Tristan Thompson Quotes

If he's averaging 25 points and I can contain him to 17, then I've won the battle. If he averages 12 assists and I kept him to seven, I'm winning the game.

My whole life I played the point, so naturally I think as a point. Two guard, I get to score more... During the game, I like to mix it up.

I average 25 with three guys on me and they are just looking at stats I guess.

You don't cut anywhere, don't pick down anywhere, don't double screen, no weak side picking. All these things that should happen in a game of basketball don't happen anymore.

If I'm contested, I'm not going to shoot the pull-up 3. But if I'm wide open and someone backs up off me, I'm gonna shoot it.

I have no handles, I'm no point guard.

Without the hand check rule, players are more likely to work their way open.

You ask what position I play, I say point guard.

Be tough. As a big guy, it's what your teammates expect from you, to be strong. Set good screens offensively and box out at the other end. It's a simple technique. I learned it when I was little.

I'm the best guard in this league, defensively, man, hands down.

Playing shooting guard is different. On defense you have to chase guys around more. On the point I'm just guarding guys on top.

I don't like isolation play, unless you're in the low post.

The game changes when you play good defense and don't come up with the ball.

You're going to play me different if I have the ball, even if I'm at 75, 80 percent, just for the simple fact that you do not want me to make that three. That's helping my team out.

Once the Hack-a-Shaq works once, you know I'm going to see it again. The only thing worse for basketball than that defense is the Lack-a-Shaq offense, where I have to go to the bench because of foul trouble. There is no fun in that.

I was guarding the best player and getting 25 and having eight assists, and three-four steals.

You give me enough shots, I'll average 20. You give me a particular system where I stick close to the basket, I'll average 10 rebounds.

When you've got guys touching the ball on the offensive end, they're really into the defensive end.

We need to play tough defense and have a sound offense. But mostly, we have to outrebound the other team.

It doesn't matter who's under the basket, I'm going to try to slam or block the shot.

I think my one-on-one defense is pretty good.

You can't just sit back and think you're gonna pack the paint in and win games. You've gotta guard that three-point line.

It's not just passing, I gotta play defense, I gotta rebound, I gotta talk, I could have 40 and not talk and not bring energy. But it's just trying to have an all-around game, just trying to be the leader I can be, get the pace up.

As someone who has carved out a career in this league by making winning plays, being tough on defense and just generally doing the dirty work for my team, I always hesitate to say any player is unguardable. I just hate that term.

When I get in there, I'm not really worried about scoring. I'm just worried about playing as hard defense as I can play, making my opponent work, and then I know the offensive end will open up for me. I've been a scorer all my life, so that's what I try to pride myself on. It feels good.