HEAT Head Coach Stan Van Gundy

“This is about as good as it gets for me. The Marlins win the home opener and our team plays great. I was really, really happy with the way our guys played tonight. We struggled a little in the second half, but I think our struggles tonight were because we got tired. We played as consistently hard at the defensive end as we have played all year.”

“We had talked for two days about not only are we were good enough to beat a team like Chicago, but can we take a team like this that plays really hard and with great energy like Chicago does, and go out and out work them. I am not saying we out worked them tonight, they played hard also, but our guys went out and played with great intensity tonight.”

“In the first half, our ball movement was tremendous and then we did enough to hang on down the stretch. The ball was just moving freely to open people, and we got great shots. There is no reason that we can’t play with that kind of ball movement, that kind of energy in transition, and that kind of defense when we have Shaq. We tend to stand around, and just because we are posting him up doesn’t mean that we can’t play with that same energy and intensity. Somehow we have to get to that.”

On the HEAT Players:
“Obviously, Dwyane [Wade] was fabulous. In the second half, we did not have a lot left on the offensive end other than Dwyane, and I pulled him out a couple of times to get breathers because he was putting out a great effort on the defensive end. He had 22 points in the second half and no turnovers. It was just an incredible performance.”

“Udonis [Haslem] was fabulous. We had him out there forever, and he was playing pick and rolls, getting back to the rim and rebounding, he scored, he was very active. He was great, but I thought we got good performances from a lot of people. Obviously, Damon [Jones], Eddie [Jones], Udonis, and Dwyane, the four guys who normally start, were good, and we had good energy off the bench. Keyon [Dooling] did as good a job as you can do on Ben Gordon, who is a very tough guy to play. I also thought our big guys, Alonzo, Michael [Doleac] and Udonis played the pick and rolls on those quick guards as well as they could.”

HEAT Guard Damon Jones

On the game:
“We came out and had a great focus knowing that we didn’t have the Big Fella tonight. I hope he gets better. We came out and moved the basketball pretty good in the first half. We were defending like we usually do and we were able to get stops in the second half.”

“I think we were just moving the ball really well. When we move the ball and share with each other, we are a tough team to beat. Dwyane (Wade) had a super game and we did what we had to do to win the game.”

On his game tonight:
“It felt really good. I had a great rhythm tonight and I just wanted to be aggressive from the beginning because Shaq wasn’t there, so someone had to pick up some of his scoring. I just came out and shot the ball pretty well in the first half. I wish I could have followed it up in the second half with some more threes. We got the win and that’s all that counts. I’ve been feeling really good. I’ve just been focused on the goal at hand.”

HEAT Forward Udonis Haslem

On the game:
“When the Big Fella is out, I think everybody has to step up. Lately I have been kind of struggling and the other guys have been pulling the load for me. Tonight, I felt it was an opportunity for me to kind of step back into it and help with the Big Fella out.”

“They are a great defensive team. We played together tonight. Everybody shared the ball and got open shots.”

On his foul that led to his ejection:
“It (the foul) wasn’t necessary. The bottom line is that we are going to come out and compete and not back down for anybody. The foul is part of the game. The push after the foul, I just didn’t think that was necessary. That’s like the second or third time in the last four games that someone has done that to Dwyane (Wade). We are coming up to the playoffs and we can’t afford to have our best player get hurt over silly plays like that.”

“I just play hard, play with emotion and intensity. Before I knew it I had pushed the guy. If I could have caught myself, I would have. Before I knew it I was already over there pushing the guy. I kind of reacted and it just happened.”

HEAT Guard Dwyane Wade

On playing without Shaquille O’Neal:
“I felt I had to take more responsibility on my shoulders and to get everybody involved.”

On the performance of Damon Jones:
“Just like the last 10 games, Damon has been playing extremely well. He’s been controlling the team, shooting the ball great and I just want him to continue to do it.”

Chicago Bulls Head Coach Scott Skiles

On the game:
“We lacked the awareness defensively that we have had for most of the season. We could not stop people from penetrating and we could not challenge any shots at the basket. That is a bad combination.”

On the Flagrant Foul Committed by Andres Nocioni on Dwyane Wade:
“There was a hard foul and extra stuff afterwards. He [Andres Nocioni] did not get ejected, I just took him off the court.”

On Dwyane Wade:
“He is the best guard in the league. He and Nash [Steve Nash] I think stand out as the two best guards in the league. We did not get help over there, we were just sort of unaware of his penetration and he hit some jumpers, which is a part of his game that is improving. We cannot allow him to just attack the basket like that with no help coming.”

Bulls Forward Andres Nocioni

On the game:
“It was a stupid foul [on my part] because the game was over. I apologize because [what followed] is both bad for the game and bad for me.”

Bulls Guard Ben Gordon

On the game:
“We had a couple of runs during the game, but we just weren’t consistent long enough to turn the game around.”

“We just didn’t play up to par. We were more frustrated with ourselves than anything else. We didn’t bring the energy necessary [to win the game]. We’ve got a lot of guys out, so we had to put in a lot of extra effort. We weren’t able to do that collectively.”

“We just didn’t have enough energy [in the first quarter.] It’s plain and simple. Especially with guys out you, have to muster up extra energy and make some extra scrappy plays.”