Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn Nets
On what changed in the second half to cause the Nets’ comeback:
“Our spirit. I really can’t explain what happened in the first half – why we came out so spiritless and lack of energy. Granted, great team and respect, I thought we were kind of frozen by the moment. The second half, our spirit was better. We competed much better. I thought we handled their switches a lot better, so a lot of positive things there. I thought Jarrett Allen came in and gave us a guy that could roll to the rim and that opened up a little bit for us.”
On if Brooklyn’s missed free throws are a concern:
“It’s a concern. We’re working on it. We know we get to the free-throw line a lot, second most in the league, so it’s a point of emphasis. We have to knock them down. I thought, again, we did a good job getting there.”
On what the Nets did in the second half to get them back in the game:
“I thought we did a better job defensively fighting through their screens. That’s the real (thing). They have their on-ball screens, their pick-and-roll defense and they hit you on those screens and we’ve got to avoid – I thought we did a better job. And their off-ball screens, I thought we did a better job fighting through. But really, our offense was historically poor in that first half and talking about the defense, we just weren’t very good. I thought in the second half we figured out their switches a little better. We didn’t figure it out totally, but that’s what makes them so good. They can switch on you and then they can guard you. They can sit down and guard one through five, and it makes it difficult but we did do a better job of attacking the switches in the second half.”
Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
On what contributed to the slow start in the first half:
“I think we came out and they (Warriors) made some shots and then we didn’t. We started kind of playing
from behind for a little bit, and it kind of just got ahold of us for a second.”
On how frustrating the early foul trouble was for him:
“It is what it is man. You’re playing a great team, the refs are out there. They’re professionals just like us.
They’re the best of the best and they called some calls and that was that.”
On what they did in the second half to get within striking distance:
“I thought we made shots. We went a little bit more up-tempo and we got to the free throw line. I think
that was a big thing. We made shots and got to the free-throw line and kind of put them on their heels
and flipped the foul trouble onto them.”
On whether the Nets attacked Golden State’s switches better in the second half:
“For sure. I think in the first half, obviously, it’s a little bit different, picking up two quick ones (fouls) and
then even getting the third. It’s just a little bit different, kind of messes up the rhythm of everything, but it
is what it is. Then in the second half, like you said, we switched a little bit more aggressively and we made
some plays.”
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets
On what caused the Nets’ slow start in the first half:
“I would say energy, not being locked in from the start. We have to put some blame on ourselves.
Couple turnovers, missed shots. Just my energy wasn't there like it should be from the start of the
game.”
On what led to the Nets’ second half comeback:
“I would just say it was our resiliency, our grit, toughness, you know getting into the ball. Playing our
game and having fun doing it. I feel like that got us over the hump. Enjoying seeing one another succeed
was something, we kind of, it felt good to be out there doing that. The outcome wasn't as we expected,
but we gotta give ourselves credit for that second half.”
On the halftime message from Coach Atkinson:
“Go out there and compete, that’s the one thing. We try to hold our heads up. First half we couldn't say
we did that. So second half, come out and compete. Give it our all.”
On the absence of Spencer Dinwiddie in the first half due to foul trouble:
“You know Spencer (Dinwiddie) being out, us not being locked in and focused, no energy. But I feel like
the most part no matter who is in or who is out there, we have a good enough team to make plays
happen and to make things happen. So we can’t make the excuse about one man being out.”