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Postgame Quotes: Trail Blazers at Cavaliers

HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS(On tonight’s game): “Obviously (Kyrie) Irving hit a shot at the end. It was a well-contested, well-defended shot and he put on a great show. I was proud of the way we got back into the game to take the lead. We had our chances to win it, but the shot sealed the deal for them.” (On Kyrie Irving’s game-winner): “He made a great shot. Nic (Batum) was close to blocking it. His hand was right there. That was a great performance. I mean, with 55 points and the way he shot the ball, it was a great performance. The great ones do that every once in a while.” (On LaMarcus Aldridge playing through his injury): “He put on a great performance as well. We rode him on the block. He did a good job passing it out of the double team, and we had good looks when he did. He was effective going to the basket. He showed why he’s an All-Star.” DAMIAN LILLARD(On Kyrie Irving’s career night): “You’ve got to give him credit. He made tough shots. They were out there without LeBron (James), and he carried them. He played a great game.” (On if that was the best he’s ever seen Kyrie play): “I’ve watched him play. Obviously that was his career high, but I’ve seen him get on streaks before. He’s really crafty. But usually it’s mid-range pullups and nice layups. It’s not 11 threes. Even yesterday (against Detroit) he was hitting threes. I think he’s just in a good rhythm. He’s playing really well right now.” LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE(On Kyrie Irving’s career night): “He played big time. He made plays down the stretch and he made tough shots. I thought our guys guarded him well at times, but he just got going and made shots until the end.” (On what his team could have done better): “I thought as a team we could’ve given more focus going to the rim. We could’ve tried to be tighter with the guy guarding him (Kyrie) and try to give him some more relief. I thought their shooters kind of got to us at times. I thought we gave them lanes to the basket and we didn’t have the guy guarding him as much.” (On scoring 38 points despite his injury): “We’re trying to win. If I’m going to play, I’m going to play. If it gets hit, it’s going to hurt or whatever. But I’m going to play until it’s too much, and right now it’s not.”

HEAD COACH DAVID BLATT(On how he kept his team’s composure down the stretch): "Well, Kyrie (Irving) helped. We just ran some stuff for our hot player and he delivered. And at the other end, we defended well and got stops when we had to. Those are the two main things." (On if he ever seen a performance like Kyrie Irving’s 55-point night during his coaching career): "In one game, a player who has that kind of game and that kind a point total, no. First time ever. Said that to my coaches after. I’ve seen some great performances now. I’ve seen a lot of great performances but something quite like that, no I have not seen and I’ve been coaching a long time." (On what he told Kyrie Irving after the game): “I just told him ‘great game’…Kyrie obviously was exceptional, (which) is a bit of an understatement, but I thought the whole team played well. I really did. I thought we played together. I thought we moved the ball. I thought we defended against an outstanding team well throughout and everybody contributed.” (On if he takes any credit for continuing to go to Kyrie Irving after missing his first seven shots): “I don’t take any credit at all for what he did at any point…He just played the game and he took his opportunities. We did call a lot of stuff for him obviously with LeBron (James) out and us needing scoring but what he did is to his credit.” (On the team’s defense as of late): “I think that the difference in our team has been the fact that we got LeBron (James) back and we got our other players into the fold and into the flow. But the second thing is, without question, our defense has triggered a new feeling and a new kind of hope in the team that we can stop people and we can do things as a result of our defense more so than us being initiative and motivated through our offense. That’s really a good thing because that you can do every night. Last night was a perfect example. We did not shoot the ball well and we got shots. We struggled and we found our way by defending a good team on their home court. Then tonight, we’re missing our best player and the best player in the game in my opinion, and we come out and hold Portland to 94 points and 32 percent from the three-point line which is their strength and we get a win. What Kyrie did is for the pantheon. Everybody here in Cleveland will always be able to relish and treasure, but the team did defend the entire night.” KYRIE IRVING(On what his performance meant tonight): “It means a lot. For me, it’s just about the intensity of the game and being out there with my great teammates, and them doing a great job of getting me open and setting great screens. I’m just happy we got the win. That’s the only thing that really matters and we continue our streak. We go into our next game Friday against a good (Sacramento) Kings team.” (On calling the final play): “It was a call we made as a team. Every call that we make is combined. Obviously, our coaching staff was thinking one thing and I was thinking another, but we just met in the middle. I’m gracious that the shot went in and had the confidence of my teammates and coaching staff to go out there and make a bigtime shot.” (On being ‘in the zone’): “I feel like the pace that I’m playing with right now is just giving me a lot more open looks, especially in transition – pulling up in transition for the three-point shot from me to J.R. (Smith) to LeBron (James) is definitely helping us get points, especially when we get down or we have lulls within the game. The three-point shot is helping us. Our bigs are doing a great job of just coming in and screening transition, being open and being willing screeners every single time down. It just makes my job a lot easier to come down and make an easy decision to either pull up or attack the rim or drop off to our bigs.” (On the environment of the end of the game): “My teammates were witnesses – I was really, really emotional at that moment, but the only thing I was worried about was getting that stop. That’s a great team coming out of the locker room and we have all the respect for them. Damian (Lillard) has hit a lot, a lot of pressure shots like that and guys on that team have hit game-winners, so I was just worried about the next play and getting the stop and coming off with the win for my great teammates.” TIMOFEY MOSGOV(On shooting the final free throws): “Just shoot the free throws. The end of the game, the start of the game – you still have to make it. Of course there is a bit more pressure, but you just don’t think about the pressure. Just try to do what you do. Just shoot it.”