Yuta Watanabe of the Phoenix Suns spoke to the media after the game against the New York Knicks held at Madison Square Garden (New York, New York) on November 27th (local date: 26th).
In this game, Watanabe played for 14 minutes and 52 seconds and scored 7 points, making 2 of 4 3-point shots and 1 of 2 free throws. The Suns won the game 116-113 on Devin Booker’s dramatic game-winning goal.
Below is Watanabe’s Q&A after the match (all Q&A in Japanese. Questions are summarized).
I’m really glad I was able to play today
–Contributed to the team’s victory in his first appearance in five games. What were your thoughts on the game?
Watanabe:I have about a week to get a feel for the match. I hope I don’t get injured, but a week is a good amount of time to rest. I was told that the rest of today would depend on my pain, and although the pain itself hasn’t completely gone, I thought I would be able to play, so I participated. When I actually played, it felt good, and the team was able to win like this, so I’m really glad that I was able to play today.
–He took four shots and succeeded on the first and second.
Watanabe:Regarding the first shot, it was completely wide open, so it was a shot that should have been taken.
The second play came after the timeout, and it was a play that the coach had prepared for me, so I’m glad I was able to make a solid goal.
The contest was very intense in the third and fourth shots, but my shooting touch was still good, and I felt like I wanted to score one of the two shots.
–They were able to continue their winning streak even without Kevin Durant.
Watanabe:I’ve been saying this since the season started, but I knew that if we started winning once in a row, we would be able to ride the wave. When we’re losing, we tend to get into a losing pattern, and recently there have been a lot of situations where we’ve turned things around in the fourth quarter.
I feel like we now know how to win as a team. Not only KD but also Brad (Bradley Beal) was absent today, and Grayson (Allen) was also absent, so it was tough because we didn’t have a member who always scores points. I feel like everyone was able to do their jobs.
— Head coach Frank Vogel praised Watanabe’s defensive IQ. What is his response to his own defense?
Watanabe:I feel like off-ball help, and where I need to be at what time.
It’s ingrained in my body, or rather, it’s been practiced for a long time, and it feels like my body moves on its own without really thinking about it. Our on-ball defense is also gradually improving.
I don’t think I’m terribly bad to begin with, but I’m still not at the level where I can stand up to the opponent’s ace, so I’d like to be able to win their trust in that area next time.
A play completely for me, to get me to take a shot.
–A shot that was designed for himself. Do you feel the team trusts you in that way?
Watanabe:I agree. Last year in Brooklyn (Nets), we had someone else attack as the first option, and if that wasn’t possible, Yuta would be in the corner, so he would pass there, and there were plays like that, but it was completely for me, and he gave me a shot. In the past five years, I don’t remember ever making a play to hit a ball.
–Was this your first time?
Watanabe:No, he did it for me in the preseason, and several times throughout this season he made plays for me after timeouts. If you can make a firm decision, you will probably feel like giving it a try again next time.
In fact, in the second half, the coach called the same play one more time, but the opponent read it and we didn’t even get the ball on that play. But that may also free up another player. Moreover, that kind of running style (for the second 3-pointer) was something I had been working on, so I’m glad I was able to nail it.
–What did you think of Booker’s final shot?
Watanabe:That was crazy. I’m glad he’s on the same team. It was a great shot. It was a win for the whole team, not just him but everyone contributed throughout the game. But Book’s final shot was crazy.
–At the end, you entered the court on Booker’s winning possession, but what were you conscious of there?
Watanabe:In a situation where there is basically no time, there are almost no options for a player like that to pass. Regardless of whether you come to the double team, it will be better for the team if you hit the ball yourself in the end.
My role is to expand the space by being there. So if a pass comes, of course I’ll prepare well for it, but in those cases it’s usually KD, Book, or Brad when Brad comes back, and I make sure to finish it off until the end. I think the purpose of my move was to expand the space.
We won 12 straight games in Brooklyn last year, but I want to surpass that.
–In a similar vein to his time with the Nets last year, he struggled in the beginning but started winning streaks. Is it the defense, getting used to it, or the chemistry that is getting better?
Watanabe:The biggest thing is that Book is back. The other thing is, well, the chemistry part. Up until now, most of the members had never played together, but after 17 games, I think everyone has come to understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as the team’s concept and scheme. Masu.
The small things that have improved little by little have led to our winning streak. I think there was a time last year when we won 12 straight games in Brooklyn, and I want to surpass that.
— Competition within the team becomes more intense as the team improves, but did you feel anxious while you were away?
Watanabe:I guess there’s no need to panic. It’s not just because I get playing time, but over a long season, there are always going to be some injuries. Even if he wasn’t injured, for example, in the recent game against the Utah Jazz, he wasn’t used in the second half. I guess we’ll try out different players depending on how they’re doing that day, and if they’re good, we’ll use them in the rotation for a while.
With so many good players, there are bound to be ups and downs in playing time, so I feel like it’s not something I can control or that there’s no point worrying about. Even if I don’t get playing time, I don’t think it’s because I can’t use it, and I think a lot of things will change depending on the team’s situation at the time, so I don’t think about it too much.
–Did you think you would be out for so long when you injured your teammate’s knee?
Watanabe:I quickly realized it would take at least a week. It was really painful right after, and I thought it would take a while because it was going deep into my muscles.
–Whose knee did you bathe in?
Watanabe:I won’t say that (laughs). No, it’s Meji (Chimeji Metu), but I didn’t do it intentionally. On our days off, we were competing (in pickup games). In the first game at Utah (on the 18th), I only played 10 minutes, so I thought I should be in the game. It happened when I was guarding him and he attacked the rim. That’s part of basketball. He hasn’t done anything wrong, and neither have I.
–When did you come to New York?
Watanabe:It’s been since May. In the end, I didn’t even come here to move, and I left it up to the contractor and acquaintances, and it was the first time since we lost the last game (in the Nets playoffs). In particular, my wife really loves New York, so she came with me on this trip as well, and we’ve been to a lot of different places since yesterday.
Interview/Q&A composition: Daisuke Sugiura
The Suns’ next game will be against the Toronto Raptors at 9:30 a.m. on the 30th (local time on the 29th) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario (Canada).
2023-11-27 06:48:12
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