Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry:
On takeaways from the loss:
“We didn’t play hard. We didn’t play hard enough to win the game. That was the biggest takeaway. Concentration was non-existent, we had no focus. All of those things right there. We play an 82 game schedule-not 80 games, not 78 games, we play 82 games. You’re supposed to be focused and play 82 games. We weren’t there. We weren’t even close tonight.”
On the loss:
“There is zero to take away. Unless you want to count some of the BS that happened at the end where guys get baskets and end up with great numbers. But at the end of the day, no, we didn’t play at all. We didn’t play, concentration wasn’t there. We didn’t do anything as far as execution. We didn’t do anything from a competitive standpoint, so we got absolutely zero out of this.”
On regaining focus next game:
“We’re supposed to. We get paid to play 82 games and coach 82 games, not 81. We have another game left to play, so we’ll either compete or we won’t. It’s ridiculous.”
Pelicans Forward Cheick Diallo:
On his improvement:
“I think I am getting so much better and I am improving every game I play. Tonight was a great opportunity for me so I just showed everybody what I can do.”
On taking his time on offense:
“I am trying to do exactly what coach asked me to do. He wants me to take my time, move the ball so I don’t rush anything. If I’m open I take a shot, if I’m not open I just keep moving the ball.”“I am trying to do exactly what coach asked me to do. He wants me to take my time, move the ball so I don’t rush anything. If I’m open I take a shot, if I’m not open I just keep moving the ball.”
On scoring 19 points:
“I’m just taking my time. I’m not rushing. I’m just letting the game come to me. I don’t want to rush it and take a bad shot so I just take my time and run with the team.”
Pelicans Center Alexis Ajinca:
strong>On tonight’s game:
“I guess I played alright, but at the end of the day if you lose it doesn’t matter how you play, especially when you lose by 20. It’s annoying.”
On the team’s lack of focus:
“Yeah, more on the game plan discipline, especially transition. We gave up a lot of easy shots. Sometimes we left the guy wide open and they make a run like that.”
On tomorrow night’s game:
“We are just trying to be solid. Whoever comes in, they are going to give 100 percent. It’s going to be the last game so there will be no excuse of, ‘I’m tired’. Just give it all, it’s the last game. Doesn’t matter if you have it going or not but defensively and offensively we just have to show up.”