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Postgame Quotes-vs. Minnesota
Kings Coach Rick Adelman
“We just didn’t guard them well enough the whole game. They made shots, they took turns making shots. We played hard the first half with 20 offensive rebounds, shooting 32% and one down. But in the second half it was like they continued to make shots and we got our heads down. They played like a team that really needed to win and they shot it well and executed well and we didn’t have any answer for them.”
“We only had four assists the second half and I don’t think we were trying to force the issue too much, and (we were) not playing together – understand you can’t get it all back at once. I think they kept making shots and we continued to miss most of the game.”
“I think that when you get down and they are making every basket and the game is slipping away you have every tendency to do that. I think more of the factor was that we didn’t establish ourselves defensively the whole game. Give them credit. (Kevin) Garnett, I know he’s a handful and they are longer than we are and all those things but (Sam) Cassell came in immediately and acted like he was in shooting practice. He looked like he could shoot anytime he wanted.”
Peja Stojakovic:
“I wouldn’t use the word frustrated, but we didn’t play good basketball and I think we didn’t shoot the ball well. We had the energy and effort in the first half. I think we really out rebounded them, but they were still in the game. The shot almost 60 percent and we shot thirty something. But in the second half, we still were making shots, but we didn’t have the kind of energy on the defensive end like we did in the first half.”
“Of course it’s important. We still don’t know what position we are going to get for the playoffs. So every game for us is important to win, and also as a team to get better.”
“I was trying to be aggressive tonight. My shot wasn’t good and wasn’t as I expected. I just wanted to be aggressive and get to the free throw line. But some games there are opportunities and some there is not. It depends on what the defense gives you.”
“Minnesota is a good team. They are fighting for their playoff spot, but we have to have the same attitude fighting for our playoff spot. It doesn’t matter what position we secure. We should come with more energy.”
Cuttino Mobley:
“We dug ourselves a hole. They shot really good from the field. Myself, Peja [Stojakovic], and Mike [Bibby] shooting like we shot, it’s kind of hard to win a game if you don’t play physical defense.”
“We just have to buckle down collectively as team and everybody has to play defense, individually and team defense. They were making some shots; hands were in their face. They knocked down some shots and they are playing well right now.”
“It was really frustrating for me. I’m sure everybody is frustrated. I hope everybody is frustrated.”
“We’re inconsistent. We show little spurts of being a playoff team, and then you have games like today and games like Detroit, where you can’t buy a basket and miss defensive assignments.”
Mo Evans:
“We really need to establish the type of team we are going to be in playoffs. We can’t wait till the playoffs come and just turn it on.”
“Hopefully we can come back in here tomorrow, repair some things and get things right, because we have another good test for us against Seattle. We haven’t beaten them this year. They are a real quality team and potentially we could get matched up with them in the playoffs. So it’s going to be a test for us.”
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Coach Kevin McHale:
“Kevin (Garnett) was great. Spree (Sprewell) was huge in the second half. Other than the fact that they (the Kings) beat the crap out of us on the offensive glass, we really defended pretty well. We got into some good rotations. They had 21-second chance points. If we took those away, or cut that in half, it’s a pretty easy win. Our offense is pretty good, and besides our rebounding, we did a nice job. Those guys (the Kings) have a little different look with Kenny Thomas, Skinner, and Corliss. They’re dirt workers. The other guys are more ‘finesse-y’ guys. This team (the Kings) is not as ‘finesse-y’ as it used to be as far as their inside guys who fight for the offensive glass. We did a lot of good stuff tonight and it was a hell of a win for us.”
“They (the Kings) came and kind of got us in the back with some tip balls. We did a much better job (in the second half). I think that Mike (Olowokandi), Eddie (Griffin), and Kevin (Garnett) all went to the body a lot more. Mike had a pretty good game for us, as well as Spree. Sammy (Cassell) came in and caught fire for a little while in the first half so it was a good overall team win for us.”
“It’s a real commitment by the guys in that room (the Timberwolves) to just run our defensive schemes and to be more aggressive. It’s a tribute to them. The one game we tried to be a little more conservative, we lost (versus Phoenix). Coaches make mistakes too. I’m just really proud of those guys.”
Guard Sam Cassell:
“We wanted to play aggressively. We wanted to have one set defense and go from there. We’re going to be aggressive on both ends of the basketball court.”
On sparking the Timberwolves team off the bench:
“Right now that’s my job. I’m not in the starting lineup which really doesn’t matter right now. My job is to get things going. The second unit with Wally (Szczerbiak), Fred (Hoiberg), Eddie Griffin, and John Thomas gave us a spark.”
“We’re just playing ball. We don’t have anyone to blame for the situation we’re in but ourselves. The only people that are going to get us out of this situation is ourselves. We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing, playing hard.”
Center Michael Olowokandi:
“I don’t know how many rebounds they had, but it was way too much so we had to make an adjustment in the second half.”
“We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing. Our defensive aggression at a level like we just had. Then we give ourselves an opportunity to win some basketball games. When you play defense in this league, you have to be aggressive especially with pick and rolls."
http://aol.nba.com/kings/news/Postgame_Quotesvs_Minnesota-137514-58.html
“We just didn’t guard them well enough the whole game. They made shots, they took turns making shots. We played hard the first half with 20 offensive rebounds, shooting 32% and one down. But in the second half it was like they continued to make shots and we got our heads down. They played like a team that really needed to win and they shot it well and executed well and we didn’t have any answer for them.”
“We only had four assists the second half and I don’t think we were trying to force the issue too much, and (we were) not playing together – understand you can’t get it all back at once. I think they kept making shots and we continued to miss most of the game.”
“I think that when you get down and they are making every basket and the game is slipping away you have every tendency to do that. I think more of the factor was that we didn’t establish ourselves defensively the whole game. Give them credit. (Kevin) Garnett, I know he’s a handful and they are longer than we are and all those things but (Sam) Cassell came in immediately and acted like he was in shooting practice. He looked like he could shoot anytime he wanted.”
“I wouldn’t use the word frustrated, but we didn’t play good basketball and I think we didn’t shoot the ball well. We had the energy and effort in the first half. I think we really out rebounded them, but they were still in the game. The shot almost 60 percent and we shot thirty something. But in the second half, we still were making shots, but we didn’t have the kind of energy on the defensive end like we did in the first half.”
“Of course it’s important. We still don’t know what position we are going to get for the playoffs. So every game for us is important to win, and also as a team to get better.”
“I was trying to be aggressive tonight. My shot wasn’t good and wasn’t as I expected. I just wanted to be aggressive and get to the free throw line. But some games there are opportunities and some there is not. It depends on what the defense gives you.”
“Minnesota is a good team. They are fighting for their playoff spot, but we have to have the same attitude fighting for our playoff spot. It doesn’t matter what position we secure. We should come with more energy.”
“We dug ourselves a hole. They shot really good from the field. Myself, Peja [Stojakovic], and Mike [Bibby] shooting like we shot, it’s kind of hard to win a game if you don’t play physical defense.”
“We just have to buckle down collectively as team and everybody has to play defense, individually and team defense. They were making some shots; hands were in their face. They knocked down some shots and they are playing well right now.”
“It was really frustrating for me. I’m sure everybody is frustrated. I hope everybody is frustrated.”
“We’re inconsistent. We show little spurts of being a playoff team, and then you have games like today and games like Detroit, where you can’t buy a basket and miss defensive assignments.”
“We really need to establish the type of team we are going to be in playoffs. We can’t wait till the playoffs come and just turn it on.”
“Hopefully we can come back in here tomorrow, repair some things and get things right, because we have another good test for us against Seattle. We haven’t beaten them this year. They are a real quality team and potentially we could get matched up with them in the playoffs. So it’s going to be a test for us.”
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Coach Kevin McHale:
“Kevin (Garnett) was great. Spree (Sprewell) was huge in the second half. Other than the fact that they (the Kings) beat the crap out of us on the offensive glass, we really defended pretty well. We got into some good rotations. They had 21-second chance points. If we took those away, or cut that in half, it’s a pretty easy win. Our offense is pretty good, and besides our rebounding, we did a nice job. Those guys (the Kings) have a little different look with Kenny Thomas, Skinner, and Corliss. They’re dirt workers. The other guys are more ‘finesse-y’ guys. This team (the Kings) is not as ‘finesse-y’ as it used to be as far as their inside guys who fight for the offensive glass. We did a lot of good stuff tonight and it was a hell of a win for us.”
“They (the Kings) came and kind of got us in the back with some tip balls. We did a much better job (in the second half). I think that Mike (Olowokandi), Eddie (Griffin), and Kevin (Garnett) all went to the body a lot more. Mike had a pretty good game for us, as well as Spree. Sammy (Cassell) came in and caught fire for a little while in the first half so it was a good overall team win for us.”
“It’s a real commitment by the guys in that room (the Timberwolves) to just run our defensive schemes and to be more aggressive. It’s a tribute to them. The one game we tried to be a little more conservative, we lost (versus Phoenix). Coaches make mistakes too. I’m just really proud of those guys.”
Guard Sam Cassell:
“We wanted to play aggressively. We wanted to have one set defense and go from there. We’re going to be aggressive on both ends of the basketball court.”
On sparking the Timberwolves team off the bench:
“Right now that’s my job. I’m not in the starting lineup which really doesn’t matter right now. My job is to get things going. The second unit with Wally (Szczerbiak), Fred (Hoiberg), Eddie Griffin, and John Thomas gave us a spark.”
“We’re just playing ball. We don’t have anyone to blame for the situation we’re in but ourselves. The only people that are going to get us out of this situation is ourselves. We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing, playing hard.”
Center Michael Olowokandi:
“I don’t know how many rebounds they had, but it was way too much so we had to make an adjustment in the second half.”
“We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing. Our defensive aggression at a level like we just had. Then we give ourselves an opportunity to win some basketball games. When you play defense in this league, you have to be aggressive especially with pick and rolls."
http://aol.nba.com/kings/news/Postgame_Quotesvs_Minnesota-137514-58.html
