duncan228
01-30-2011, 03:48 AM
Post-Game Quotes (http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/110129.html)
Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich
On Richard Jefferson’s aggressiveness tonight: “He (Richard Jefferson) was aggressive all night, he played well. He caught with the idea of trying to be a scorer whether it was shooting the ball or driving it. He did a good job the entire time he was on the court. He also did a good job on the defensive end.”
On now that James Anderson is back what was he going to do with him: “We’re just going to keep trying to play the way we’ve been playing. We’re going to try to improve and if there’s a spot for him it will show itself. We’re not going to force anything.”
On what sparked things in the fourth quarter: “We made some shots. Manu (Ginobili) knocked down those threes and Richard (Jefferson) hit a three; that kind of spread the game for us. We played pretty solid defense throughout the game, especially in the second half. I thought we did a good job on (Kevin) Martin, he’s impossible to guard. They (The Rockets) depend on him to get a lot of scoring done, so that helped us out.”
On if 18 consecutive wins at home is something comfortable to have: “No coach or team thinks in terms of happy or comfort, those are not words that exist. You keep competing, executing and trying to improve. It doesn’t matter if you have the best record or the worst record.”
Manu Ginobili
On what sparked things in the second half and fourth quarter: “Better defense. I think second half defense was very good. I don’t think they got as many offensive rebounds and we didn’t turn the ball over too much. We made a couple shots here and there and all those things compound makes a difference. We played pretty well in the first half. We just let them get too many offensive rebounds, turning the ball over and stuff like that.”
On if Richard Jefferson’s game is the best when he starts with a drive to the basket: “Almost for every player, when you make a couple buckets early, it helps your confidence. I think today he was aggressive, he made some big shots, attacked the rim, run the fast break. That’s what we need and it’s his game and he did really well.”
On the importance of getting a win tonight before the Rodeo Road Trip: “Very important. We’re going to have nine on the road, the usual rodeo trip. It’s important to finish the last home game with a win. Houston for us is always a tough match up. They play hard, they know us very well, and it’s a team that I like. They’ve been struggling with injuries, but they are a tough team. We played a great second half.”
On Tim Duncan’s outlet passes: “It’s something that we talk a lot about in preseason and early in the season just trying to get the outlets higher so Tony [Parker] can push it. Tony is one of the fastest point guards in the league and we should be able to run even more. I think we did it very well the first 15 to 20 games and then we kind of stopped. Today I think it was better, I didn’t see the stats, but it is very important for us to get some easy buckets. We’ve got RJ [Richard Jefferson] who is a deer and George Hill is athletic too. It’s important to get some easy buckets, we need them.”
DeJuan Blair
On if he could imagine having 40 wins before February at the beginning of the season: “No. I mean knew we were capable of it, but I didn’t think we would be at 40 wins right now. I’m speechless right now because it’s just an honor to be on this team, to be on this quest to greatness, and we’ve just got to keep it going. It’s the middle of the season, we’re halfway. We still got half a season to go and then the playoffs to get to where we want to go.”
On how tough the Rodeo Road Trip is going to be with three back-to-backs: “Rodeo Road Trip, it’s going to be fun. We’ve got some tough ones too. It’s all about focus and playing well on the road. Hopefully we play well, I know we’ll play well. We got to bring our defense and our hard hats and just go hard because we’ve got some real good teams on the Rodeo Road Trip.”
Rockets Coach Rick Adelman
Opening statement: “I just thought we played poorly there in the second half, especially offensively. We missed shots and didn’t get back [on defense]. “
On limiting turnovers: “We didn’t do it. We had, what, nine in the first half that led to 12 or 14 points. This team pushed the ball and they have two guys that just attack. You can’t afford to [turn the ball over]. It wasn’t so much any pressure, we just didn’t handle the ball very well.”
On Martin’s inability to attack the basket tonight: “I think sometimes you can’t settle for just taking long shots. You have to move the ball a little bit better. I don’t think we moved the ball as well as we needed to move it. They put a little false pressure on us and we gave into it. The big guys put some pressure on our bigs and it pushed us further out on the court. We didn’t take what defense was giving us. We kind of just gave into it.”
On how good the Spurs are: “They have the best record in the league. What do you want me to say? They beat us. They’ve had a great year so far. They move the ball very well. They’re very unselfish. They’ve got a lot of guys that can contribute for them. They have all the ingredients of a team that’s going to be very difficult to beat. I’m very impressed with that they’re done because I don’t think anyone expected this at the start of the year. They’ve been very consistent game in and game out. I think they’re good…better than we were tonight.”
On Luis Scola stepping up when other looked like they were conceding: “You can’t [concede]. You have to keep playing. I thought Luis did and I thought Kyle (Lowry) did the same thing. He tried to fight through. That’s the attitude we have to have. Whatever the score is and whatever is going on that’s our trade. That was our trade last year and it doesn’t seem like that’s our trade this year. We kept coming back on them, but it’s an attitude you have to have that you’re not going to give into anything.”
Kyle Lowry
On if this team lives by the 3-point shot and die by it as well: “We still had a chance tonight without making many any three’s. They hit a spurt on us and we didn’t maintain our intensity. So when they hit that spurt on us, it kind of hurt us a little bit.”
On if not having much intensity after a few missed shots the problem tonight: ” I think that’s what happened a little bit, we missed some shots, heads hung a little bit, and we can’t do that. If we don’t make shots, we got to find a way to grind it out. That’s what kind of team we have to be.”
On if he feels like the Spurs are the best team in the NBA: “Their record says it. We’ve played all the top teams; their record shows it so I guess that makes them the best team. They are a pretty good team.”
Shane Battier
On how tough the road trips are: “Its tough, but you just got to keep working and try to get better.”
On what it is that makes the Spurs so good: “They don’t beat themselves. We were right there with them for a half and we were playing pretty good basketball. The lull that we had in the third quarter where we just couldn’t answer any of there three’s and their big shots create separation. We were playing from behind and it’s tough because they don’t make many mistakes to allow you to get back into the game. Tonight was a pretty classic textbook Spurs victory.”
On Tim Duncan’s game: “He just solid and he’s always in the right spot. He just knows how to play the game. You can put anyone around him and he makes them better. He’s just a pillar, he is one of the few pillars in this league.”
Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich
On Richard Jefferson’s aggressiveness tonight: “He (Richard Jefferson) was aggressive all night, he played well. He caught with the idea of trying to be a scorer whether it was shooting the ball or driving it. He did a good job the entire time he was on the court. He also did a good job on the defensive end.”
On now that James Anderson is back what was he going to do with him: “We’re just going to keep trying to play the way we’ve been playing. We’re going to try to improve and if there’s a spot for him it will show itself. We’re not going to force anything.”
On what sparked things in the fourth quarter: “We made some shots. Manu (Ginobili) knocked down those threes and Richard (Jefferson) hit a three; that kind of spread the game for us. We played pretty solid defense throughout the game, especially in the second half. I thought we did a good job on (Kevin) Martin, he’s impossible to guard. They (The Rockets) depend on him to get a lot of scoring done, so that helped us out.”
On if 18 consecutive wins at home is something comfortable to have: “No coach or team thinks in terms of happy or comfort, those are not words that exist. You keep competing, executing and trying to improve. It doesn’t matter if you have the best record or the worst record.”
Manu Ginobili
On what sparked things in the second half and fourth quarter: “Better defense. I think second half defense was very good. I don’t think they got as many offensive rebounds and we didn’t turn the ball over too much. We made a couple shots here and there and all those things compound makes a difference. We played pretty well in the first half. We just let them get too many offensive rebounds, turning the ball over and stuff like that.”
On if Richard Jefferson’s game is the best when he starts with a drive to the basket: “Almost for every player, when you make a couple buckets early, it helps your confidence. I think today he was aggressive, he made some big shots, attacked the rim, run the fast break. That’s what we need and it’s his game and he did really well.”
On the importance of getting a win tonight before the Rodeo Road Trip: “Very important. We’re going to have nine on the road, the usual rodeo trip. It’s important to finish the last home game with a win. Houston for us is always a tough match up. They play hard, they know us very well, and it’s a team that I like. They’ve been struggling with injuries, but they are a tough team. We played a great second half.”
On Tim Duncan’s outlet passes: “It’s something that we talk a lot about in preseason and early in the season just trying to get the outlets higher so Tony [Parker] can push it. Tony is one of the fastest point guards in the league and we should be able to run even more. I think we did it very well the first 15 to 20 games and then we kind of stopped. Today I think it was better, I didn’t see the stats, but it is very important for us to get some easy buckets. We’ve got RJ [Richard Jefferson] who is a deer and George Hill is athletic too. It’s important to get some easy buckets, we need them.”
DeJuan Blair
On if he could imagine having 40 wins before February at the beginning of the season: “No. I mean knew we were capable of it, but I didn’t think we would be at 40 wins right now. I’m speechless right now because it’s just an honor to be on this team, to be on this quest to greatness, and we’ve just got to keep it going. It’s the middle of the season, we’re halfway. We still got half a season to go and then the playoffs to get to where we want to go.”
On how tough the Rodeo Road Trip is going to be with three back-to-backs: “Rodeo Road Trip, it’s going to be fun. We’ve got some tough ones too. It’s all about focus and playing well on the road. Hopefully we play well, I know we’ll play well. We got to bring our defense and our hard hats and just go hard because we’ve got some real good teams on the Rodeo Road Trip.”
Rockets Coach Rick Adelman
Opening statement: “I just thought we played poorly there in the second half, especially offensively. We missed shots and didn’t get back [on defense]. “
On limiting turnovers: “We didn’t do it. We had, what, nine in the first half that led to 12 or 14 points. This team pushed the ball and they have two guys that just attack. You can’t afford to [turn the ball over]. It wasn’t so much any pressure, we just didn’t handle the ball very well.”
On Martin’s inability to attack the basket tonight: “I think sometimes you can’t settle for just taking long shots. You have to move the ball a little bit better. I don’t think we moved the ball as well as we needed to move it. They put a little false pressure on us and we gave into it. The big guys put some pressure on our bigs and it pushed us further out on the court. We didn’t take what defense was giving us. We kind of just gave into it.”
On how good the Spurs are: “They have the best record in the league. What do you want me to say? They beat us. They’ve had a great year so far. They move the ball very well. They’re very unselfish. They’ve got a lot of guys that can contribute for them. They have all the ingredients of a team that’s going to be very difficult to beat. I’m very impressed with that they’re done because I don’t think anyone expected this at the start of the year. They’ve been very consistent game in and game out. I think they’re good…better than we were tonight.”
On Luis Scola stepping up when other looked like they were conceding: “You can’t [concede]. You have to keep playing. I thought Luis did and I thought Kyle (Lowry) did the same thing. He tried to fight through. That’s the attitude we have to have. Whatever the score is and whatever is going on that’s our trade. That was our trade last year and it doesn’t seem like that’s our trade this year. We kept coming back on them, but it’s an attitude you have to have that you’re not going to give into anything.”
Kyle Lowry
On if this team lives by the 3-point shot and die by it as well: “We still had a chance tonight without making many any three’s. They hit a spurt on us and we didn’t maintain our intensity. So when they hit that spurt on us, it kind of hurt us a little bit.”
On if not having much intensity after a few missed shots the problem tonight: ” I think that’s what happened a little bit, we missed some shots, heads hung a little bit, and we can’t do that. If we don’t make shots, we got to find a way to grind it out. That’s what kind of team we have to be.”
On if he feels like the Spurs are the best team in the NBA: “Their record says it. We’ve played all the top teams; their record shows it so I guess that makes them the best team. They are a pretty good team.”
Shane Battier
On how tough the road trips are: “Its tough, but you just got to keep working and try to get better.”
On what it is that makes the Spurs so good: “They don’t beat themselves. We were right there with them for a half and we were playing pretty good basketball. The lull that we had in the third quarter where we just couldn’t answer any of there three’s and their big shots create separation. We were playing from behind and it’s tough because they don’t make many mistakes to allow you to get back into the game. Tonight was a pretty classic textbook Spurs victory.”
On Tim Duncan’s game: “He just solid and he’s always in the right spot. He just knows how to play the game. You can put anyone around him and he makes them better. He’s just a pillar, he is one of the few pillars in this league.”