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| Monday, February 1, 2010 Final Score: Phoenix 109, New Orleans 100 Hornets Post Game Quotes
On the offensive struggles in the second quarter: “It was a difficult stretch for us. We had offensive struggles and we had defensive struggles, especially in the first half and the third quarter as well. We never seemed to get a handle on them defensively. To their credit, I thought they played very well. I thought that was one of their better performances from a ball movement standpoint and the type of shots they were able to get and the problems that they caused for us by their cuts and activity. I give them a lot of credit.” On the game: “We had a hard time getting into a defensive rhythm. We had a hard time initiating an early attack offensively. The over-the-top aggressiveness (we are used to) was very average tonight. I think we battled that and did get a little bit of a spurt we are used to seeing. In the fourth quarter when we got the lead cut, but again they came up with two big plays which were plays that got them to a comfortable margin once again.” On not being able to capitalize on the fourth quarter comeback: “It was just not enough tonight against a team that was having a good night is the way I see. We took our run and got it to two points but we couldn’t make that next play to get the lead. We have a little bit of an adjustment period to go through and I think we saw that tonight, but it is something that will be short-lived I hope and we’ll work through it to really continue the momentum that we have built.”
On the game: “We just have to manipulate and manage those minutes when Darren is not in the game. We’re going to have to figure out a way to get it done. We find ourselves in a hole and we have to fight our way out of it. We can’t seem to get teams under control defensively. We find ourselves behind and are fighting an uphill battle all day. Collison is not going to surprise anybody. Teams are definitely going to prepare for him, especially knowing he will have to play extended minutes. We have to do everything we can to make sure he’s comfortable.”
On the game: “I’m trying to do what’s expected of me: getting on the floor for loose balls, rebounding, and making the plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet but do help the team. They want me to make the energy plays, hustle defensively and do the little things that help us. We just have to be sound defensively to give us a better chance to win.” Suns Post Game Quotes
On the game: “First of all it was a great win, a great win for us on the road. I thought we did a good job, we controlled the game all the way up to the 6-minute mark and I don’t know what happened. We just didn’t get back in transition a few times and they ended up getting some easy baskets and then Thornton made some tough shots. I just talked to our guys about the fact that we just can’t let that happen where we go into the fourth quarter and we get up twenty points and we have to find a way to barely hold on. That’s the only discouraging thing, obviously we’re ecstatic we got the win on the road. You know in a way we are kind of happy, it shows a little bit of toughness by the way they came back.” On Thornton’s shooting in the 4th quarter: “We know who the hot hand is, we have to get out there and guard him. If anything we have to make him put the ball down. When guys are going great, we can’t let them become catch and shoot guys. He’s the one that got them back in the game, we have to realize that, and we’ve got to make him put the ball down. Our scouts work hard to tell us all about the personnel and what’s going on.”
On the team’s defense: “We did a phenomenal job defensively; I think we played great team defense out there for the most part. Once we’ve got the lead the last few games, we locked up on defense. We’ve been working on some things so once we get the lead we keep it. It all goes on our defensive effort. We did a great job with that, even our second unit.” On the absence of Chris Paul: “We knew they could beat us without Chris Paul. The last time we were here they beat us so playing without him wouldn’t be a factor. So tonight we came out with that same intensity as if he was playing and played great defensively.”
On playing with Steve Nash: “You definitely appreciate having him. He’s the guy that gets everybody shots and he can score so when you have a guy of that caliber, it makes everybody’s job easier." |
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