http://www.nba.com/kings/news/Postgame_Quotesat_Portland-138207-58.html
Postgame Quotes-at Portland
Kings Coach Rick Adelman
“It was a good win. We didn’t come ready to play in the first half and I’m not sure why. The third quarter was much better and Peja hit some big shots in the fourth to save us. We understand Minnesota lost tonight, so we clinched a playoff birth. We’re going to have to play much better than this though because we’re going to open on the road in the playoffs.”
“Our bench saved us there. We were down 10 after the first quarter and they came in and brought us back. Portland had nothing to play for out there and they came out and outworked us. We weren’t ready to play but our bench brought us back. In the second half we concentrated more and we got a lucky win.”
Mike Bibby:
“We started slow, but at the end we made runs, we made hoops, had some good defense and we made some stops when we had to. Offensively in the second half, we moved the ball more, we got good stops and when we ran out we opened up the court with stuff that worked. When we lost the lead, I wasn’t playing like me, but I buckled down offensively and defensively and we came out on top.”
On Playoffs
“We knew we had a good chance. We didn’t expect it to be this late, but we knew we were going to make it.”
Peja Stojakovic:
“Good second half of basketball. We should be proud playing well in the second half. When we put effort in our defense it turns into good offense. And when you move the ball and block shots, good things usually happen.”
“We kind of let them play their own game. They started running and scoring easy buckets. I don’t know how many points they had in alley-oops, but they had 30-some points in transition buckets. You eliminate that, you’re going to be okay.”
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
KEVIN PRITCHARD, Portland Head Coach
“I know it sounds like I’m saying the same things again and again. But it seems like these games in that sense are all the same. We have a difficulty in countering runs by our opponents. This time it was in the third quarter when we couldn’t hit a shot after their run and that was the game.
“I think the game was won on offensive rebounds. Even though we had our most athletic team and our best rebounding team on the floor we’ve struggled and struggled to keep Brian Skinner off the boards (Skinner had a game-high 16 rebounds, 8 of them on the offensive board). “I know Ruben feels bad missing the free throws (missed 8 of 10), but that didn’t lose the game. We did take a few ill-advised shots down the stretch. Darius took one that I didn’t want and Ruben’s three-point attempt wasn’t what I wanted. We want Ruben to attack at all times, not shoot threes.
“Darius made some great shots down the stretch though. He is an inigma to me in that I don’t know when his ‘A’ game is coming. Tonight he had it. He has the ability to carry a team---a very potent player.
“I thought Sebastian’s game was his best of the season. Not only did he take good shots, run the team well, get six assists to only one turnover, but I thought he played Mike Bibby, one of the league’s most efficient point guards, straight up (Bibby had 19 points, 11 assists). It was really tough losing Damon. He is such a warrior. He wanted to stay in the game but when he asked to come out, I knew he was really, really hurting. I don’t know if we will have him in the next few games but hopefully we will get Derek Anderson back for the trip.”
DARIUS MILES
“I just tried to play hard and not think about myself and just get all that I could. I just came out and shot the ball. I shot it with confidence; I shot it like I’m not a bad shooter; I shot it like I’m a great shooter. That’s what I tried to do.”
RUBEN PATTERSON
“They’ve got excellent shooters, man. Peja had a wonderful game. Mobley . . . They played well. We kept fighting. We just couldn’t get it done. They’ve got some big guys, Corlis and Skinner. They’re big strong guys and they got a lot of offensive rebounds. Those second shots will kill you. When Damon went out it kind of hurt us. But we did compete. Its part of basketball, people getting hurt.”
Postgame Quotes-at Portland
“It was a good win. We didn’t come ready to play in the first half and I’m not sure why. The third quarter was much better and Peja hit some big shots in the fourth to save us. We understand Minnesota lost tonight, so we clinched a playoff birth. We’re going to have to play much better than this though because we’re going to open on the road in the playoffs.”
“Our bench saved us there. We were down 10 after the first quarter and they came in and brought us back. Portland had nothing to play for out there and they came out and outworked us. We weren’t ready to play but our bench brought us back. In the second half we concentrated more and we got a lucky win.”
“We started slow, but at the end we made runs, we made hoops, had some good defense and we made some stops when we had to. Offensively in the second half, we moved the ball more, we got good stops and when we ran out we opened up the court with stuff that worked. When we lost the lead, I wasn’t playing like me, but I buckled down offensively and defensively and we came out on top.”
On Playoffs
“We knew we had a good chance. We didn’t expect it to be this late, but we knew we were going to make it.”
“Good second half of basketball. We should be proud playing well in the second half. When we put effort in our defense it turns into good offense. And when you move the ball and block shots, good things usually happen.”
“We kind of let them play their own game. They started running and scoring easy buckets. I don’t know how many points they had in alley-oops, but they had 30-some points in transition buckets. You eliminate that, you’re going to be okay.”
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
KEVIN PRITCHARD, Portland Head Coach
“I know it sounds like I’m saying the same things again and again. But it seems like these games in that sense are all the same. We have a difficulty in countering runs by our opponents. This time it was in the third quarter when we couldn’t hit a shot after their run and that was the game.
“I think the game was won on offensive rebounds. Even though we had our most athletic team and our best rebounding team on the floor we’ve struggled and struggled to keep Brian Skinner off the boards (Skinner had a game-high 16 rebounds, 8 of them on the offensive board). “I know Ruben feels bad missing the free throws (missed 8 of 10), but that didn’t lose the game. We did take a few ill-advised shots down the stretch. Darius took one that I didn’t want and Ruben’s three-point attempt wasn’t what I wanted. We want Ruben to attack at all times, not shoot threes.
“Darius made some great shots down the stretch though. He is an inigma to me in that I don’t know when his ‘A’ game is coming. Tonight he had it. He has the ability to carry a team---a very potent player.
“I thought Sebastian’s game was his best of the season. Not only did he take good shots, run the team well, get six assists to only one turnover, but I thought he played Mike Bibby, one of the league’s most efficient point guards, straight up (Bibby had 19 points, 11 assists). It was really tough losing Damon. He is such a warrior. He wanted to stay in the game but when he asked to come out, I knew he was really, really hurting. I don’t know if we will have him in the next few games but hopefully we will get Derek Anderson back for the trip.”
DARIUS MILES
“I just tried to play hard and not think about myself and just get all that I could. I just came out and shot the ball. I shot it with confidence; I shot it like I’m not a bad shooter; I shot it like I’m a great shooter. That’s what I tried to do.”
RUBEN PATTERSON
“They’ve got excellent shooters, man. Peja had a wonderful game. Mobley . . . They played well. We kept fighting. We just couldn’t get it done. They’ve got some big guys, Corlis and Skinner. They’re big strong guys and they got a lot of offensive rebounds. Those second shots will kill you. When Damon went out it kind of hurt us. But we did compete. Its part of basketball, people getting hurt.”
