HEAT Head Coach Stan Van Gundy

On the game:
“We played great defensively down the stretch. Offensively, we struggled the entire second half. In the first half, our starting line-up, in particular, was great against a very good defensive team. We moved the ball well. We had no trouble getting shots. We shot over 50 percent, and I was really happy with our offense. In the second half, it was tough, but I love the way our guys battled. We could have made it a little easier on ourselves with some free throws, but that has been a problem.”

“I thought we started the third quarter well. The Pacers made a concerted effort to protect the paint against Dwyane. He was making plays, but we just could not get the shots to go down. I thought we played well together. I thought we played hard. I thought that to battle like we did in the second half without Shaq was really key.”

“It was good to get a win against the Pacers because of the way we got it. Having to really battle, and do it defensively, and rebound, and be tough, and suck it up even when they came back and made their run in the second half. We had to come back and get in the game. It is good for all those reasons. It is good because we have lost four in a row. It is good for the feeling that it brought to our locker room.”

On the HEAT players:
“Alonzo Mourning has had an impact defensively over the last three games, and he really rebounded well today. It is tough to take the ball to the basket with him in there. Today, he was great on the boards, and that was a major step up. He is one of the best in the game as a shot blocker. His timing is fantastic because he doesn’t come so early that you see him coming and make a play to someone else. He is waiting and waiting. There is no play to make and you are there at the rim. You don’t think he can get it and he can get it. It is tough to get to the rim with him there.”

“Eddie [Jones] had 10 defensive rebounds, which is pretty hard to do when you are chasing Reggie Miller around at the three-point line. It is phenomenal.”

HEAT Forward Udonis Haslem

On the play that resulted in a Flagrant Foul:
“I just boxed him [Jermaine O’Neal] out. Next thing I know, he got around my neck and threw me to the ground. I do not want to retaliate and cost our team, so I had to let him get away with that. I knew what the score was, I knew how much we were up, and I knew how much time was left on the clock. It was not a smart time to retaliate.”

On his conversation with Jermaine O’Neal after the game:
“He said that it was not personal and that we are just going to war for both of our teams. We were playing as hard as we possibly can. That was it, and that is cool.”

On the game:
“This is one that we needed. We were not going to let anything distract us or take our mind off of losing this game. Whenever we play them it is going to be a physical game. We needed some guys to step up and give us minutes, and they did that. It was good to get this win. It was good to close this one out.”

HEAT Forward/Guard Eddie Jones

On the game:
“It was tough. They [Indiana Pacers] know they are short-handed. They are going to come out and play as hard as possible. It thought we did a great job of matching their effort without our big guy. It was definitely a playoff mentality. We needed to get a win. We needed to get going both offensively and defensively.”

“We showed so much character as a team to go out there and play the way we did. On this team, we have guys that play roles. When the big guy is in, he is the number one option. Dwyane [Wade] is number two.”

“When you are winning going into the playoffs, good things happen.”

HEAT Guard Dwyane Wade

On the physical play:
“I don’t know what teams believe about our team, but we are a talented team and a tough team. I don’t know if people think we are soft because we live in Miami or what.”

On the HEAT showing restraint:
“I was proud of the guys for not really getting into that. Udonis (Haslem) got right up and ran down to the other end. Zo didn’t really get into it either.”

On the game:
“It was a good win because everything wasn’t clicking offensively, but we dug down deep on the defensive end.”

On his performance:
“I’m missing shots. I’m getting some good looks. I just look at it like this; in the game in Philly, I scored 48 and we didn’t win. Tonight, I scored 13 and we won. It doesn’t really matter to me at all, as long as my team gets the victory.”

HEAT Center Alonzo Mourning

On the game:
“We lost four in a row and we needed a win bad. There was a sense of urgency in this locker room today. We needed to change what we were showing out on the court. We weren’t showing championship basketball. The only way to get to that championship level is to start playing like champions.”

“We have got to have everybody contributing towards us winning. As soon as we get everyone on that same page, which we showed today, on a consistent level, then we will be a team to reckon with.”

On showing restraint against Anthony Johnson during the fourth quarter:
“I’ve been there before. Through experience you develop wisdom. I had to make the right decision because my team needed me in the game. You have to stay focused mentally and that was just an experienced and focused decision that I made out there.”

On his blocks tonight:
“That’s what I do. You guys have followed my career and you guys know that I have always been a very intense defensive player. My teammates, over the years, have had a tendency of feeding off of that. When I come into the game I want to bring energy and enhance the play of this team and to contribute to this team winning.”

Indiana Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle

On the game:
“The Miami HEAT has had some struggles as of late, so I know that it was a game that they wanted to win. It was a tough break when Shaq went out at halftime. They were able to keep it together and get it done. You have to give them a lot of credit, they made a lot of really good things happen. Damon Jones, who has hurt us all year, hurt us again.

On Jermaine O’Neal:
“This was Jermaine O’Neal’s first game in a month. All things considered, he made his free throws for the most part, and he took good shots. If you look at his plus minus, he played a very good game.”

On the altercation:
“It looked like things happened in an intense, close game. I did not think that there was anything malicious going on. It was take your four free throws and move on.

Pacers Forward/Guard Stephen Jackson

On the technical and flagrant foul calls:
“I think that every time something happens where we get into it with somebody on the court, everbody tends to blow it out of proportion.”

“The HEAT are a good team. They did what they had to do to come out and win the game. They’re definitely a rival, but it’s nothing personal. We want to win [a championship] just as much as they do. Things happen, but we’re all professionals.”

On the return of Jermaine O’Neal:
“It felt good to have [Jermaine O’Neal] back out there. He’s our franchise guy. We’ve been needing him all season. To see him go up and down the court gives us a lift heading toward the playoffs.”

Pacers Guard Reggie Miller

On the game:
“Both teams were fighting for something. They were coming off a two or three game losing skid. Without Shaq in the second half, they stepped up their intensity. We’re trying to move up to a fifth or possibly a fourth seed. So, it’s been ‘playoff basketball’ since the beginning of April. Both teams are testy. It’s really no different, and it was a hard fought game toward the end. That’s what it’s all about.”

On the return of Jermaine O’Neal:
“Obviously, he looked a little rusty. It’s good to have a low post presence. I think it’ll make things easier on [Stephen Jackson], [Anthony Johnson] and myself because we were doing the posting up.”

On a possible HEAT vs. Pacers playoff matchup:
“Right now we’re worrying about getting into the playoffs and who we’re going to get in the first round. We’ll worry about the HEAT if we ever do face the HEAT.”

Pacers Forward/Center Jermaine O’Neal

On the game:
“I felt extremely rusty. I’ve been out for quite some time and my jump shot wasn’t there. My moves weren’t where I wanted them to be and the touch wasn’t there.”

On the flagrant foul call:
We got tangled up. It’s not personal. I don’t know anyone in this locker room or in any locker room gets to a point where they take things personally. Guys go out and play hard and they’re going to get tangled up. It’s part of the game. As I told [Udonis Haslem], ‘It’s nothing personal.’ We got tangled up. He didn’t like the way I grabbed him and I didn’t like the way he grabbed me. That was it. If I see him out right now I’d say, ‘Let’s get something to eat.’”