Justin Tatum Illawarra Hawks coach

Justin Tatum, Illawarra Hawks head coach, speaks to media before round 6 of NBL26

Transcript

00:00We just want to find a way to win the game, and I think we just want to play well.

00:03Perth shot the ball pretty well last time we was out there.

00:06They competed at a high level.

00:08I know they've lost their last two games, but that brings fire out of you.

00:12Hopefully, it's a competitive team, and it's the same thing for us.

00:15So we just want to go out there and play well.

00:16Is it a unique situation that you've heard folks are missing?

00:19I mean, yeah, yeah.

00:22I think we've been missing one longer than them, but it is.

00:25But I mean, that's the adjustment.

00:26I mean, nobody is going to feel sorry for the Hawks of missing the point guard or

00:30have a losing streak or things like that.

00:32We just got to worry about ourselves and how we can adjust and adapt while we're looking for them.

00:37Maddie Mell's been doing a really good job of filling in for sub players,

00:42extra players, extra bodies for us.

00:43So we just keep an in-zette.

00:47We can get better.

00:48We can all do better, find ways to help us.

00:50When you're not winning games, I'm not impressed with anything.

00:53You know, there's a lot of things that I can, you know, nitpick about.

00:56But I'm not impressed with how they're coming in and helping us compete and

01:00find ways to, you know, change the momentum of the game here and there.

01:03But still, we got guys playing extremely more management, doing things that they're

01:08not really accustomed to doing, which is because all our pieces are not good.

01:11I've asked this question so many times, but are we any closer to seeing a new name?

01:17I mean, every day, I check about five, six, seven different places and names and highlights.

01:21So we want to make sure, because this is a gambling thing, you know, the next person has to be it.

01:28So it's definitely a process of trying to, you know, weave people out.

01:32But we're hopefully getting closer, but, you know, we're going to need somebody so.

01:36Would you ever tell someone like Mason Jones after he's been dropped from Perth?

01:40You know, that was the name that was on our list, but, I mean, I don't think Mason,

01:43in his situation, why would he come back to the NBL if Perth is paying him?

01:48And if we have to pay him, then they have to stop him so he can get paid going to

01:52another league and get double dipping.

01:53So, you know, I think that makes more sense for me since just to probably stay away from

01:57this league and, you know, get what he's getting from Perth and whatever he works with,

02:01another league and go for another ball, he was on our list, but things were different.