Hornets.com 1-on-1: Boston's Glen DavisBy: Clyde Verdin, Hornets.comMarch 19, 2011
Prior to the last regular season meeting against the Boston Celtics last weekend at the New Orleans Arena, Hornets.com caught up with fourth-year pro Glen Davis.
The Baton Rouge native has been with the Celtics since being drafted 35th overall by the Seattle Supersonics out of LSU and then traded along with Ray Allen to the Celtics in 2007, the same year the Cs would go on to raise the 17th NBA Championship banner in team history. The 6-9 forward has increased his output every year in the league, averaging career highs in points, rebounds and minutes.Hornets.com: This has been one of your best seasons as far as having career high numbers. What do you think has helped you grow as a player this year?Davis: Its a little bit of everything I think. Getting older and maturing, the increase in minutes and learning the game a little bit more. Working on my game, just the simple things like that.Hornets.com: Does it matter when those minutes come, whether off the bench or as a starter?Davis: When you start you have more of the mentality that you are the starter. When you come off the bench you know youre coming off the bench. I think Im more aggressive when I start, but thats the mentality of anybody that plays the game.Hornets.com: Have things changed with you since the trade of Kendrick Perkins?Davis: I dont think so. I havent been asked to do more, just to continue to do what I do. My role doesnt increase or decrease and stays the same the entire year.Hornets.com: What are your feelings on the opportunities youve gotten with the Celtics?Davis: Im just grateful that theyve given me this opportunity. They wont put you in this position unless they believe you can succeed and show that you want to be here. Theyve welcomed me with open arms and Im just trying to do everything I can to learn and be around the guys that are here.Hornets.com: Has there been anybody on the team that has helped you to mature the most?Davis: I rely on a lot of guys, really. I take the information that I get from them and use it. You learn a lot of different aspects of things from them and I just try to soak it all in.Hornets.com: What are your thoughts on the makeup of this team for the playoffs?Davis: I feel good and I think were going to be OK. I think we have to keep doing what were doing now and continue to want to get better every day.Hornets.com: How many tickets did you need for tonight?Davis: Oh man, I needed 50 tickets for friends and family. Definitely a lot when I come here.Hornets.com: What are the emotions for you being able to play here?Davis: It feels good to be able to come here and play in front of a hometown crowd. Im just so glad that we still have a basketball team here and I can come home and my family can come and watch me play because Im so far away.Hornets.com: Do you reflect back on what you were able to accomplish at LSU during the teams Final Four run?Davis: Yeah, I think about it a lot. I wish the outcome would have been better, but we still made it. I still talk to Tyrus (Thomas) about it to this day.Hornets.com: What are your most vivid memories of that tournament run when you were with the Tigers?Davis: We beat a one-seed and two-seed that year, teams that have won multiple national championships. Ill always have great memories of that team and that year because what we did was so special.Hornets.com: A lot of the players from that team are in the league today. What does it say about the talent level of that group?Davis: Well first I have to tip my hat off to John Brady and Butch Pierre for recruiting those guys and bringing us all to LSU. We would have never had that opportunity if we all werent there at the same time. I always look back on that and think about what we did and what we could have done. Because of that well always have a relationship and we always see each other and talk about that.Hornets.com: Is it hard to find that kind of quality talent today and what does LSU need to do to get back on track?Davis: Yeah its hard to find, but you have to look. You look at a guy like Tyrus and he was a diamond in the rough, and the same goes for Brandon Bass. Guys like that who blossom, who are blue-collar guys who can perform on a high level.Hornets.com: What are your feelings on some of the other guys from Baton Rouge like Marcus Thornton and Brandon Bass and where you guys are today?Davis: Just to know where we came from and where we are today is a blessing. We have a bond and we could not see each other for months and we are still close and its a bond thats always there. Its a great thing not just for the state of the Louisiana but for the city of Baton Rouge to have people successful and prominent on a national level.Hornets.com: Do you remember your days playing football, and do you think about those memories or had anything that you would have liked to do while playing?Davis: No, Im mostly focused on basketball right now, although, Ive always wanted to run out of Tiger Stadium before the start of the game in full uniform. Ill probably do that this summer, act like Im suiting up and run out there. That would be pretty cool [laughs].Hornets.com: How much time do you get to spend in Baton Rouge?Davis: Not really a lot, but I try to get as much time in as I can. I think this summer Ill be able to get a lot more time there because Ill be trying to kick start my foundation and get that off of the ground.
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