HEAT Head Coach Pat Riley

On the game:
“It’s just the same ole for us, whether with our starters or with this group. We got a great game out of these guys tonight. I really felt we played hard enough to win, probably even deserved to win, but making some mistakes, missing some free throws, point blank lay up at the end maybe. It just didn’t go our way. The bottom line is that you’ve got to close it. You’ve got to close it out and finish it. There were two quick pick-and-rolls [against us at the end] that we’d been defending well all night – the first one was Josh [Howard] and then Dirk [Nowitzki]. They got open quick and made two jumpers. We had free throws we missed, we had opportunities and we just didn’t finish it.”

HEAT Center Mark Blount

On the team's effort tonight:
“Everybody on this team is a professional. The guys came out hard and tried to focus on what they had to do - I don’t know if you call it spirited. We were right there all the way, so a couple turnovers here and there, a couple free throws [we may’ve won]. It’s been same ole for us so we’ve just got to focus on the defensive end right now.”

HEAT Guard Ricky Davis

On the team's effort tonight:
“It was a great effort. Just because we’re missing a guys, I think guys made it into the league for a reason. We’ve got guys who still play hard, and we’ve still got the soldiers on the team. Good group effort. I’ve just got to make my two free throws and make that play at the end there.”

On the missed layup at the end:
“I thought I was fouled, but it’s a tough call that late in the game. I’ve got to take it a little stronger and make it look at little better. [Howard] hit me in the head a little bit, but in that type of situation you’ve got to take it even tougher and make the play. Make it a little obvious.”

Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Avery Johnson

On Miami:
“They played hard, they had a really solid first half. They took it to us. We were on our heels. We talked about it at halftime and we came and had a much better third and fourth quarter. They were shooting a high percentage from the field.”

On the Mavs’ early game:
“We were settling for too many jump shots. When we don’t play well, we settle for jump shots, we don’t move the ball, we don’t guard, we don’t talk. But when we talk, move the ball, are physical, we can be a pretty good team. Give them a lot of credit. They came out and played hard. We give our guys some credit for making some plays down the stretch when we had to to win the game. We try to just concentrate on playing our game. I think the more that we can concentrate on playing our game, and our goals and what we’re trying to meet, we can beat almost anybody.”

“Trenton Hassell came into the game tonight and gave us a huge lift with his defense. He made shots. And denied Ricky Davis the ball. Here’s a guy who’s been really pounding. He had probably one of his better practices yesterday. And I’m glad he was able to get in and contribute.”

On Eddie Jones:
He missed his goal. I told him there’s going to be a game when he needs to make six threes. He only made five.”

Mavericks Forward Josh Howard

On his performance tonight:
“My shot just wasn’t falling tonight, but I stuck with it along Dirk and we just finished the fourth quarter off.”

On the second half comeback:
“We had to really keep fighting tonight. They (Miami) seemed to have a lot of points in the paint in the first three quarters, and we were able to even that out in the fourth quarter and go on to win the game.”

Mavericks Guard Eddie Jones

Take us through the defense on the last play:
“ When a team needs a three like Miami did at the time, you have to deny them from getting that shot. When guys are making shots when it comes down to crunch time you can’t let that guy get the ball because you never know what can happen.”

On his performance (season-high 17 points): “I just think what happen tonight was that they were leaving me wide open. Our guys are always looking for me, but tonight they left me open in my sweet spot and my shots were just going down.”

On the 4th quarter:
“We gave that young team out there a lot of confidence early, and one thing about young teams they’re not afraid to fail so they went out and gave a great effort and they kept the game close, but we were able to play a solid 4th quarter and come away with the win.”