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Game Quotes: Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks - Mar. 6

(On what turned things around in the fourth quarter):
“We lost some defensive focus the beginning of the fourth quarter. We allowed (the Hawks) to get back into their flow, and they’re good when they play in a rhythm and they move freely. That’s what caused the turnaround in the game.”

(On if he’s concerned with LeBron James’ nine turnovers in the game):
“It’s hard for me to really address that until I look at it. I have to concentrate on a lot of different things during the game. Certainly, they packed the paint, and that made it difficult (for us)…I’m more concerned when we’re not moving the ball and putting ourselves in easy positions to score.”

(On team cooling off from three in the second half and if they shot too many for the game):
“I really wished we had rotated the ball better and attacked more, even from the weak side of the defense, because I thought we overshot the three again tonight.”

(On the technical foul in the first half):
“I just think LeBron is getting hit, and getting hit every time he goes to the basket, and half of them are ignored. Because of the strength and the power he brings to his drives, it’s easy to overlook a lot of stuff.”

(On flow of tonight’s game):
“I’ll just watch film. Obviously, when you’re out there you see certain things as a basketball player that you have to improve, especially with us playing tomorrow. I have to do better with my decision making. (We had) too many turnovers. That’s kind of a sign of our games. When we’ve won we kept our turnovers down, but (the Hawks) were getting out in transition. When you have a team like that that scores so well, and their bigs do a great job of running, and Kyle (Korver) with all of the attention he draws, you just have to give credit, take our losses and move on.”

(On balance between taking threes and getting the ball down low):
“Playing basketball is all feel. Obviously, you’re going to think the game (before you play it). We have so many weapons, and there is no in-between game for us. When someone shoots, we all shoot. When someone misses, we all miss. And when someone makes, we all make. We’re just living and dying with each other. If you have an open shot, just let it go.”

(On the game):
“The way our group started tonight, the focus and the activity defensively, and then the way we were able to finish the fourth quarter with the same defensive effort and defensive focus and defensive activity - that’s what we’re looking for. Obviously, you want to do it for more of the 48 minutes than your opponent. I know that first and fourth (quarter) is how we want to be defensively. It’s a good win. It’s a great night for Dominique and all the fans and the organization. It was a good atmosphere in the arena. I’m glad we could finish it in a positive way.”

(On holding LeBron James to 18 points and forcing nine turnovers from him):
“It always starts with taking individual pride, but I think it takes five guys. It takes a whole team working together and doing everything kind of in unison, on a string. At the point of the ball, DeMarre and Kent were very good. And our weak side was active and aware. We (had) to try to get out to shooters because he’s such a good passer and he sees the court so well. It’s like anything, it takes a group effort. I think it’s great to be tested and challenged like we were tonight.”

(Are you seeing progress with your team?):
“I don’t think our group has felt that great about the way we’ve played for I don’t know how long. We’re going to keep pushing through it and try to keep making progress. There’s a lot of (progress) from the start of the year to where we are now, but I think tonight was a great night for us to play at a higher level and have a little better focus and a little better effort. Hopefully we can build off of this and play like this more.”

(On the intensity between the two teams):
“(It was a) playoff vibe. Two good teams going at it, nobody wants to lose. Guys were playing with their hearts. They got physical. We got physical. But it’s all for the love of the game.”

(On the atmosphere):
“It was a playoff atmosphere. The fans were great. It was ‘Nique Week,’ so they definitely came out in support. We wanted to go out and try to get a win for them.”

(On jumping out to an early lead):
“We just played hard defense, and made them work for their shots. They’re a great team. (It was) a game of runs. They came back and took the lead. We just came out big in that fourth quarter.”

(On allowing 36 points in the third quarter):
“Our defense probably wasn’t up to par, but you don’t want to take all of the credit away from them. They did some good things. In that fourth quarter, we got back to how we played defense in the first quarter.”

(On defending LeBron James):
“We just played Hawks defense. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates because they were helping me out a lot. Like I’ve said before, I just want to be a gnat. When you’re outside in the summer and you just can’t get that gnat away from you – that’s all I want to be.”

(On starting the fourth quarter on a 17-4 run):
“When we started (the quarter), we got aggressive. At first, we were playing kind of conservative, not just on the offensive end but on the defensive end. We were letting them shoot open three’s. We got the lead back. We got our composure and got back (to playing) aggressive.”

CAVALIERS NOTES:

  • Cleveland had five players score in double-figures: Irving (20), James (18), Love (14), Smith (12) and Shumpert (10).
  • Kyrie Irving recorded 20 points, four assists, two steals and one rebound in 42 minutes. He has scored 20-or-more points 35 times this season.