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| Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Final Score: New Orleans 84, Toronto 95 Hornets Post Game Quotes Head Coach Monty Williams On the fourth quarter: “We got off to a bad start, I think it was a 7-0 run and they tied the game up. We held them to 11 points in the third quarter and our defense just went downhill. It’s easy to sit here and say what we didn’t do, ‘we didn’t do this, we didn’t do that’, but the bottom line is that team beat us tonight. They did what was necessary to get the win. I thought they were more aggressive going to the basket and that started early in the game. We couldn’t guard the ball. A lot of that is on me. There has to be better preparation, knowing when to get guys out of the game, when to get certain guys in. I hate to point the finger at one particular person, but at the end of the day I can’t coach the guys in the fashion that I coach and not look at myself. There are some things I saw tonight, not even looking at the film that I could have done better to put the team in the position to win.” On how he wanted to play the last minute: “There comes a point in the game where if you foul, what are you doing? We weren’t making shots anyway so we were playing more for the future in the situation like that trying to get a stop rather than going with a gimmick. If we were down five maybe you foul, but it was in that eight to ten range and we had so many guys out there who didn’t know what they were supposed to do. We had Lance [Thomas] out there who has only been with us two weeks. Sometimes in that situation you want to foul, but I would much rather go for a steal rather than just foul and put them on the free throw line. They had so many guards on the floor you are just giving up points and now you are in the hole. In some situations you can foul there, but I didn’t see us with that fire that we normally play with. Fouling in that situation where some guys are running on fumes just didn’t seem right to me.” Hornets Guard Greivis Vasquez On the fourth quarter struggles: “We had a terrible fourth quarter. I didn’t think we played hard enough. I thought the guys in the third quarter did a good job giving us that lead, and then we blew it in the fourth. We played such a good game last night, and to come out here at home and play the way we did is unacceptable. That’s not who we are. We have to get it together and find a way to win.” On if it’s frustrating to play so well last night and struggle tonight: “It’s unacceptable. I think that’s on us, the players. You can’t blame the coach. You can’t blame the assistant coaches. They did their best to get us ready. We just didn’t do our job. We take responsibility. I take responsibility. We have to be more professional and win those games.” Hornets Guard Jarrett Jack On the fourth quarter struggles: “I thought we settled somewhat. Honestly, I’m going to put this one on my shoulders squarely. This team looks to me for a lot, and I have to be the captain. I have to manufacture offense as well as shots for others late in games. I want to be that guy. I want the ball. I’m squarely just putting this one on my shoulders.” On if he felt they played with a sense of urgency tonight: “It’s very difficult to be as far into the season as we are and that to be a topic of discussion. At the end of the day, obviously it’s a team sport, but individually you have to go out there each and every night and give everything you have and hope your effort can be contagious amongst others. It’s not a certainty, it’s not a definite, but hopefully. I think we have to get a band of guys out there that will contagiously and consciously play with that type of effort and play for one another.” Raptors Post Game Quotes Head Coach Dwane Casey On the game: “We made shots down the stretch; I thought we did a good job closing out the game. It was different than we did last night. We made shots down the stretch and executed. I was the most proud of our guys down the stretch.” On making shots down the stretch: “I think they have learned. Making shots is huge. You can learn all you want to but if you miss shots it does not do any good. Everyone came in, contributed and did their job.” Raptors Guard Leandro Barbosa On the win: “We did a better job at the end of the game. We finished plays and we made baskets. I think that was the difference between last night and tonight. We’re getting better and we’re growing. Coach has been helping us a lot and we’re very happy about that. Tonight, it was better because we closed the game.” On the play of the bench: “We moved the ball very well. We know everybody’s position and moved it well, so that when you get open, it’s easy to make baskets. Linas was hot at the beginning of the game. He came in and he gave a lot of energy and made a lot of plays. Coach ran a lot of plays for him and he kept making the shots.” Raptors Center Aaron Gray On missing New Orleans: “They’ve made a lot of changes, the big Chris Paul trade, they’ve had a lot of injuries and they’re playing a lot of young guys. Coach Williams is doing a great job. I miss him and he’s a great family man. Hopefully, they’ll get the new owner in place and take off from there.” On the defensive effort: “You’re not always going to make shots, but your defense can always be there. I think we did a good job of making them take tough shots and limiting their second chance opportunities. We just bared down defensively.” |
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