Pelicans Coach Monty Williams
On tonight’s performance“They played well. I hate to say we didn’t play well, (but) we just missed so many shots in the paint tonight and I thought it messed with us tonight. Whether they blocked the shot or distracted us or we threw it up there and just didn’t make it, I thought that messed with us a little bit. We had some lapses on defense and that happens, like the stretch right before half time where they got the two threes, that can’t happen, especially the first one that Russell (Westbrook) got. It was just one of those games, I told the guys that was just a stinker for us because we typically finish well around the basket. From Jrue (Holiday) to Eric (Gordon) to Chief (Al-Farouq Aminu) was 3-for-14, a lot of misses around the basket. Ryan was 5-for-17 that rarely happens so it was just a bit of an off game for us.”
On if the Pelicans got away from attacking the basket“I don’t know if we got away from it or if we were just a bit intimidated because we were missing so much. I am not sure, I will have to look at the film, but there were more opportunities to catch and go. I thought Eric (Gordon) started the game and it was catch-and-go and they couldn’t even stay with him, then we kind of went away from that. Chief (Aminu) had a lot of looks around the basket, he and Jason (Smith) and Ryan (Anderson), and I played with a few lineups tonight and that could have hurt us too just getting out of a rhythm. Then Tyreke went down and that took away our main guy that gets to the basket and that hurt us a bit.”
Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson
On the turning point of the game and how to move forward“It was a tough loss. They got a run at the end of the second quarter and that kind of stunned us and they kind of had us from there. It’s hard, especially when we’ve been fighting and battling, it’s tough to lose a game like that. We just have to be better and bring it the next game. It’s just a matter of tidying up on defense and not allowing a team to make runs against us and to not back down. That’s not us and tonight is just one of those off games.”
On his off shooting night“No, for me it’s just however I can come in and produce. I had a rough shooting night tonight and can do a lot better. For me, if I’m coming off the bench or if I’m starting, either way I just want to try to come out and produce and fight and do the best I can to help the team. Tonight we were all just a bit off.”
On having a small break in the schedule upcoming“Yeah, I think it’s huge for this team. At the same time, it’s still early in the year. For us, it’s big to have these couple days just to reflect and move forward on how we can improve and get better. Obviously, those road games took a lot out of us, so for us to have a few days off will be really beneficial and we’ll get in the gym and work on the things we need to and just get better.”