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Pacers Vs. Wizards Game Time, TV Schedule And Open Thread: Andray Blatche Speaks

March 14, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers shooting guard George Hill (3) motions to teammates against the Philadelphia 76ers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeated Philadelphia 111-94. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE
March 14, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers shooting guard George Hill (3) motions to teammates against the Philadelphia 76ers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeated Philadelphia 111-94. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE
2011/12 NBA Regular Season
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26-18 11-34
March 22, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN+
Starters:
Darren Collison PG John Wall
Paul George SG Jordan Crawford
Danny Granger SF Chris Singleton
David West PF Trevor Booker
Roy Hibbert C Nene

PREGAME READING: Indy Cornrows

SB Nation D.C. | SB Nation Indiana

Andray Blatche was made available to the media to discuss his ongoing absence to get in better shape. His shirt was drenched in sweat as he talked, presumably because he worked out before talking to us. In the interview, he explained his late-night workouts and reflected on what he dubbed the "toughest" year of his career.

A few choice quotes:

On why he's working out at 3 a.m.: "That's when I'm usually up, wide awake. It's better to do -- instead of sitting around the house playing video games, I'm going to the gym and helping myself to be better improved."

On how it was decided that he'd be shut down: "It was an understanding between the coaches, the owner and I."

On his daily routine: "I work out hard during the day, get something to eat, go home, take a nap, wake up around 10:30-11 and then, what else am I supposed to do? I go to the gym, again."

On whether he'll come back: "I would love to come back and help my teammates, but at the same time, I want to make sure my body's ready and that I'm in shape so I can avoid injuries and anything like that."

On the fans booing him: "I had a lot of talks with my mom, with my family. My mom told me basically that I put myself in that position the way I've been playing, so it's up to you to dig yourself out of this hole. So I take full responsibility with how things have gone this season. I can't go home at night and say, 'Eff them, they know nothing,' because they do. They see it. My mom sees it."

On his year: "This was a bad year for me, one of my worst ones ever. I let my mom down, my family down, my teammates, the whole organization this season."

It got kind of intense at the end, which is probably why the scrum was cut off at that point. Anyway, that was the biggest thing that came out of pregame.