duncan228
01-26-2010, 12:43 AM
Post Game Quotes (http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/100125.html)
Gregg Popovich
Opening Statement - It was a tough loss…tough loss. It was a heck of a game. I was really pleased with a lot of things on the court but the win. Our guys did a great job of hanging tough. They did what they had to do to try to get a win. Congratulations to the Bulls. They did what they had to do down the stretch to get the win.
When asked if it was the Bulls shooting that made the difference - It’s never one thing. They shot the lights out in the first half, but our guys did a good job of hanging in there. Our guys just need to keep up the attitude, continue to learn and cut down on the mistakes.
Roger Mason
On tonight’s game - You have to always stay prepared. We went small and made a little run with a three guard lineup. I think our energy was good. Still, we had our lapses tonight. You have to give them credit. They played a good game. The effort was there, which is positive, but they hit some shots in the first half and they were on fire. In the second half I think we did a little bit better job at contesting but they still played a very offensive game. Every shot in the fourth quarter under five minutes is big. We got some good looks. Even Manu’s last two plays we’ll take any day of the week from him. It’s a part of basketball; the shots aren’t always going to go in.
On the process of growing as a team - It’s frustrating when you lose game through the process. This is all a process working toward the end of the year and we all understand that. But at the same time, we are trying to win games. That’s frustrating. The effort is there we just need to do a little bit more.
Tim Duncan
On the game - This game was frustrating. Anytime you put yourself in a situation to win games and you can’t get over the hump it’s frustrating. It’s going to happen sometime. We have a team that we can win games especially like the one tonight but we just need find ways to get it done. Defensively we aren’t as good as we want to be – we need to start (improving) there.
On improving as a team - Things are moving in the right direction. We just aren’t getting the W’s to put a stamp on it. Pills are easier to shallow when you have something with it and that W would have helped our confidence and help us start to believe in what we are doing. We are playing hard and fighting hard things just aren’t going our way.
On the defense against the Bulls - They were shooting 70% and they are a team that is so athletic you want to them to shoot jump shots and contest them. But when they make everything you have to open up lanes for them and that’s where they get dangerous. We stuck with it. It turned for us and defensively picked it up and got back into it. But we just couldn’t get over the top.
Vinny DelNegro
Opening Statement - Tonight we just grinded it out. We tried to manage the minutes. Derrick was a little fatigued in the first half and I was trying to hold him back just a little bit. Kirk came out and did a nice job for us. We came out a little sluggish; we didn’t have great energy. They were attacking us and we were back on our heels, but Kirk made some shots and got us back in it. Then we gained some confidence from there. It was a nice team effort.
When asked what does he think when his team makes plays down the stretch - Hopefully it means we’re growing a little bit. Tonight I was pleased with our defense. One of the things that hurt us tonight were the turnovers. I think we had 17 and they had too many fast break points. When we would turn it over they were getting lay ups on us. Parker is like a one man fast break. So that really hurt us tonight.
When asked what was said when he talked to Popovich before and after the game - We always talk before and after the game. Whenever you can get around experienced people like that, who have coached you and you believe in, and have been so successful you want to pick their brains and it’s a smart thing to do. Pop is very generous with his time and his support. At the end he gave me his congratulations.
Kirk Hinrich
On making plays down the stretch - That’s an area we’ve improved a lot in. We got young players that are growing up in this league and they’re playing like veterans right now. I think lately, offensively, we’ve been playing really well.
On beating good teams on the road - I really don’t know the significance of it…I just think we’ve been playing a lot tougher on the road. Last year we were really bad on the road and this year didn’t start off very good. I think winning on the road just comes down to competing, mental and physical toughness throughout the whole game.
On getting off to a slow start - I think we were a little shell-shocked to start the game. After that first timeout out we were able to come out, get some stops, and get back in the game.
Joakim Noah
On how his foot feels - It’s painful right now, but it feels good to win though. It would be more painful if we lost. You just get caught up in the game and you forget about it. It was pretty painful. I couldn’t move laterally and my movements weren’t great. It just feels good right now because we just beat three pretty solid teams in a row. That’s good for our confidence and we just gotta keep it up. Guys gotta keep stepping up. Kirk was huge for us today when we had a bad start and Kirk just kept us in it. Rose was huge. It was a team effort and we just gotta keep it up.
On his put-back on Rose’s missed layup - What made that play was that Derrick came to the middle and I set a pretty good screen on Hill. Derrick took it all the way to the basket and Duncan went for the block. In that situation I just dive hard to the basket because I know I’m going to be naked at the basket. It was a big play.
On what’s different on the Bulls over the last few games - I think that we’re confident and I think we’re just playing good basketball. We’re not worried about who’s scoring the basketball … we’re just making the right play. I’m not going to lie, Derrick Rose is playing at a really high level. I think he understands how they’re trying to play him when they’re trying to get the ball out of his hands. I think he has more confidence in giving up the ball to the other guys to make plays. I think he’s doing a really good job just reading the defense. It’s making the game a lot easier for a lot of us on the team.
Gregg Popovich
Opening Statement - It was a tough loss…tough loss. It was a heck of a game. I was really pleased with a lot of things on the court but the win. Our guys did a great job of hanging tough. They did what they had to do to try to get a win. Congratulations to the Bulls. They did what they had to do down the stretch to get the win.
When asked if it was the Bulls shooting that made the difference - It’s never one thing. They shot the lights out in the first half, but our guys did a good job of hanging in there. Our guys just need to keep up the attitude, continue to learn and cut down on the mistakes.
Roger Mason
On tonight’s game - You have to always stay prepared. We went small and made a little run with a three guard lineup. I think our energy was good. Still, we had our lapses tonight. You have to give them credit. They played a good game. The effort was there, which is positive, but they hit some shots in the first half and they were on fire. In the second half I think we did a little bit better job at contesting but they still played a very offensive game. Every shot in the fourth quarter under five minutes is big. We got some good looks. Even Manu’s last two plays we’ll take any day of the week from him. It’s a part of basketball; the shots aren’t always going to go in.
On the process of growing as a team - It’s frustrating when you lose game through the process. This is all a process working toward the end of the year and we all understand that. But at the same time, we are trying to win games. That’s frustrating. The effort is there we just need to do a little bit more.
Tim Duncan
On the game - This game was frustrating. Anytime you put yourself in a situation to win games and you can’t get over the hump it’s frustrating. It’s going to happen sometime. We have a team that we can win games especially like the one tonight but we just need find ways to get it done. Defensively we aren’t as good as we want to be – we need to start (improving) there.
On improving as a team - Things are moving in the right direction. We just aren’t getting the W’s to put a stamp on it. Pills are easier to shallow when you have something with it and that W would have helped our confidence and help us start to believe in what we are doing. We are playing hard and fighting hard things just aren’t going our way.
On the defense against the Bulls - They were shooting 70% and they are a team that is so athletic you want to them to shoot jump shots and contest them. But when they make everything you have to open up lanes for them and that’s where they get dangerous. We stuck with it. It turned for us and defensively picked it up and got back into it. But we just couldn’t get over the top.
Vinny DelNegro
Opening Statement - Tonight we just grinded it out. We tried to manage the minutes. Derrick was a little fatigued in the first half and I was trying to hold him back just a little bit. Kirk came out and did a nice job for us. We came out a little sluggish; we didn’t have great energy. They were attacking us and we were back on our heels, but Kirk made some shots and got us back in it. Then we gained some confidence from there. It was a nice team effort.
When asked what does he think when his team makes plays down the stretch - Hopefully it means we’re growing a little bit. Tonight I was pleased with our defense. One of the things that hurt us tonight were the turnovers. I think we had 17 and they had too many fast break points. When we would turn it over they were getting lay ups on us. Parker is like a one man fast break. So that really hurt us tonight.
When asked what was said when he talked to Popovich before and after the game - We always talk before and after the game. Whenever you can get around experienced people like that, who have coached you and you believe in, and have been so successful you want to pick their brains and it’s a smart thing to do. Pop is very generous with his time and his support. At the end he gave me his congratulations.
Kirk Hinrich
On making plays down the stretch - That’s an area we’ve improved a lot in. We got young players that are growing up in this league and they’re playing like veterans right now. I think lately, offensively, we’ve been playing really well.
On beating good teams on the road - I really don’t know the significance of it…I just think we’ve been playing a lot tougher on the road. Last year we were really bad on the road and this year didn’t start off very good. I think winning on the road just comes down to competing, mental and physical toughness throughout the whole game.
On getting off to a slow start - I think we were a little shell-shocked to start the game. After that first timeout out we were able to come out, get some stops, and get back in the game.
Joakim Noah
On how his foot feels - It’s painful right now, but it feels good to win though. It would be more painful if we lost. You just get caught up in the game and you forget about it. It was pretty painful. I couldn’t move laterally and my movements weren’t great. It just feels good right now because we just beat three pretty solid teams in a row. That’s good for our confidence and we just gotta keep it up. Guys gotta keep stepping up. Kirk was huge for us today when we had a bad start and Kirk just kept us in it. Rose was huge. It was a team effort and we just gotta keep it up.
On his put-back on Rose’s missed layup - What made that play was that Derrick came to the middle and I set a pretty good screen on Hill. Derrick took it all the way to the basket and Duncan went for the block. In that situation I just dive hard to the basket because I know I’m going to be naked at the basket. It was a big play.
On what’s different on the Bulls over the last few games - I think that we’re confident and I think we’re just playing good basketball. We’re not worried about who’s scoring the basketball … we’re just making the right play. I’m not going to lie, Derrick Rose is playing at a really high level. I think he understands how they’re trying to play him when they’re trying to get the ball out of his hands. I think he has more confidence in giving up the ball to the other guys to make plays. I think he’s doing a really good job just reading the defense. It’s making the game a lot easier for a lot of us on the team.