VanVleet happy with Young addition, especially since ‘the other guy was sitting at home’

Fred VanVleet spoke to the media after Saturday's narrow loss to the Denver Nuggets. He discussed having the game-winning shot in his hands, his takeaways from the eight-game win streak, and his initial thoughts on the Thaddeus Young addition.

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Video Transcript

- When you look at the streak on all what you make of it. What's your take away after tonight?

FRED VANVLEET: Just playing some good basketball. Play some good basketball. Want some close games and some big games. A lot of different guys playing well, so you feel good about it.

I think, it was really a good sign, going into the trade deadline. I think, as players that's what you like to focus on, is controlling what you can control. And you like to be playing well around that time of the year, gives you a different sense of safe security and things like that around those unsure times.

So we've been playing some good basketball. Couple more possessions tonight maybe, we would have went our way but we've got to start another one.

- What was the difference between the 3 you made and the 3 that rimmed out?

FRED VANVLEET: Honestly, I didn't catch it great. I think, the other one was a better rhythm, opening up and just having a good catch. That one, wasn't really expecting going to leave. I don't think Pascal was either.

And so he made a great pass but I didn't catch it as well as I wanted to. But that's the game, game of inches. Went back room a little bit. It's a little bit shorter. It's probably all net like the one before it.

So I'll take it. It was a good shot. Good shot. Good look. Great pass. OG got the position for the rebound. Jokic made a good play. It's the NBA.

- I expect to the way Pascal is playing that they were willing to leave you early plots.

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah. However you want to sum it up. If I make that shot, it's a mistake. If I don't, it's great defense. That's how it goes.

So I'm sure they were happy that it went out. And I was happy to see him go leave and leave me open. But again, just didn't knock it down.

- Do you look at these games against, I mean, obviously there aren't a lot of teams in the NBA with an elite big man like Jokic. Do you look at those games as almost like a test for you guys as a smaller group? And how do you feel you guys did on them, especially after that first quarter?

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, I think in recent years, OG's guarded him just about as well as anybody I've seen. Tonight, he definitely had his way in there in the paint in different lineups. And when OG wasn't on him, it just felt his presence in the paint. He dominated the glass. And we didn't really have much answers for him with the way the whistle was going.

And we got to the line 10 times, five offensive rebounds, so he had a great game. He keeps getting better every year which is incredible to say. But he's a heck of a player. We didn't have much for him tonight.

But they had other guys step up and make shots tonight. And again, at one point in the game it could have went either way. Give those guys credit. They've been playing well.

- In the trade deadline, we haven't talked to you since. What do you make of that? What kind of addition do you think he's going to be?

FRED VANVLEET: Great piece. Great addition. Especially, when the other guy was sitting at home. So it wasn't like we were giving up much. That's the situation we were in. So it's a plus one in my book. We'll take that.

I think, he can be a great piece for our locker room. And especially, with a lot of young guys, I think, he can offer some insight and experience and advice. And I think, he'll be a good fit on the court.

When he gets out there, one guy you probably don't have to worry about once he gets acclimated to what we do. So it's a good piece.

- Do you look up to guys like that? You're one of the older guys here, weirdly, but he's older than you. Or is it his leadership role with you as well for the younger guys?

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah. Probably just more so like adding another voice. I'm going to have to get him up to speed on what we do. And then, once he gets you comfortable, I think, he'll be a great voice for us.

But he can share some insight, share some different things that he's seen. He's definitely seen a lot and been on a lot of good teams. I think, it would be more so beneficial to the younger guys to have a different voice, a real older vet that's been in the NBA for some years, instead of I've been in there six years. So they treat me like an old man, but still 27.

- Have you gotten any three point shooting practice before the competition?

FRED VANVLEET: I have not yet, but I plan on them. I'm definitely not going out there without practicing. So I'll get some practice in. But just focus on these last two games first.

- Nick was telling us the other day that he's going to go to Cleveland and support you. What does that mean to have him there?

FRED VANVLEET: It means the world. It just shows you how cool of a coach he is and just the relationship. And for him to be traveling to Cleveland to support us, I think, it says a lot about where we are as a franchise and the relationship that we all have together.

So definitely helps build that, to have that support, have your head coach go out his way to come and show you some support and some love and be there in the flesh. So he's one of the best coaches in the league for a reason. I think, things like that, it goes a long way.

- Going back to Thaddeus, What did you know about him prior to the acquisition and talking to people around the league who played with him, maybe even [INAUDIBLE] in recent days? What's the characteristic that sticks out about him or even from just meeting him?

FRED VANVLEET: He's got a good name. Right? He's got a good name. Good. Clean. Vet professional. He's definitely been a tough guy to play against when we played against him in the low block with the left.

I believe him and CJ Miles have some years together. So we have CJ, obviously him and OG have a relationship so there's some prior history there. But playing against guys over the years, you get to know him a little bit, follow him a little bit.

So got to get to know him off the court, his family and things like that. But again, just a good guy to have around, regardless of what on play stuff will look like. And he's a stamp guy in terms of what he brings to the table in this league. He's been doing it for a long time.

- You had the two games off, how impactful can that be for you going forward?

FRED VANVLEET: I mean, any time that I'm not feeling I can give it my best, and I think I need to manage some of the things that I've been managing all year, just definitely got be smart about it. It comes and goes. And I've been dealing with some of the same stuff for the majority of the year.

And sometimes, I can rev it up and get ready to go. And other times, like the other day, it probably wasn't the best idea to go out there. So I'll try to be smart going forward as we got a little cushion, and we're starting to work ourselves into where we thought we would be.

Going forward, just want to be at 100% or close to it as the game's trying to dwindle down.

- I get the impression when you do sit out, it's never just one thing, right? I mean, they say groin but it's four or five different things. Right?

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah. They list the injuries. And we'll leave it at that. It is what it is. It was my groin.