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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND


February 18, 2011


DeJuan Blair

DeMarcus Cousins

John Wall


LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Rookies – 148
Sophomores - 140


Q. DeMarcus, it seemed like you and John were back at Kentucky tonight.
DeMARCUS COUSINS: Yeah kind of had that connection going out there again. It was fun to be out there on the floor with him.

Q. It looked like John was trying to get you the MVP a little bit, feeding you the ball.
DeMARCUS COUSINS: We were kind of trying to work together. He wanted to break the assist record, and I wanted to be MVP. We did both.

Q. Toward the end of the game, you went back and forth and both had 26 and one would go up with 28. Did you know where you were in terms of points and stats?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I was keeping up with DeJuan. That was my matchup tonight was trying to outplay him.
DeJUAN BLAIR: I didn't know he had all them points and rebounds. He played excellent tonight. I told him to keep his head up and the rookie sophomore game, it's always a guard game, and two Bigs always coming and trying to prove that Bigs can play in the game, too. He played excellent.

Q. DeMarcus, being a big, playing in these All-Star games, DeJuan touched on it, did you talk to John and just say, hey, make sure you get me a few touches and don't get the guards have anything?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I knew what his mentality was coming in the game. He brought it up, but I knew what was. He's not trying to score 250, he's going to share the ball and break the record, and that's what he did.

Q. Just talk about just being back with your Kentucky teammates, it seemed like you had a great chemistry going. Did it feel like you were back in Lexington?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I had some flashbacks. It was fun being out there with John. That year didn't last long enough but it's over now.

Q. With there being relatively no defense in this game, is it more fun kind of like a playground atmosphere where you're just running up-and-down the court?
DeJUAN BLAIR: That's what it was. You see the score.

Q. Anybody take the over?
DeJUAN BLAIR: No, like I say, you've seen the score. It was a high-scoring game. A lot of dunks. A lot of highlights. That's what it was. No defense.

Q. How much do you feel like your game has matured since coming to the NBA and being back on the floor with John, how much have you seen his game mature?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I believe in the beginning, I started off slow. But right now, I believe I'm on the up and my season right now, I mean, John, he's improved so much. He's always been an incredible passer, but the way he just makes everybody on the floor better, that's something that he's always had and he just gets better with every game.

Q. John, did it feel like you were back at Kentucky playing with DeMarcus and Eric?
JOHN WALL: Oh, yeah, it felt good. Going in there I was just happy to play with all the other rookies and get a break for our teams and just refresh our memories and just focus on the second half the season. It was great to being back out with my teammates, my old teammates.

Q. Did you know you were close to the assist record?
JOHN WALL: I was keeping track before the game. I asked what the assist record was and before the game my team was telling me I was four away or five away. But we were just trying to get the win.

Q. Know you were looking forward to having the chance -- talk about the one in the second half, the bounce pass, what's going through your mind leading up to?
JOHN WALL: Whenever you see 32 in a Clippers uniform out of the side, you basically throw anywhere in the gym, and I knew if I bounce it high enough, he will just attack the play.

Q. I want to ask you the same maturity question. How much have you seen DeMarcus's game mature, and how much do you feel like yours has matured since leaving college and coming to the NBA?
JOHN WALL: DeMarcus's game matured a whole lot. We talk a whole lot and try to keep each other on the right path. He's all been that talented, just if he's motivated to play. He plays aggressive and people take how you play aggressively the wrong way sometimes. You can see when he gets his head on straight, he can't be stopped really.
I'm just trying to get better every game. I think we have a great coaching staff and we've lost a lot of tough games so far, and I've learned form every point guard I've played against. Just taking stuff everybody's game and add it to mind.

Q. With the accomplishment tonight, how does that inspire you to go forward for the second half?
JOHN WALL: Well, Chris Webber said, most people that have a good game here, it gives them confidence going into the second half of the season, like what I told Craig, I want to take over the team more and lead it, not just by scoring sifting, getting in the offensive set and learning how to close out games in the fourth quarter. So just trying to learn how to win by closing out games.

End of FastScripts




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