(Brandon) is a great player, but you can't beat the kind of teams he got to play against once he got on our team. And that's definitely appealing to Division I coaches. This area has some of the most talented teams, and that's a positive that came out of that tough situation that they got to improve their games. |
(Frye) was up against a great, great player today and didn't back up once. |
(Rivers) told me he felt early in the game it was over. |
(The Hornets) just did a great job of controlling the tempo and finding the open people. We had far too many turnovers and when we had an advantage with size inside we just didn't do a good job. |
[Antonio Davis was at home in Chicago yesterday, with the team's permission. He was expected back for today's practice. Davis is in the process of finding a new home in New York after being traded from the Bulls .] Don't read into it, ... He doesn't have any clothes; there's a lot of things he had to finish. I said this would be the best day. |
[Brown acknowledged that living with his current condition is draining mentally, but he doesn't believe a Mayo visit will be necessary.] No, I don't think I will, ... Dr. Callahan's checking with some things that will be local. In New York City, there's enough [specialists]. She sent all the tests I've had in the last nine months to some people she's real confident in. Then they're going to let me know. |
[Brown praised Davis for playing well in Curry's absence.] Tony Davis won the game tonight, ... His energy and defense down the stretch was incredible. |
[Brown would feel better, but he acknowledged last week that he is still carrying baggage from Detroit.] I don't know if I've recovered from what happened this summer yet, ... I'm trying to move on. I'm trying to realize the two years I had, the last two years were such a blessing that if I didn't do anything again I would've been fulfilled, just to know I had the opportunity to coach that Detroit team. |
[In the season opener on Wednesday, Frye did not play, and Lee was on the inactive list. By the third game, they were among the most critical players in Brown's rotation. Two days after glibly saying,] I have no clue who to play, ... kind of an audition. |
[Larry Brown was asked before the game if he had interest in the Lakers job.] I hope everybody understands that I meant what I said, ... Coaching the Detroit Pistons is going to be my last NBA coaching job. |
[Marbury] expressed to me that he wants to be part of this. I kind of told him that, if there was a trade out there that made us better and he was involved, he might not be here. But I was perfectly comfortable with him helping us improve. |
[New York: Isiah brought Marbury to New York to be the face of the franchise. Now there is talk of trading him. He has been traded three times already, spending at least 2½ years with each team. Marbury said last year that he was] the best point guard in the NBA. ... point guard won the game. |
[Only three NBA stars ( Tim Duncan , Allen Iverson and Richard Jefferson ) return from last year's qualifying team. As a result, the U.S. will go to Athens with its youngest squad ever (average age 23.6 years) and one that, judging from its struggles during the exhibition season, is hardly a lock for the gold medal.] This is going to be a huge challenge because we do have young players, ... They're going to look around and realize that these [international] teams are well-coached, they play an appealing style, they truly are teams and their skill level is extremely high. So, [we] better understand that right from the beginning. |
[Opening night] doesn't mean you have to go have an eight-man rotation, ... We've go to work this out. And I don't know when Quentin will be ready, I don't know when Eddy and Jerome will be ready. But the nice thing is, they're quality players and they'll be helpful when they are. |
[The first four items, Brown said, came from Dean Smith, the legendary North Carolina coach for whom Brown played in the early 60's. (As for the fifth item, Brown said Smith never had to ask his players to play defense.)] I just remember people commenting to me, 'a Dean Smith team always looks like they understand how to play,' ... And I always said, 'Well, they play the right way.' |