HEAT Head Coach Pat Riley

On the game:
“It was a nice way to finish it. It really was. Both teams that won 15 games, won the last game. That’s a little tidbit. There is a tremendous amount of equality between Ron (Rothstein) and myself now. It was a good win. It was great for the fans to get a positive feeling about us. Some guys played well but now we start our work. We move ahead and start our work.”

On the growth of the team:
“Eventually a team becomes a team and they’ll get to a certain level of success. When they first came in, most of these guys were just running in the dark. I think they showed well. They played really hard. The decisions are ahead of us and its time to move on. We have some meetings tomorrow and we just keep moving forward with what we have to do.”

On whether the halftime ceremony show gave the team a spark:
“I talked to the team prior to the game about 20 months. How things can change in 20 months. There are only six players on the team from 20 months ago. We played the last game and drank the champagne. Then last year we were the first team to exit the playoffs. We got swept. This year is where we are. We experienced all of that in 20 months. There are people here that have been here forever. Ron Culp is the epitome of what the Heat has always been about. I think in some way shape or form he’s been the common thread. I think he is close to players between me and the coaches. He has cultivated relationships with the players. He’s the mother hen. He’s the one that listens to their complaints. He brings me the compassionate talk. He’s just invaluable. I don’t think there is any doubt that there is great respect from our guys today. I think they were very aware of what was happening tonight. I think at halftime when they saw it, I think they realized exactly how much he means to us. He kept saying to me ‘It’s too much, it’s too much. You went over the top again. You did too much.’ You should see this party we have for him. We’re not done yet. But he’s very humble and very appreciative of it. He deserves everything he has.”

HEAT Guard Chris Quinn

On the fans:
“We are very appreciative of them. For them to stay and support us and cheer as loud as they do, it’s great to see and appreciated.”

On next season:
“I’m already looking forward to next season. Hopefully I’m around here. There is a lot of talent and the sky is the limit. I’ll take a couple weeks off and then get back on the grind.”

“The whole organization is very well run. It’s one that I would love to be around.”

On Pat Riley’s comments on his game:
“He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for him. Everyone in the whole basketball community has a lot of respect for him. When he says something like that and give you compliments, it means a lot.”

HEAT Guard Ricky Davis

On the game:
“It’s a great feeling leaving on a positive note.”

On the season:
“It was a real tough season. No one expected us to be last in the league. You have your ups and downs and you have to live with it.”

“A lot of guys were hurt this year. It was a lot of opportunities for other guys.”

“The lowest time was when we went the whole month without getting a win. That was probably the lowest time of the whole season.”

Hawks Head Coach Mike Woodson

On the game;
“I don’t like the way we played the last two games, and it don’t matter who plays, you still have to play the right way and play with some high energy and I don’t think we have done that the last two outings.”

On the Playoffs;
“We will have a day or two to practice so we will go back to work tomorrow and start preparing for Boston. We made a hell of a run to get into the playoffs and it doesn’t stop there, you still got to play, you have to keep rhythm and do the things that got you where you are and I don’t think we have done that the last couple of games.”

“I’m not raining on their parade but I’m the coach and when you’re the coach and you see things that aren’t right, you speak up.”

Hawks Guard Joe Johnson

On the game:
“These games don’t matter. We’ve accomplished our goal and these last two games, just throw them in the bag and don’t even worry about them. We just have to be ready and get up for the playoffs.”

On playoff berth:
“We just go out there and have fun, play hard and everything else will take care of itself. This is a great opportunity for us as a basv ketball team and we should cherish it. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so we should just go out there and enjoy it.”

On advice for playoff green teammates:
“I can only explain to them my experiences in the playoffs and how fun and intense it is going to be, and after your first time, you always want to make it back to this point. I think it’s going to be a great experience for them and I’m quite sure they’re looking forward to it.”

Hawks Forward Josh Smith

On the game:
“We obviously wanted to win to give us momentum, but we also wanted guys who don’t get that much playing time to get some playing time. Now it’s 0-0 going into the playoffs. Starting tomorrow, we have to start focusing on Boston and different strategies in order to try and get some wins.”

On team’s first playoff berth since 1999:
“It’s big, not only for the organization, but the city of Atlanta as well. We were always on the bottom of the totem pole in Atlanta sports. It used to be baseball, then football, then us. It feels good for us to be at the top in Atlanta and we feel we can do something special.”