Kori Ellis
12-09-2006, 02:24 AM
Gregg Popovich
On the game - “I think tonight was one of those nights in the NBA where one team plays really well and one team has troubles. Come Monday I’m sure things will be more competitive. It happened to be a great night sparked by Tony Parker. He set the table well and got everybody involved. He was the reason we got off to a good start and sustained it.”
On Manu Ginobili - “He’s starting to feel more confident. He’s getting his rhythm and his body is getting into shape. I would have liked to play him more than we did.”
On Francisco Elson - “He’s important (to our team). He’s running things very well. He’s going to the boards well. He’s figuring out the offense and defense. He’s making good decisions. He’ll be more and more important as we go along.”
Tony Parker
On the game - “We just had a fast start. Basically I penetrated and my teammates were open and making shots. They kind of forced me to pass it because they never really left me open in the first half and my teammates kept making shots, so I decided to keep passing the ball.”
Was it more something they were forcing you to do? - “Well if I did a pick and roll with Timmy (Duncan) and Bruce’s (Bowen) guy is standing right in the middle of the paint then I have to pass it to Bruce in the corner cause he’s wide open every single time. I think they just didn’t want me to get in the paint and get some layups, so it was just a good night to try to get a lot of assists and my teammates were open everywhere.”
Was there a point when you realized you had 12 assists and 0 points? - “Definitely. After eight or nine assists I was like man I still haven’t scored a basket, but I wasn’t looking to shoot because they were playing good defense on me.”
On the pressure it puts on the defense in the long run - “Well we just have to make shots and tonight we made shots.”
Do you take more pride in a game where you have that many assists compared to points? - “Well it’s great because I don’t get those a lot. Every time I have one I’m very happy because we aren’t the type of team where the offense takes quick shots like Steve Nash. It’s kind of easy for him to get all those assists :lol, but I’m not playing on that type of team so every time I get games like that I’m very happy.”
Michael Finley
On the game - “Well we’re in a pretty good rhythm right now. We have definitely benefited from the time we’ve had to practice and it’s definitely showing in the games. Hopefully we can keep this thing going a little bit and keep our momentum in the right direction.”
How much more pressure is it on the defense when Tony Parker is dishing the ball like tonight? - “As a point guard when you have the ability to score and the ability to pass you become a real big threat. For Tony (Parker) it was definitely evident tonight when they were sucking in on him on some of his drives. He was finding the open man and making them pay from that angle and when they were standing with the shooters he was going all the way. It was a pick your poison for the defense tonight and when Tony is like that he is hands down one of the best point guards in the league.”
Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy
On the game - “It’s a disappointing loss. We started out, I thought a little slow and in a bit of a soft manner. They played hard and moved the ball well and caught us not rotating. Then the fast break points were like 12-0 in their favor. We missed a ton of easy shots and Parker was able to find people. They ran the floor better and made the most of their opportunities.”
On the game - “There are a lot of things we have to work on right now and one of them is just playing harder than the other team. Not doing that, that part, is unacceptable. We missed a lot of shots and had too many turnovers; we gave up way to many wide open shots, easy baskets, and wide open threes.”
Sam Cassell
On the game - “That was just a good old fashioned butt whoopin’. That’s all that was, like your Grandma used to give you when you messed up and you knew you were gonna get it. You’re only as good as your last game. But that is the good thing about this league is you get a chance to make up for it the next night. Tonight we just didn’t put forth the effort you need to beat this team. They just move the ball so well that your defense never gets a chance to set up.”
Cuttino Mobley
On the game - “You can’t accept losing. If you except once than you might as well get used to it cause you’re going to be excepting it a lot. We just have to take a page out of this book and learn from it. Don’t make the same mistakes again but learn from them. The Spurs just move the ball so well, they trust other so much…and that is tough to defend.”
Corey Maggette
On the game - “San Antonio is just a better team than us right now and that was really exposed tonight. They just execute better and are just better all the way around. On the other hand, we didn’t do the things we needed to do. It doesn’t help when you’re not hitting your shots or playing the best defense that you can.”
Shaun Livingston
On the game - “This is not easy to say but, the Spurs - that team - that is where we are trying to get to. That is what we are trying to become.”
http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/quotes_061208.html
On the game - “I think tonight was one of those nights in the NBA where one team plays really well and one team has troubles. Come Monday I’m sure things will be more competitive. It happened to be a great night sparked by Tony Parker. He set the table well and got everybody involved. He was the reason we got off to a good start and sustained it.”
On Manu Ginobili - “He’s starting to feel more confident. He’s getting his rhythm and his body is getting into shape. I would have liked to play him more than we did.”
On Francisco Elson - “He’s important (to our team). He’s running things very well. He’s going to the boards well. He’s figuring out the offense and defense. He’s making good decisions. He’ll be more and more important as we go along.”
Tony Parker
On the game - “We just had a fast start. Basically I penetrated and my teammates were open and making shots. They kind of forced me to pass it because they never really left me open in the first half and my teammates kept making shots, so I decided to keep passing the ball.”
Was it more something they were forcing you to do? - “Well if I did a pick and roll with Timmy (Duncan) and Bruce’s (Bowen) guy is standing right in the middle of the paint then I have to pass it to Bruce in the corner cause he’s wide open every single time. I think they just didn’t want me to get in the paint and get some layups, so it was just a good night to try to get a lot of assists and my teammates were open everywhere.”
Was there a point when you realized you had 12 assists and 0 points? - “Definitely. After eight or nine assists I was like man I still haven’t scored a basket, but I wasn’t looking to shoot because they were playing good defense on me.”
On the pressure it puts on the defense in the long run - “Well we just have to make shots and tonight we made shots.”
Do you take more pride in a game where you have that many assists compared to points? - “Well it’s great because I don’t get those a lot. Every time I have one I’m very happy because we aren’t the type of team where the offense takes quick shots like Steve Nash. It’s kind of easy for him to get all those assists :lol, but I’m not playing on that type of team so every time I get games like that I’m very happy.”
Michael Finley
On the game - “Well we’re in a pretty good rhythm right now. We have definitely benefited from the time we’ve had to practice and it’s definitely showing in the games. Hopefully we can keep this thing going a little bit and keep our momentum in the right direction.”
How much more pressure is it on the defense when Tony Parker is dishing the ball like tonight? - “As a point guard when you have the ability to score and the ability to pass you become a real big threat. For Tony (Parker) it was definitely evident tonight when they were sucking in on him on some of his drives. He was finding the open man and making them pay from that angle and when they were standing with the shooters he was going all the way. It was a pick your poison for the defense tonight and when Tony is like that he is hands down one of the best point guards in the league.”
Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy
On the game - “It’s a disappointing loss. We started out, I thought a little slow and in a bit of a soft manner. They played hard and moved the ball well and caught us not rotating. Then the fast break points were like 12-0 in their favor. We missed a ton of easy shots and Parker was able to find people. They ran the floor better and made the most of their opportunities.”
On the game - “There are a lot of things we have to work on right now and one of them is just playing harder than the other team. Not doing that, that part, is unacceptable. We missed a lot of shots and had too many turnovers; we gave up way to many wide open shots, easy baskets, and wide open threes.”
Sam Cassell
On the game - “That was just a good old fashioned butt whoopin’. That’s all that was, like your Grandma used to give you when you messed up and you knew you were gonna get it. You’re only as good as your last game. But that is the good thing about this league is you get a chance to make up for it the next night. Tonight we just didn’t put forth the effort you need to beat this team. They just move the ball so well that your defense never gets a chance to set up.”
Cuttino Mobley
On the game - “You can’t accept losing. If you except once than you might as well get used to it cause you’re going to be excepting it a lot. We just have to take a page out of this book and learn from it. Don’t make the same mistakes again but learn from them. The Spurs just move the ball so well, they trust other so much…and that is tough to defend.”
Corey Maggette
On the game - “San Antonio is just a better team than us right now and that was really exposed tonight. They just execute better and are just better all the way around. On the other hand, we didn’t do the things we needed to do. It doesn’t help when you’re not hitting your shots or playing the best defense that you can.”
Shaun Livingston
On the game - “This is not easy to say but, the Spurs - that team - that is where we are trying to get to. That is what we are trying to become.”
http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/quotes_061208.html