Post Game Quotes
Gregg Popovich
On the game - “It was a tough loss. We played a great game. We made three defensive errors down the stretch and that cost us. The effort was great. It was a good game in a lot of ways.”
On Ime Udoka - “He didn’t see much time at the beginning of the year. He’s in good shape and he’s been working hard before and after practice. He’s a pro and he had a great game tonight.”
Roger Mason, Jr.
On the game - “Tough loss. Like coach said, we’re getting better, getting close, but this one hurts.”
On the defensive plays at the end of the game - “We had some defensive breakdowns at the end of the game and that’s where the game is won. Those are the things that you Have to correct before the playoffs. Unfortunately, we got a loss but hopefully we learned and the next time we’re in this situation we come out on top.
On the Rockets jumping the Spurs in the standings - “we’re concerned with playing well and closing out games. We’re concerned abouit being ready for the playoffs. At the end of the day we want to put ourselves in the best position but I don’t think guys on this team pay attention to the standings day-in and day-out. If we take care of what we’re supposed to do I think we’ll be okay.”
On the play of Ime Udoka - “Ime was huge. He’s the spark we need. Obviously without Manu (Ginobili) we need more scoring and I think Ime, his energy and just his all out effort, was great tonight.”
Kurt Thomas
On the game - “Defense wasn’t great down the strtetch but we just hve to find a way to make those corrections so we don’t come up on the short end of the stick.”
On the group effort of the Spurs - “We’ve had an overall good group effort. Everyone’s been stepping up. Tim’s (Duncan) been playing outstanding, Matty (Bonner), myself, Drew (Gooden) and Fabricio (Oberto), who had a great game last game. You just have to be ready when your number is called.”
Rockets Head Coach Rick Adelman
On the game - "Just a great win, we‘ve played these guys pretty much the same way for three games as it came down to the end. Fourth quarter we struggled again and within the last two to three minutes we found a way where we got some things going, got some stops and won the game.”
On accomplishing both winning on the road and winning games down the stretch - “We still have a long ways to go with the execution, they picked their pressure up, they fronted Yao, put pressure on the wings and we didn‘t respond very good to that. That‘s what you‘re going to face if and when you get to the playoffs, so we have to get better at that but we did recover when they got up five or six as we made some good plays. Yao made two great passes to Luis for two baskets that we had to have so you can‘t give our guys enough credit. They keep coming out and they compete every game, and that‘s what we‘re going to have to do in the last ten games.”
On if the Yao passes were read-and-react plays - “Yea, there was no doubt. He made the right play, he got the ball, saw Luis cutting, and they all responded to the pass out to him in the last one and Luis made a good play, you got to give Luis credit for being open and cutting to the open area.”
On the Rockets defense making Tony Parker work in the last seconds - “Yeah, he‘s such a handful, if you make a mistake he’s just going to hurt you. He did it when he put [the Spurs] up by one when Yao made a mistake of coming out instead of staying at the basket, and if Parker gets one step, he’s passed you. I thought our point guards did a good job tonight defensively as in the last game he got four or five back cuts on us, tonight he got one early in the game and didn‘t get anymore after that. Our guys are going to have to learn that this is a great team as we’re just happy with the win. ”
On how many games in the season Scola has scored more than Yao - “Twice, that’s about it (laughingly).”
On if tonight‘s win was a learning experience, especially with winning in the fourth - “No doubt, it‘s a learning thing, and I have to feel for what‘s going to work and what‘s not going to work. I think our players have to understand that they can‘t put it all on their own shoulders in the fourth quarter, as that‘s what San Antonio does so well. Tony makes plays and Tim will make plays but the other guys are waiting. You don‘t have to score a basket to be a playmaker. Sometimes we put ourselves in that position where we got to execute and when they take something away, something else should be open.”
Luis Scola
On his baskets at the end of the game - Yao helped make the big play both times at the end of the game. Yao found me and got the ball to me. I just saw the ball coming toward me and saw that the basket was open.
On the Rockets upcoming schedule - This win means a lot because we have a lot of big games in the next two weeks. We need these types of games especially for getting ready for the playoffs. We have huge games coming up and we have to be ready to play.
Shane Battier
On the game - We have to really enjoy our wins in San Antonio because they are rare. The Spurs are well coached and always seem to find ways to win the game. Tonight the difference was players like Yao making big plays in the last seconds. It was a great game and at the end we didn’t give up and made some good plays.
On the Rockets positioning in the Western Conference standings - We are a good team and I feel that our best basketball is still yet to come. I would say it’s surprising that we are in first place in the division at this point in the season. Few people thought we would be here. Our goals as a team are to play good defense and play good basketball. We also want to play good come the playoffs. We can’t worry about the standings because they seem to change hourly.
Rockets will not stay in second place for long. They have a very tough road schedule ahead, and we will be getting our enforcer, Manu back soon. No worries.
It'll happen for us if it's meant to be, if not then a better team deserved the LOB in the end.
All we can do is try to be healthy and get our rotations set for the playoffs. (Pop, stop ing around and set the rotations will you?)Let the chips fall where they may.
Gregg Popovich
We made three defensive errors down the stretch and that cost us.
Roger Mason, Jr.
- “We had some defensive breakdowns at the end of the game and that’s where the game is won
Kurt Thomas
On the game - “Defense wasn’t great down the strtetch but we just have to find a way to make those corrections so we don’t come up on the short end of the stick.”
at least, it's pretty clear why we lost this game.
Video is here - http://sn.im/ecp6a
...just not good enough to put him in ahead of your lover Mr. Mike. I need to hit something.Gregg Popovich
On Ime Udoka - “He didn’t see much time at the beginning of the year. He’s in good shape and he’s been working hard before and after practice. He’s a pro and he had a great game tonight.”
Shane Battier is one guy I would have liked to see come here. He would fit in as a Spur, on every level.
Yeah, the guy has Spurs written all over him. (Oh, and Tony might want to read the scouting-report before leaving Battier open for three again.)
Battier and the Spurs will probably never happen, but I'd be more than happy if Presti would hook the Spurs up with Sefolosha. That's another guy I've always though would be a perfect fit for the Spurs since he was drafted. (Just, saying.)
Did you see TD interview?
He looks very upset...
He did look, and sound, upset. And, as always, he took responsibility.Did you see TD interview?
He looks very upset...
Popovich declined to name the party responsible for Scola’s go-ahead layup, but as the teams exited the floor, there was a clue. Popovich was last seen barking at Tim Duncan.
After the game, Duncan fessed up.
“It was my fault,” said Duncan, who did contribute 23 points for his first 20-point game since Feb. 17. “(Yao) popped to the top. I didn’t see anybody rotating to him, so I tried to kind of half-rotate to him. I thought he was shooting the ball, so I turned the block out.
“(The pass) went right by my head.”"It’s a huge loss, especially with the race as close as it is,” Duncan said. “We came in here knowing the importance of this game. Just wish it could have bounced the other way.”
You read my mind. With the Rockets being stacked at that spot, I hope he will be available one day soon. Lord knows we could sure use a SF of his ilk.
Translation:
"I was wide open on several other occasions, yet Artest would never pass me the ball. I'm glad to be playing with such an unselfish center as Yao."
I have so much respect for the guy but the truth is, thats its not his fault. Duncan is such a leader in terms of character that he will take the loss upon himself and rally the rest of the team under his wing. Like Shane said, wins In SA are extremely rare and we were lucky to dodge a bullet though
It's Duncan's team, he's captain. He shoulders the responsibility no matter how it plays out. It's his character as much as his game that made me a fan. And win, lose, or ugly, I'll stay a fan. He's been a gift to the game.
with the question about the Yao-Scola pass at the end, you could tell TD didn't really think it was his fault, but he's never done anything other than take responsibility.
It would be easy to get upset about these two losses, because we did have a great pportunity to win both games.
But, we lost them in the last possession or two without our closer, Manu. Manu has missed 31 games this year, and has only been at full strength in probably 15. Frankly I'm shocked that we're still in the top 3 in the West.
The bright side is that if our defense stays as consistent as it has been, we'll be okay once Manu returns.
And secondly, Pop is starting to play Bowen more and Finley less. I'd rather see Udoka or Bowen in there rather than Finley. Let Finley jack up jumpers on the second unit.
It looked as if the Spurs were doubling the out of bounds guy. Timmy was in no mans land cause Kurt was over by the sideline. Really nothing he could do. Let Yao shoot an open 18 footer or try to rotate up to him.
I'm still wondering what in the KT was doing so far from Yao?!?!?!
"It was my fault," Duncan said. "He popped to the top. I didn't see anybody rotate to him, and I just kind of half rotated to him. Thought he was shooting the ball and turned to block out and it went right by my head. It was just another mental mistake on my part."
make an offer.
most Rox fans want him gone.
No Manu and we are still at the #3 spot??? Ill take it.
No Manu, were a good team.
With Manu, were a great team.
Yao Ming : " 我吃他们的头上 "
does that translate into "Eat the head" ?
I just watched Tim and Ime's post game video and both are pretty pissed off.
I'm not sure who's fault those defensive screw ups at the end were, but I guess everyone stuffed up and we can't make those mistakes anymore.
I like that Ime said he loves to play physical with Artest. Ime also said that we didn't really do that good of a job on Artest and that Bruce came in and did a better job on him in the second half. Good to see that he gave Bruce props.
Now why the did Pop not play Bruce earlier? After the game against Boston, and just in general a lot of us want Bruce to get more minutes. I don't understand why Pop changed the rotations again last night and didn't play Bruce much until later in the game. I just don't like what Pop is doing with the rotations at all and think he is contributing to a lot of these losses.
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