5 Questions With Josh McRoberts

I talked to Los Angeles back up big man Josh McRoberts prior to the Celtics-Lakers game Thursday night at the Garden. Here is what the former Duke Blue Devil, who is averaging 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in his first year in LA had to say.

1. How have you guys been able to deal with all the trade rumors, it started before the season with the deal that got vetoed, and it seems like ever sense there has been trade rumors, how do you deal with it?

McRoberts: When that first one happened, I wasn’t even here, I wasn’t around. That’s part of the profession. I was involved in a deal last year that didn’t go through at the deadline, and some rumors this summer when I was a free agent even, so it’s all part of the territory.

2. How have you been accepted by your teammates, I mean you are coming in to a team with guys like Kobe, Fisher, Gasol, who have been here awhile and won titles together?

McRoberts: They’ve been great. It’s a good group of guys. Any time you come to a team like this, that knows how to win. That’s the most important thing, so they’re going to welcome you as long as you are on the same page as them. And that’s all I’ve ever cared about is winning basketball games so they’ve been very accepting.

3. What is Coach [Mike] Brown like?

McRoberts: He’s a very detailed oriented. We’ve had to put in a lot of new things here offensively and defensively, with everyone being new, it’s a new system for everyone. He’s a hard worker, I don’t think the guy ever sleeps. I think he is always watching film and we know that he’s going to be ready every night.

4. How would you describe your role on the team? Energy guy, defense first?

McRoberts: Yeah I think they want me to try to bring energy to the team and rebound the basketball. I think I can do a lot of things that will help us out and a lot of little things that maybe won’t show up in the stat sheet every night.

5. Have you had a chance to watch Duke at all this year with Austin Rivers?

McRoberts: Nah, I haven’t watched at all. I saw the highlight of him last night hitting the big shot against Carolina, but I haven’t seen any games.

-Keefe