Post Game Quotes -- Nov. 21, 2006

George Karl - Denver Nuggets Head Coach
"I thought J.R. and our bench really gave us some energy and extra possessions. Everybody thinks this was an offensive explosion, but I think we controlled the defense. It was a big win for us. Andre had some spurts, J.R. especially. It was the most consistent game Marcus has given us."

On the performance of J.R. Smith
"He’s got tremendous skills and athleticism and that’s how you develop as a professional, as a contributor, and how you fit in with the rest of the team. I think tonight is the best he’s drove to the basket. Instead of relying on just shooting shots, he was more assertive."

On the team's play since the 0-3 start
"I thought we were playing well when we were 0-3. It’s a basketball team that ’s had a ten point lead in the second half every game. Down the stretch when the team makes that push to come back, we kind of lighten up a little bit and I’d like to see us be more committed to stopping that."

Carmelo Anthony - Nuggets Forward
On the performance of J.R. Smith
"He gets the game ball tonight. He took my thirty tonight man, but it’s all good though. He got hot when he hit that first three for m the right wing, then he hit another one, then he hit another one, then he got out in the open court. I knew he was hot when he shoots it real fast and kicks his leg out. He played great tonight and he’s one of the guys who helped us open it up tonight. We won the game tonight."

On the 30-point streak record
"It’s fun though when you’re about to break somebody’s record, especially a guy like Alex English. The fans want to see you break it."

J.R. Smith - Nuggets Guard
"All the practice, all the work preparing for this game and then to win this game and then to go into San Fran (Golden State) is enough for me."

What have you been doing different?
"I’ve been keeping shooting after practice, putting in extra work. Extra shots before and after practice. It can happen to anybody on this team, anybody can get hot, we’ve just got to keep feeding the hot hand."

BULLS QUOTES

Scott Skiles - Chicago Bulls Head Coach
"In the second half, they came out kind of flat and we took advantage of that and got a nice lead. We just got tired. In a three-four minute span they came charging back with out a whole lot of resistance. J.R. made a big three at the end of third and we had a hard time after that. They hurt us all night on the glass. For us to give up that many offensive rebounds, that’s not what we normally do. We didn’t do a good enough job recognizing that they have one shot blocker, Camby, and when he went out of the game we just kept casting up shots instead of driving the ball to the basket. We lost it in more than just the third quarter though.”

Ben Gordon - Bulls Guard
"We came out and didn’t accomplish anything. We dropped our fifth in a row. We didn’t get any stops; we need stops to maintain a lead. I thought we let them do what they wanted too early, we let them get easy baskets.”

Luol Deng - Bulls Forward
"We might have been a little fatigued, but I don’t think fatigue is why we lost. We had good looks but we missed open shots. I thought when we made the run we could have concentrated on our defense. (Not letting teams comeback) I think as a team that’s where we need to get better.”