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Game Quotes: Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers - Feb. 27

“(On their struggles scoring in the second and third quarters) We mixed pretty well our fast break opportunities with our half -court offense.  Honestly, I thought we had an awful lot of good looks at the basket that we didn’t make and in a game like tonight missing Kyrie (Irving) and LeBron (Jams) we needed to make open shots over the top.  We didn’t have the normal penetration and deep paint play that we get outside in.  We needed to make some of those shots from distance and we didn’t. We didn’t shoot well from the three and had we, it could have been different.  We did not and that was the result.  (Were you surprised LeBron did not play?) Oh no. it was my decision.  I wasn’t surprised at all.  That was on me.  (Do you expect LeBron and Kyrie to play in the next game?) Hope so.  Really hope so.  Yes I do.  I do.”

“(On playing hard and coming up short) It was one of those nights.  We had a tough game last night and the issues with the plane didn’t help.  But we came out and fought hard and gave ourselves a chance.  We missed some shots on some good looks towards the end, we had a bad rotation on defense there late in the game, and missed shots … It’s a situation where if we got a couple of shots to fall it might have been a different outcome.  I felt like we could have won the game.  It was a tough one for us but we’re not going to hang our heads.”

“(On competing without all their players) During the game we had a great belief that we were going to come out with the win.  They were able to hit some big shots down the stretch and I thought we had several good looks that didn’t go down.  It still counts as a loss.  But we kept playing and we kept our fight out to the end.  If we continue to play that hard, we’ll come out with a win eventually.  (On playing with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving)  It was a difficult game, we missed them but it was a good experience for everyone and I think we’ll be better for it.”

“(On George Hill) The best part is it’s an answer to some of the critics he had at the end of last season.  George Hill is a very good basketball player.  He’s really versatile.  He can play off the basketball and now this year you’re seeing what he can do with the ball in his hands.  I don’t know if he’s a true point guard, he’s just a great guard.  He’s playing at a high level.  (On the team’s slow start defensively) We didn’t have a good first quarter defensively, and I let them know about it in the first timeout.  (On being the Pacers winningest NBA coach)  This franchise is special to me.  The front office has given me great players to help achieve these wins and I’ve had two great coaching staffs.”

“(On the team’s consistency of late) It helps for sure now that we have everybody healthy, it seems like finally.  It’s being able to fight through the tough times and just get a rhythm going and just get guys in the right positions.  Everybody is just doing the right things.  (On coming back in the second and third quarters tonight) You definitely don’t want that to become a thing that lasts the rest of the season, but we’ve been able to make up for it.  But at the same time, if we came out with that kind of intensity from the get go, it would change a lot of games.  (On George Hill’s triple double) I look at it like he’s just being George Hill.  That’s what he does every night, rebound the ball, push the ball, and he sets guys up well in the pick and roll.  Obviously, he’s really shown that he can score the ball.  He has a lot of weapons, and a lot of tools.”

“It was a big team win for us.  We need all the wins we can take right now. We’re fighting to a playoff spot and it was a great team win.  (On getting the triple-double) Towards the last timeout my teammates told me ‘One more rebound.’  And it was like ‘For what?’  And he said a triple-double.  They told me they were going to box out and let me go get the rebound so I said thank you.  It’s part of the game.  I’ll take it but the most important thing was to win the game.  It’s a great accomplishment, a great achievement as an individual achievement but you can’t do it by yourself.  I owe all the credit to my teammates.  (On finding out that LeBron was not going to play) We actually have to be more cautious about it.  When their key guys are out, other guys seem to always step up and play a lot better.”

“(On the Pacers’ second quarter rally) The second unit, we usually come out with a lot of energy.  We like to be aggressive.  I think we got a few stops at the goal, we ran, we got a few buckets on the fast break.  That got us going.  (On George Hill’s triple double) You know, he made it look easy.  I didn’t even know until some of my teammates told me.  That’s the good thing with George.  He makes the simple play, he never forces.  Tonight was really strong game from him and I’m happy that he got his first triple-double.”