On the Magic committing only two turnovers in the second half compared to 16 in the first…
“I think that was the biggest difference. We didn’t get up and pressure them like we did the first half. They only had two turnovers and I think 63 points in the second half, which is obviously way too many. Again, we allowed another team to shoot a high percentage tonight, and those guys, they shot the ball pretty well, you have to give them a lot of credit. At times I thought we were right there with certain plays and tried to effect the shot, but they just shot the ball well.”
On J.J. Redick getting the ball easily on inbounds plays in the final minute…
“I tell you what, it’s hard with that guy, he moves so well without the ball. That’s just a terrific job, and they do a terrific job of setting screens for him too.”
On Tyler Zeller and Dion Waiters’ play…
“I thought Tyler played well. He’s still learning, just like Dion is. Both of those guys have come a long way in a short period of time and they still have a long way to go. Significant progress for both of them. Just want them to keep working and keep getting better.”
On the Magic shotting above 50 percent and hitting 11 3s…
“I’m disappointed. I thought for the most part we did some of the things we wanted to do on the defensive end. We had some breakdowns, but overall, I got to look at it again tonight or tomorrow morning on tape and just really see where were the breakdowns.”
On the play of Anderson Varejao…
“He’s playing at All-Star level, he’s playing terrific basketball for us. I don’t know where we’d be if we didn’t have him.”
“It was crazy. They were making tough shots. We contested and played defense and I think we played great defense, but they made a lot of tough shots especially down the stretch.”
(On Redick’s clutch FT Shooting late in fourth) “I tried to talk to him and say everything but he was just knocking shots down. He was making some tough shots. I was telling him, ‘Can you miss?’ I was playing but I was serious, like miss a shot please…but he is a great shooter and he was able to knock shots down for his team.”
(on how Cavs were unable to avoid Redick getting inbounds pass late in fourth) “We were trying. We have to execute better. I got hit on a screen one time. We just have to communicate and have each other’s back out there and just talk. We needed to execute down the stretch.”
(on Magic only having 2 turnovers in 2nd half compared to 16 in first half) “We still did what we did and stuck to our defensive principles. They came out and just took care of the ball. I think we still played defense and contested shots. Guys are going to hit shots in the NBA so we just have to play defense and try to run them off their spots.”
“I am very comfortable with the ball in my hands. I have been playing like that my whole life.”
“They shot great and I feel like we played great defense. They just made tough shots and that is the moral to the story. We just have to continue working on the defensive end.”
“You have to give JJ Redick credit for hitting eight free throws in a row. We have to execute a little better and we have to get a stop or a miss defensively.”
“You have to give them credit for hitting shots. We also have to get out on the three point line better (defensively). They were 11 for 21 from the three point line and we can’t let them shoot that high of a percentage. We just have to run them off the line and hopefully keep them out of the paint.”
“I am getting more and more comfortable every game. I am still not where I want to be, but I am definitely getting closer and closer every game.”
(on whether he is developing chemistry on the floor with Waiters) “It is definitely work in progress. We played with each other in the summer league so we kind know. I know where he wants the ball and we are just trying to work with each other and get to know everybody better.”
On the team play, sharing the ball that you like: “You look down at the stats sheet and the minutes and there’s numbers all over the place, guys contributing in a lot of different ways. Another example of how we have to play as a team, band together, rebound together as much as we can, just getting it to the open guy, just keeping it that simple. We tried to complicate it a little bit with turnovers in the first half, but good adjustment second half only two turnovers. So, that was the big difference right there, just giving yourself a chance. “
What was the adjustment with only two turnovers in the second half, none in the fourth quarter, is it as simple as just saying those turnovers have to stop?: “It really is. It’s that simple of first recognizing that we’re putting ourselves in a hole because of the turnovers. That we can execute and get shots, quality shots like we did in the first half, but you’re digging yourself a hole with those turnovers. So, it’s just recognition and then just making the simple and easy play. That’s it.”
How nice is it to have a J.J. Redick on the team that you can get the ball into?: “It’s a luxury. I’ve said it before that when he shoots the basketball, when he has it in his hands, I think good things are going to happen. And I felt he was going to make every free throw and inbounders did a great job of executing and getting the ball to him, our screeners got him open and he made the free throws.”
Talk about Jameer Nelson and the shift in points in the paint from first to second half: “I ended up playing him the entire third and that wasn’t the direction I wanted to go to, because I wanted to save him towards the end but he got it rolling. His penetration was great for us, he made some shots and was able to get into the defense and compress their bigs a little bit. So, that was a good run for us in the third to kind of change the direction of the game and get it back in our favor.”
On Glen and being concerned with his hustle (falling into seats during the game): “I was worried. That was a few rows into the crowd and you don’t know he’s at the mercy of seats and elbows and someone could be playing with their keys and he stabs his arm into someone’s car keys, you never know what’s going to happen, how life is at that critical moment. But I love the hustle, so if he wants to do it again, he can do it again as long as he comes up pain free and hurt free, I’ll take it.”
On Nik and his confidence: “I keep telling him I believe in him and it’s not just words, I believe in him. I believe in his ability to make shots. I want him to shoot the basketball. He has great hands, great touch. He caught some great balls down the stretch and finished. Great pass by J.J. to get him a layup in a crucial part of the game and that’s the confidence we’re trying to build in each individual. The trust that we’re trying to gain with each other, and that comes with time, and that comes with patience and that comes with playing together, so we’re trying. We’re trying to do it.”
On sharing the ball…
“I thought that was great hustle by Nikola tonight, he had a few instances where he stayed on the offensive glass which was hurting us, particularly the first half. He had some great moments of sharing the basketball down the stretch that allowed us to hit some key shots.”
On turnovers from first half to second half…
“A big part of it was how you start the game off so I take a lot of responsibility for coming out with a few careless turnovers. Those type of things are just as contagious. So when we came in at the half, we saw that offensive rebounding and turnovers equated to almost 66 percent of their points. We felt that if we take care of our turnovers and do our best to keep them off the offensive glass we will have a better half.”
On the team’s toughness…
“We’re just sticking with the program. We had a game plan and it’s to go out there and meet the intensity that they bring. They got some offensive rebounds but at the same time we fought and stayed in the game and ended up winning.”
On the importance of the win…
“It’s important especially because it’s a five game home stretch. We need to get as much games as possible and try to get back to .500 and compete for the chance to be somewhere in the post-season and also for our confidence and our young guys to make sure that they learn and understand what we have to do to take the win.”
On the upcoming matchup against Boston…
“It means a great deal to me to get this win. They’re a great team, a great organization that plays extremely hard and they compete. To get this win not only for our team but for myself would be great because I’ve always envisioned beating them but I haven’t. I came close last year but I haven’t had a chance to beat them yet.”