duncan228
12-05-2010, 11:01 PM
Post-Game Quotes (http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/101205.html)
Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich
On the game - “I thought that our team defense was very good from the beginning to the end of the game. It’s one of the few games this year we’ve had really consistent defense for the whole 48 minutes. That was the best part of the game to me, because to be an elite team we’ve got to do that more and more. I think that allowed us to be in a position where we happened to make shots on top of it, and that’s always a good combination.”
On the message of the timeout in the second half where the Hornets started to make a run - “I just asked the guys, if they didn’t mind, if we could go ahead and get aggressive again, that would be fine with me, if that was okay with them. They said, “sure Pop, we can do that.” So they went out and they did it. It was all very friendly, kind of a kumbiah sort of thing."
On if he liked what he saw out of the last group in the 4th quarter - “It’s a good time for a couple of them to get in shape. Because it’s nothing like starting and stopping and going up and down in a basketball game. They get more of a feel of how the offense flows, communicate with each other, and get to know each other a little bit. So that’s always a good situation when you get to have an opportunity like that.”
On if the Hornets seemed a bit slow tonight - “Yea, it happens to every NBA team and I think they just had a bad night tonight, and it coincided with us having a very good night. It’s happened to us before, it happens to everybody, no matter if you’re at the bottom of the heap or you’re a good team, it doesn’t matter. They’re obviously a good team and David West of course; he’s not back to his full self. He was sick and obviously he is not a hundred percent."
On the job Tony and George did defending Chris Paul tonight - “Chris is a really tough cover because he is such a good player. I thought they gave a lot of effort, to the point where Chris had to work for everything he got and that’s all you can do with Chris. If you make him work for everything there’s nothing else you can ask for."
Manu Ginobili
On the game - “It was a great game. I don’t think anybody was expecting this kind of game, but of course we are very happy. We played very well for 48 minutes. We didn’t let our guard down, played hard defense, made tons of shots, so it was one of those games.”
On if the first half is as good as they can execute - “We really played well. They were a little behind always, so the shots were pretty much open. We executed well, moved the ball well, and when those shots fall in, it’s easier to play.”
Tony Parker
On his play tonight - “I just wanted to be aggressive. I had a stretch of games not being myself and I was not playing good basketball, so the last two games, I just wanted to be aggressive and make stuff happen for myself and for my teammates and get back to how I was playing at the beginning of the season.”
On his approach defensively against Chris Paul - “Same thing, I just wanted to be aggressive, try to make it hard on him, try to make it difficult, stay in front of him and make sure he doesn’t get those easy passes or easy lobs that he usually gets. I thought overall the whole team helped me to slow him down. We played good defense and we shot the ball well, so that helps.”
On if his offense is better when there is more aggression on the defensive end - “Yeah, definitely. When I play pretty good defense, it helps my offense, that’s for sure.”
On if it was nice to have an easier win after so many comebacks - “Yeah and we talked about it too. We talked about it in the film. We had four or five comeback games and it’s not always going to go our way all the time. We talked about having a better start, especially at the defensive end because every time we played bad, it was playing bad defensively. I thought tonight we made a conscious effort to play good on defense and it helped our offense.”
On what the conversation was - “I think we were starting too slow and defensively we were not reacting and not playing with the same passion and energy, but tonight I though we did that.”
On the 17-3 start to the season - “It’s great. We talked about it the whole training camp and preseason to have a good start and I think we’re doing a good job of that. I think we just have to keep it going and can’t be satisfied. The West is tough so we can’t give up games because every night is tough.”
Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich
On the game - “I thought that our team defense was very good from the beginning to the end of the game. It’s one of the few games this year we’ve had really consistent defense for the whole 48 minutes. That was the best part of the game to me, because to be an elite team we’ve got to do that more and more. I think that allowed us to be in a position where we happened to make shots on top of it, and that’s always a good combination.”
On the message of the timeout in the second half where the Hornets started to make a run - “I just asked the guys, if they didn’t mind, if we could go ahead and get aggressive again, that would be fine with me, if that was okay with them. They said, “sure Pop, we can do that.” So they went out and they did it. It was all very friendly, kind of a kumbiah sort of thing."
On if he liked what he saw out of the last group in the 4th quarter - “It’s a good time for a couple of them to get in shape. Because it’s nothing like starting and stopping and going up and down in a basketball game. They get more of a feel of how the offense flows, communicate with each other, and get to know each other a little bit. So that’s always a good situation when you get to have an opportunity like that.”
On if the Hornets seemed a bit slow tonight - “Yea, it happens to every NBA team and I think they just had a bad night tonight, and it coincided with us having a very good night. It’s happened to us before, it happens to everybody, no matter if you’re at the bottom of the heap or you’re a good team, it doesn’t matter. They’re obviously a good team and David West of course; he’s not back to his full self. He was sick and obviously he is not a hundred percent."
On the job Tony and George did defending Chris Paul tonight - “Chris is a really tough cover because he is such a good player. I thought they gave a lot of effort, to the point where Chris had to work for everything he got and that’s all you can do with Chris. If you make him work for everything there’s nothing else you can ask for."
Manu Ginobili
On the game - “It was a great game. I don’t think anybody was expecting this kind of game, but of course we are very happy. We played very well for 48 minutes. We didn’t let our guard down, played hard defense, made tons of shots, so it was one of those games.”
On if the first half is as good as they can execute - “We really played well. They were a little behind always, so the shots were pretty much open. We executed well, moved the ball well, and when those shots fall in, it’s easier to play.”
Tony Parker
On his play tonight - “I just wanted to be aggressive. I had a stretch of games not being myself and I was not playing good basketball, so the last two games, I just wanted to be aggressive and make stuff happen for myself and for my teammates and get back to how I was playing at the beginning of the season.”
On his approach defensively against Chris Paul - “Same thing, I just wanted to be aggressive, try to make it hard on him, try to make it difficult, stay in front of him and make sure he doesn’t get those easy passes or easy lobs that he usually gets. I thought overall the whole team helped me to slow him down. We played good defense and we shot the ball well, so that helps.”
On if his offense is better when there is more aggression on the defensive end - “Yeah, definitely. When I play pretty good defense, it helps my offense, that’s for sure.”
On if it was nice to have an easier win after so many comebacks - “Yeah and we talked about it too. We talked about it in the film. We had four or five comeback games and it’s not always going to go our way all the time. We talked about having a better start, especially at the defensive end because every time we played bad, it was playing bad defensively. I thought tonight we made a conscious effort to play good on defense and it helped our offense.”
On what the conversation was - “I think we were starting too slow and defensively we were not reacting and not playing with the same passion and energy, but tonight I though we did that.”
On the 17-3 start to the season - “It’s great. We talked about it the whole training camp and preseason to have a good start and I think we’re doing a good job of that. I think we just have to keep it going and can’t be satisfied. The West is tough so we can’t give up games because every night is tough.”