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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKENDFebruary 12, 2016J.J. RedickToronto, Ontario Q. (Indiscernible)? JJ REDICK: Yeah, I was able to practice yesterday a little bit with some racks and some money balls. I realized that last year I grabbed the balls from the wrong side, so I feel like I'm already ahead of where I was last year. I'm going to go do a little more practice this afternoon and then again tomorrow morning, kind of try to maintain somewhat of a routine that I would have if I was playing a game on Saturday night. Q. So what's going to be more important this time, foot speed or speed of release or something else? JJ REDICK: I didn't really have an issue with the timing last year. It was more just the rhythm. You know, depending on which side of the rack you grab the ball from, your footwork is a little different. Not that shooting threes off a rack is like an exact science or anything, but ultimately the ball just needs to go through the net. Q. As you assess your competition from the Warriors, Steph and Klay, what are the strengths that you have to go up against with them? JJ REDICK: Those guys are both incredible shooters. I believe they're both at the top, if not the top of points per possession on catch-and-shoot plays this year. So this is right up their wheelhouse. Obviously, Steph is great off the dribble, but he won it last year. He's been in this competition a number of times. Klay has experience in the competition. I expect both those guys to shoot the ball really well and be relaxed. The other guy that I'm interested to see is Devin Booker. He has really shot the ball well the last couple months. He's playing with a ton of confidence right now. He's a guy that I would kind of label as my dark horse. Q. I think it's interesting you kind of have an analytical/statistical approach to this. Your catch and shoot situations? JJ REDICK: I want to put myself in a good position. So I analyzed a shot chart the other day and figured out where my best spot should be. So I know where to put the money rack. It will be in the same spot as last year. I'm going to finish on the money rack in the right corner. Q. With the way the game is evolving, is this becoming the main event of All-Star Saturday? JJ REDICK: I don't know that it's the main event. I think there's probably a renewed interest in this. I would say that four or five years ago, there wasn't much of an emphasis on putting a loaded field of shooters in. The NBA was kind of just inviting whoever was already coming to All-Star break, to be honest with you, and then maybe one or two kind of shooters. Then last year I thought they put a great field together, and they've done that again this year. So I think part of it is the emphasis the NBA has now placed on this event. Part of it is the evolution of the game and the emphasis on three-point shooting. Then the other thing is the Dunk Contest. I think people want to see stars in the Dunk Contest. People want to see Vince Carter and Kobe and those guys when they were in their prime and they did it. I don't know who -- I'm not calling anybody out, I just think that's the thing that's been missing from the Dunk Contest. But I definitely think Zach LaVine has reinvigorated the interest in that. Q. As far as All-Star Weekend goes, you've been here, you've done that before. Some guys this is their first time here, namely Kawhi Leonard. If you were to give Kawhi any advice to enjoy his first All-Star Weekend what would you say? JJ REDICK: We play them on Thursday, so I would just tell him to go to every party, just hit the streets, not really pay any attention to basketball and maybe stay out of the gym. That would be my advice to him (laughing). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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