G like I feel like the Indiana and OKC and and Sacramento really you know pushing the pace and try to shoot the ball first few seconds in the clock um so I would not necessarily put Pelicans in that group you you know I don’t know their numbers and you know

What’s you know they average and whatever but just you know the way we you know how I feel against playing them it’s not like they just you know try to out around you so now that it’s official I can ask you sighting a second 10 day oh yeah

Your reaction to that and and what you’re wanting to prove during this next stretch um I’m super thankful um first and foremost appreciative of the opportunity um what I would like to prove I mean I don’t really need to prove anything I just impact make a positive impact each and every day you

Know whether my name’s called or not be a leader and a voice in the locker room which is most important and then you know just stay ready cuz you know once my name is called I’m I’m going take full advantage of the opportunity but until then I’m just here to be a

Positive impact and just bring light to everybody here uh Frank vocal talked about just how important your voice is in this group what has your message been we’ seen you kind of be vocal on the bench too what has been kind of what have you been saying to the guys um just

Sticking together you know it’s especially for them it’s been a long season like it’s towards the end of the season you know um things get tougher towards the end of the season especially with our schedule so my my voice is just to stay together stay positive as we

Possibly can control the things that we can’t control and then just knowing that like we’re a really good basketball team and if we do all of those things the right way we put ourselves in position to to be successful towards the end of the year so that’s that’s what what I’m

Voicing each and every day and then just the the most important thing is just staying together and staying positive that’s easier say that done but like if you can do that that’s half the battle Frank also said he feels the bench is feeding off your energy out there how

Much are you seeing that and and wanting to be that guy um that’s just who I am um you know I just I just try to make a positive impact each and every day uh with my voice with my energy putting a smile on other people’s faces I think

That’s that’s a loss art in this game you get caught up in the wins and losses and don’t understand that you you still got to have fun we’re still super blessed to be fortunate enough to play this game so you know my my energy my energy falls on each and

Everybody on this organization and I think that’s that’s what’s making the positive impact each and every day you’re a player with a high IQ you’re a vet you know just how to see the game what what stands out to you right now with this Sun’s team and as they kind of

Look to try to get on this uh we just I think we got to communicate better especially on the defensive end I think if we come close as a group start communicating and trusting each other on that end offense is just the sky the

Limit for us as we got a lot of tools on the offensive end but the biggest thing is communication especially down the stretch Stay Together communicate that’s half the battle you already know

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