duncan228
01-08-2009, 11:37 PM
Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich
On the game - “The defense got better as the game went on and that fueled the offense. We got out and got a lead. The defense was really good. A lot of guys played well, especially in the second half.”
On Kurt Thomas and Ime Udoka - “Kurt (Thomas) has gotten better and better as the season has gone along and he’s getting in shape. He’s been good for awhile backing Tim up. Ime hasn’t had as many opportunities, but the time he’s gotten, he’s played well”
Manu Ginobili
On the game - “It took us awhile [to get going]. First half wasn’t that good for us. Defensively we just weren’t there. On offense we were moving the ball pretty well, we just weren’t making shots. In the third we had a really good run…started making shots…moving the ball…improving our defense.”
On playing an opponent with a bad record - “Anytime you play a team that, on paper, is less than you and they have three or four injured players, it’s hard because the opponents know that. They play harder because they want to show that can do it without [their injured teammates] and you are not as motivated. It usually becomes a tougher game than expected.”
On his frustration late in the second quarter - “I was frustrated on the game I was having and us not being able to play better. It was a little bit of both. I feel right now that I am not playing my best, so I am a little anxious. I guess at that time I just expressed it a little louder than usual.”
Roger Mason Jr.
On the game - “We started hitting shots. Early on we were missing wide open shots. The thing we wanted to continue to do was play defense, and I think our defense got better as the game went on.”
On playing an opponent with a bad record - “It doesn’t really come up. We always respect opponents. This is the NBA. We know these guys are capable of beating anybody. You always respect your opponent, no matter who they are. For us it’s about playing Spurs defense, sharing the ball and playing the right way.”
Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy
On the game - “I thought our guys played hard and we had a really good first half. In the second we gave up a lot of wide open shots and left them open for some big threes. That got them on a roll. When a team has shooters like that you can’t leave them open. You give them just a few good looks and those guys will put themselves in a good position”
On playing shorthanded - “Playing shorthanded is tough but you have to look at it as an opportunity for young guys to get some minutes and really build their game up. That’s what we had tonight, an opportunity. You have to look at it as a positive cause it gives guys an opportunity to build up their confidence. Then when the regulars get back and they come in off the bench, they have that confidence behind them.”
“Once again, playing shorthanded means you have to leave some guys out there for some long minutes and I did that with quite a few guys. I got a lot of guys big minutes but I pulled the plug with about five minutes left though. Just from a fatigue standpoint, that’s when you risk more injuries. You don’t want to end up spending even more time short handed”
Eric Gordon
On the game - “We have to change the way we play our game like playing better on defense, we can’t foul and play better zone defense. We have to go out and do the things that we need to do. It’s tough for guys to play a lot of minutes and it shows in the games. We are playing good we just need to be better in close games.”
On the Spurs shooting by half - “In the first quarter, the Spurs weren’t making any of their shots but in the second half, they were hitting everything that they shot.”
On the Clippers losing streak - “After nine straight losses, we know that half of them we know we had a chance to win. Three or four points basically decided the games we lost. We just need to get back on track as a team.”
On the game - “The defense got better as the game went on and that fueled the offense. We got out and got a lead. The defense was really good. A lot of guys played well, especially in the second half.”
On Kurt Thomas and Ime Udoka - “Kurt (Thomas) has gotten better and better as the season has gone along and he’s getting in shape. He’s been good for awhile backing Tim up. Ime hasn’t had as many opportunities, but the time he’s gotten, he’s played well”
Manu Ginobili
On the game - “It took us awhile [to get going]. First half wasn’t that good for us. Defensively we just weren’t there. On offense we were moving the ball pretty well, we just weren’t making shots. In the third we had a really good run…started making shots…moving the ball…improving our defense.”
On playing an opponent with a bad record - “Anytime you play a team that, on paper, is less than you and they have three or four injured players, it’s hard because the opponents know that. They play harder because they want to show that can do it without [their injured teammates] and you are not as motivated. It usually becomes a tougher game than expected.”
On his frustration late in the second quarter - “I was frustrated on the game I was having and us not being able to play better. It was a little bit of both. I feel right now that I am not playing my best, so I am a little anxious. I guess at that time I just expressed it a little louder than usual.”
Roger Mason Jr.
On the game - “We started hitting shots. Early on we were missing wide open shots. The thing we wanted to continue to do was play defense, and I think our defense got better as the game went on.”
On playing an opponent with a bad record - “It doesn’t really come up. We always respect opponents. This is the NBA. We know these guys are capable of beating anybody. You always respect your opponent, no matter who they are. For us it’s about playing Spurs defense, sharing the ball and playing the right way.”
Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy
On the game - “I thought our guys played hard and we had a really good first half. In the second we gave up a lot of wide open shots and left them open for some big threes. That got them on a roll. When a team has shooters like that you can’t leave them open. You give them just a few good looks and those guys will put themselves in a good position”
On playing shorthanded - “Playing shorthanded is tough but you have to look at it as an opportunity for young guys to get some minutes and really build their game up. That’s what we had tonight, an opportunity. You have to look at it as a positive cause it gives guys an opportunity to build up their confidence. Then when the regulars get back and they come in off the bench, they have that confidence behind them.”
“Once again, playing shorthanded means you have to leave some guys out there for some long minutes and I did that with quite a few guys. I got a lot of guys big minutes but I pulled the plug with about five minutes left though. Just from a fatigue standpoint, that’s when you risk more injuries. You don’t want to end up spending even more time short handed”
Eric Gordon
On the game - “We have to change the way we play our game like playing better on defense, we can’t foul and play better zone defense. We have to go out and do the things that we need to do. It’s tough for guys to play a lot of minutes and it shows in the games. We are playing good we just need to be better in close games.”
On the Spurs shooting by half - “In the first quarter, the Spurs weren’t making any of their shots but in the second half, they were hitting everything that they shot.”
On the Clippers losing streak - “After nine straight losses, we know that half of them we know we had a chance to win. Three or four points basically decided the games we lost. We just need to get back on track as a team.”