The big picture is we're trying to get ready for the playoffs. You want to keep guys healthy. |
The bottom line is it's hard to simulate that desperation. But the main thing is we make sure we have good habits because there are still 10 days to go before potentially the first round of the playoffs starts. |
The bottom line: You never want to see anyone get injured, |
The bottom of line with offense is it's simple. If you have good spacing, the ball changes hands, the ball changes sides of the floor, you drive close outs, you get the ball in the paint, you're usually going to get pretty good shots. |
The bottom player is he's a better player than what he showed in the first half, |
The challenge is on all of us, to balance between rest, rhythm, timing, focus, energy, execution. It's a delicate balancing act. |
The effort here tonight was tremendous. We got off to a great start and sustained it. |
The effort level and energy level was really good. There was no potential letdown coming home off a West Coast trip. If you don't play at a high level, you don't give yourself a chance. |
The foul was a tough call, but it's all about not letting one play affect the next. Jacque's a character veteran, and you've got to give him credit for stepping up. |
The game never comes down to the last shot. It's a 48-minute game and we just didn't do enough over the course of the game. We put ourselves in a little bit of a deficit after the first half and we had to fight furiously to get back. Unfortunately, late in the game, we weren't able to get it done. |
The goal on the road is to get the thing close in the last six minutes. We didn't do a good enough job to win the game. |
The guy has been in great gyms. He is extremely well educated in the game of basketball. |
The heart and will that this guy has is unbelievable. His defense on Kobe, his assertiveness on offense -- he would not let our team lose tonight. He put us on his back. |
The last time we went up there, we obviously had our struggles. Watching them play a little against Miami, and how they raised their defensive intent, they're bringing their gauge up to a different level right now. |
The minute you let down your guard you see how quickly things change. The key is to maintain that same edge. |