Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups applauded the toughness/physicality of rookie Toumani Camara following Sunday’s 112-100 home loss vs. the Memphis Grizzlies (8 points/6 rebounds/2 assists/1 steal/3-5 FG/2-3 3-PT).
(via Portland Trail Blazers):
Reporter: “When’s the last time you saw a rookie that could get under guys’ skin like Toumani can?”
Billups: “It’s been a long time, it’s been a long time. He’s always there, and he doesn’t mind hitting you first. Most guys nowadays in our league don’t play with the physicality coming in at a young age; they have to kind of grow into that. It’s just what he does, and I think probably four or five of their guys were pissed at him tonight, which is a great thing to see.”
Reporter: “Just in general, how big was he in getting you guys back into it in the third quarter?”
Billups: “Well, he was. He was huge. That’s one of the reasons why I brought him in there kind of early, he just brings so much to us on both ends of the floor. Him picking up the ball full court and denying guys the ball, not letting them catch it where they want, it kind of took them out of their rhythm a little bit. So yeah, it was big, it was a big deal.”
