Mosley dissects missed opportunities, defensive lapses, and the need for offensive confidence after another tough loss.
On giving credit to Cleveland and the team's shooting performance tonight:
"That's a big portion of it. You get the shots, you got to step in with confidence, knock those shots down. Defensively, Donovan Mitchell got going a little bit. Guys hit some timely shots when we're going on a run. That's what you got to give them credit for how they came out."
On liking the three-point looks the team got tonight despite not making them:
"They were open. We got to step into them and knock them down. That's what it boils down to. They hit some tough ones. We had some very good looks that just didn't fall. And that's part of this league. Can't hang our head on it, but we've got to make sure that we continue to put that work back in to be able to knock shots down."
On improving defense against teams shooting above average from three in the last five games ahead of a tough road schedule:
"We've got to do a better job containing the ball. I thought we were good and decent in our pick and roll defense, getting hits on guys rolling to the rim, but again getting out to those shooters on time, making sure we're closing out the right way. Again, they hit some tough ones. And we missed a lot of easy ones."
On what to see in the half-court offense when it slows down or becomes stagnant:
"We'll continue to look at it. Ball getting side to side. Obviously taking advantage of some mismatches when they put two on the ball, getting off of it quick. Create keeping that advantage, creating the advantage and keeping the advantage is a big key for us."
On low first-quarter scoring in the last three games and how to start better, including role clarity amid lineup changes:
"We did a better job defensively in that first quarter. That's one thing we talked about and what we've got to do is start getting those stops leading to easy baskets in transition. That's where a big portion of it is going to come. When you get out and you get easy baskets, you watch the ball go through the hoop and that just builds more and more. As we start games out, it's got to be defensive end to get out on the break and go. You watch the ball go through and that just continues to build confidence as you step into your shot."
On patience with the team as the All-Star break approaches:
"That's when you talk about the process of doing things the right way. If you're not getting the looks that you want, then that's something to be said. But we're getting the looks that you want and we've got to be able to continue to step in with confidence and knock them down. That's the process piece of it. Defensively, did we improve in areas tonight? That's what we got to look at. That's piece by piece, step by step. We got to keep looking at those things for this group."
On going to Jase early tonight and what he saw from him:
"Just because Jalen being on a minutes restriction, you love the energy that Jase brings to the table, his ability to push the pace, what we talk about getting up and down the court, he's going to crawl into the ball defensively. Those small pieces are what allow him to get on the court a little bit more."
On discrepancies between pre-game confidence/response to the Hornets loss and what played out on the court:
"Our energy was better. You talk about what we gave up in the first quarter defensively and we did a better job 25-point quarter for them to start. So that's a step in the right direction. The second piece is you can't control where the shots go in, but our guys didn't hang their head on that. So that's the next step of growth, understanding, continue to go through our process and as we prepare for each and every single game, doing it the right way. The guys did that moving as we continue to move forward. It's going to have to be more of that."
On Jalen Suggs' return after being out and his performance setting the table:
"That's what he does for us. That's who he's got to continue to be and as he keeps finding that rhythm with the guys. That's going to be very important. It's why he's got to be on the minutes restriction because of the energy and the tenacity and toughness that he brings to the table. But that's part of this process that we're going to continue to walk through right now knowing that it may be clunky as guys coming in out of the lineup. But we've got to continue to have the patience and keep trusting the process of what we're doing to get to where we need to go."
On building confidence to knock down open shots:
"You just keep trusting the work that you've put in. These guys all work their tails off to master their craft. That's just a big portion of it. Knowing that you trust the body of work that you've done, knowing what we've done in scripting and knowing where your shots are coming from. That's a big key. Just being able to trust your body of work."