Tristan Thompson Quotes

There's two facets of this game. You know, if I'm not making shots, OK, then I have to do something on defense. So if I'm missing shots or making shots, it doesn't affect my overall game.

Defense, for me, is where I really love to put work in most. Defense is, in my mind, what wins games.

That's part of my game: just running the wing, defending.

Back when I played, basketball was all about fundamentals, about hustling, getting those loose balls, all those rebounds under the basket. That equals up to 12, 14, 16 points. You can lose a game with that much. It's different watching basketball now. People don't play the same way. It doesn't matter if you score, if you can't stop the other team from scoring. Our coach used to kick our ass if we didn't. I was told if you saw more of the other team color under the basket than your own team color, you ain't doing your job. Everybody should be under the board, trying to get that ball.

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

It's like all guys want to do is make a dunk, grab their shirt and yell out and scream - they could be down 30 points but that's what they do. Okay, so you made a dunk. Get back down the floor on defense!

The NBA has never drafted a player for defense. At any position, even at center.

If I had to single one guy out who is the most difficult player to guard in the league, it would have to be Carmelo.

You can't try a man-to-man if you don't practice it.

When I go on the basketball court, I don't think about who's guarding me.

A lot of guys are offensive minded, which is good at some points and times but bad at others - at lots of others. I wish I could say I want everybody to play defense as hard as I do. It's not a reality.

In the playoffs, it's not going to be pretty. There's going to be some games where you don't score. But are you going to take a charge for a teammate?

When you're in the playoffs, you have to get easy baskets and you have to limit their easy baskets.

Not all players want to play defense. You get in foul trouble, you're going to be on the bench.

I have a pretty good idea of what makes NBA players great - especially at the different positions, and where the biggest problems lie that you have to address in defending those people.

Of course you don't want to concede a goal in any game.

It's how I've been playing my whole life, guarding the best player on the other team.

I like playing size per position defensively.

You have to defend the perimeter guys otherwise you're going to struggle getting playing time or staying on the court.

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

When I defend, it keeps me patient and lets my game come to me on the offensive end.

I've always loved blocking shots.

I had watched Magic my whole career, even before my career, and so I knew the style of player that he was, and I knew what I had to do to prohibit him from being as effective on the basketball court as he had been throughout his career.

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

Obviously people have guarded me a lot different because of me being able to make shots.