Detroit: Lawrence Frank | Brandon Knight | Rodney Stuckey Memphis: Lionel Hollins | Tony Allen | Marc Gasol | O.J. MayoPistons Head Coach Lawrence Frank
On the game: “Defensively the Grizzlies stepped up their game in the last six minutes. Because of their pressure we lost our poise and had a hard time getting off quality shots. With their defensive aggressiveness, we lost momentum and they took advantage of it. It’s tough because we fought hard and fought a good game. The first and fourth quarters are completely different the last six minutes of the game get tougher and tougher, hard, more intense, and everything you do has to be more precise.”
On the Grizzlies: “They are very active. They have great individual players, they have size, athleticism and length. They are a very good team. Because of their pressure and intensity it forced us to make plays that we wouldn’t want to make, but you have to give them credit. (O.J) Mayo and (Rudy) Gay are shot makers, but their defense got them motivated.”
On the final six minutes of the game: “They made a lot of big shots and a lot of threes. We failed to come up with stops, so I think that they were able to push the radar offensively. We got a little bit stagnant and started to score a lot less. Our execution on both ends was limited.”
“It’s frustrating. We’re still getting better and we saw a lot of good signs. We just gotta stay with it through the fourth quarter.”
On the impact of Ben Gordon rolling his ankle: “Definitely big in any game. We need him to come in the game and just be the player that he is, which is a scorer and a defensive pit bull. Rolling his ankle limited him and definitely put our team in a hole.”
On the Grizzlies’ defense: “They’re just a defensive-first team. They’re always going for steals, always helping each other, and always trying to make sure they get stops.”
On the final six minutes of the game: “We just fell apart in the last six minutes. They got turnovers. We weren’t really executing the way we started the game. They had some players come off the bench that made some big shots for them like O.J. Mayo and (Quincy) Pondexter. They did a good job. They’re a good team. At the end of the day we just lost the last six minutes. We can’t hang our heads. We gave the game away.”
On the Grizzlies’ defense: “We just have to take care of the ball. We turned the ball over a lot at the end of the game. I think if we just would take care of the ball and spread the court out a little more we would have been fine. In the first half, we got pretty much whatever we wanted. We know we did some bad things the last six minutes. We just gotta go back to the film and watch film. It is what it is, and we just have to get ready to play the Lakers.”
On the fourth quarter: “It was just awesome. I thought that we switched, we challenged shots. We got steals. Our energy level just rose. Through all of the foul trouble and all the things that were going on throughout the game, we stored it up and on that stretch we exploded. It was fun to watch. They stayed after it. They were really focused. They were disciplined. We didn’t get out of position. We helped. We took charges. We blocked shots. We forced them into 21 turnovers and they’re not really a high turnover team.”
On the game: “I thought through the course of the whole game we played hard. We had stretches were we didn’t make shots. Then we got into foul trouble. Then we weren’t get any loose balls. It seem like everything was going their way. We would knock a ball loose; we get a loose ball foul. We knock another ball loose; they pick it up and throw it to a guy and get the three. We stayed after it and eventually we were rewarded.”
On the teams focus: “Part of it is maturity, and part of it is the will to want to win. They’ve been together; they’ve had that taste of winning. Once you get that belief that you can do certain things and play together you can get it done. I think last night was a prime example of that too. We came from being down the second half and we just stepped it up. Even though the game went down to the wire, we got back in the game and actually won the game in the third quarter stretch in terms of playing from ahead. Tonight we did the same thing, and I just think its maturity. Having been together and understanding more and more what it takes to win.”
On Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter: “Tony was in foul trouble and I wanted to save him in case we needed him. I don’t have any rhyme or reason on substituting. Dante has been playing pretty consistent minutes all along at the four spot. There are not a lot of minutes for Q when we are playing Tony Allen, Rudy Gay and O.J Mayo. When Rudy got in foul trouble it gave him the opportunity. His play was stellar both on the offensive and defensive end. He did some nice things for us, so that allowed me to have confidence to keep him in the game a little bit longer. I thought he made some big plays- driving to the basket and getting fouled, the three-point shot and coming up with a couple of rebounds and loose balls. I got on them because I didn’t think our bench played very well last night and I thought that put us in a hole. I told them that the guys that are role players and don’t play all the time must play well every night. It doesn’t mean shooting the ball well, but being where you are suppose to be defending and making the right plays. I thought that our whole group that we put in did that tonight.”
On the time off: “It’s nice to have it, but we are also going to try to get some rest as well. Once we rest back up, it tightens back in terms of the number of games and days. We will have some time to work on some stuff and we had time since the All-Star Break. Those two days before the All-Star Break were huge. For the guys that haven’t been here, their defensive understanding is getting better. Their offensive understanding is getting better. Before we were just running by trying to point people out to where they’re suppose to be and not having any practice time was a big reason. Now we are getting in the groove and playing. We just have to continue to play and continue to attack and continue to make the plays that are winning plays. We’ve done that.”
On the start of the game: “It was a tough game in Toronto. I think guys had a little fatigue in the first three quarters. For the most part we sucked it up, came out with a more sense of urgency in the fourth quarter and it showed on the defensive end, especially beating them 31-13 in the fourth.”
On the coach: “I thought (O.J. Mayo) Juice responded, (Quincy Pondexter) Q came up big, Dante (Cunningham) is Dante. He has been Dante all year. For the most part, great team wins and shout out to the bench.”
On the three day break: “I got a message tomorrow and I am looking forward to that. We could use the rest because we have a tough road trip coming up with a fast paced team like Phoenix and Golden State so we want to take one game at a time, get our rest, and know that we are trying to do something big.”
On the fourth quarter: “It was the way it was supposed to be. It can’t wait always until the fourth quarter. We did it last night and we did it again tonight. We might get away from some teams but the more experienced teams are willing to do that.”
On next week: “Now we are going to have a nice week of practice. Only two games this week. I’m sure we can use that for many reasons.”
On the bench: “Marreese (Speights) did a great job. Q (Quincy Pondexter) came big on the fourth quarter. They are very talented players. They are great.”
On confidence of the team: “I think we enjoy the ground part about it. We enjoy having to get stops or having to execute well because we remember, once upon a time, we were not very good. Now we get an opportunity. We have been together for three or four years now. We know each other like the back of our hand.”
On the road trip: “If you look at the standings the West is pretty bunched up. Any time you get two West coast teams playing against each other, it’s a big game. All games are must wins.”