Silas

(on the game)
It was a hard-fought game. We were sluggish early. Then in the third quarter, Baron (Davis) picked us up. Then, the bench wouldn’t be denied. That type of bench play is what we’re going to need in the playoffs.

(on the Sixers)
They are a very good ball club. They're very well coached and they have one of the most prolific scorers and players in the history of the game in Allen Iverson so we've got to try and find a way to slow him down. They're healthy now. Derrick Coleman and Keith Van Horn are playing now, so it should be a great battle. I'm looking forward to it. I think any one of eight teams has the chance to emerge and we're certainly one of them.

(on the regular season as a whole)
The things they've had to go through this year....The move, first of all, was a tough move for us then you start the season on a real high, winning 11 straight games at home and then injuries crop up and we had to fight through that, battle, find a way to get it done. I just can't say enough about these guys. I tell them all the time that it's just a pleasure to have good guys that can play basketball and that's what we have. We just have some sensational players that like each other, root for one another and that's going to take you farther than anything if they really have that mindset.

(on playing well down the stretch of the regular season)
That's been the mark of this team for the last few years. Going down the stretch, we've always picked it up and found a way to get it done and it is good to go into the playoffs on a high. We've won five straight now and we want to continue that streak as long as we can. The mental part of the game is so important and to have that mental edge as you're going into the playoffs....I can't say enough about what these guys have done.

(on the playoff atmosphere and mentality)
Every game we play is like the toughest, most intense, most aggressive game that you will play and it's that way for a series. You've seen nothing like playoff basketball. You take any game that we've played this year that we've really had to bring it and that's what the playoffs are all about. It's just a fun time to be playing basketball. These guys get up for the game. The coaching staff is really prepared. Each coach knows exactly what those other coaches are going to do and it's just a matter of executing that. The mental toughness...the rebounding...all of that comes into play. And who wants it the most. I like our attitude now going into the playoffs. I think we're all on a high and I look forward to an exciting series.

(on the margin of error being so small during playoff games)
Every shot, every possession is that much more important. During the regular season, you can afford to have some lapses here and there, but in the playoffs, you can't afford that. And that's not to say that you're not going to have (mental lapses), but you can't be inconsistent. You will have to be as consistent as you possibly can.

(on Jamal Mashburn being a key in the playoffs)
(Jamal) Mash(burn) for the first year we played in the playoffs, he just carried us and he carried us this season and I just think that he's going to show the world that he belongs in the upper echelon of players and I'm looking forward to watching him play because he

(on having his top guys ready)
When Baron (Davis) went out of the game (against the Hawks), I just said "Here we go again." Luckily, it's nothing more than just a bruise I think, so he can play through that and we'll get him as much rest as possible, but you need all your horses. When you go in the playoffs and you have one key injury, it's going to be awfully tough, as we felt last year, but if everybody's healthy, then you have a chance to do some wonderful things.

(on having the most coaching victories in Hornets history)
It's very gratifying and it's a tribute to my players because they are the ones who go out and win for me and my coaching staff. I've got nothing but great things to say about those guys. They live and die every game with me. To do it here, in front of these fans, the newness.....they've been with us throughout this whole thing and they deserve it. The fans here deserve all that they are getting so far. When we came here, they knew we were going to have a good team and then we faltered along the way and there were some nay-sayers and some doubters and I kept saying "Once we get healthy, everything will fall into place." Now, they're getting a taste of it and they're understanding a lot more about what this is all about and I foresee nothing but great thing in the future. The record is nice. It just shows you I've had longevity here and I've had some good teams and won a lot of games.

(on having an advantage going through injuries early in season)
This time of the year, the teams that have had to fight hard and have not had the injuries have had a little let down. We, on the other hand, have had to fight. Now we've got that boost from those guys that had been out coming back, like a Baron (Davis), when Dub (David Wesley) was out and P.J. (Brown). All those guys and (Jamal) Mash(burn) had to carry that load by himself. Now he has as much help as he needs and I just see nothing but good things.

(on what's taken the team to the level they're at right now)
I think right now they're executing the offense as well as I've seen it at times. They're not perfect, but when I get on them a little bit, they start executing. Rebounding has really been they key. We've outrebounded our opponents in, I don't know, something like 33 out of the last 34 games and that's been key. Players growing up, such as a (Jamaal) Magloire. (Robert) "Tractor" Traylor coming in and giving us some quality minutes. These things have to make things fall into place. I just can't say enough about these guys. It's amazing to me that they've been able to fight through and stay focused with all the adversity that we've been through.

(on playing unselfishly)
I talked a little bit about that because the ball wasn't moving quite as much as I would've liked in Philly and we talked about it but then we pick it up. I've just got good guys. They listen and when I get one them, they respond. There's been nothing but positive vibes here.

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Mashburn

(on the beginning of the playoffs)
It’s hard to think about them (Philadelphia) after we just played a whole season. I’m trying to let things settle down a little bit. We know what we have ahead of us as far as Allan Iverson is concerned and what he’s capable of bringing. They have some good players. They have a lot of talent, firepower, a lot of will…a lot of guys who are capable of beating us if we don’t come out here and play hard for four quarters.

(on the team health-wise)
Everybody is playing with something. You go through a long year. Allan Iverson is playing with a knee (injury). It’s a long year and it’s a ground it out type process. We’re here now. You have to go do what you have to do right now. It’s time to win ball games, no matter if it’s pretty or ugly. We have to strive to keep on winning and advancing, that’s the biggest thing. Then, everything will take care of itself.

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Lynch

(on the Hornets’ deep bench)
We always thought we had a deep bench. It showed all year. When guys went down, guys were there to step up. Sometimes when you don’t put up big numbers like the Detroit bench (does), you don’t get a lot of respect. We would like to go into the playoffs with every team thinking that we don’t have a bench. I’m sure all of the coaches know that that is not true. We’re just team players. Guys just step up. We’re not individuals who try to look for numbers. We just try to go in and whatever is needed, that’s what we provide.