Postgame Quotes - January 8, 2011

(On the game) “The thing I was impressed with was we never gave up. We came up and kept battling. The last play ended up Austin (Daye) doing a great job, Rodney Stuckey that did a great job setting up a screen to get Austin open but guys helped each other. Great win.”

(On Greg Monroe) “Was very pleased with the way Greg responded. I thought he did a great job of playing solid basketball and playing the number of minutes. He hasn’t played 30 minutes for us and having a double-double was impressive.”

(On the last shot in the 4th quarter) “To be honest with you, we were discussing it and I had Charlie in that place and D Walk (Darrell Walker) said you know what lets put it for AD (Austin Daye). We had specifically three options in the play itself and one was Tayshaun (Prince) popping out and as Tayshaun popped out we also had a opportunity to have Rodney (Stuckey) set a screen on AD and if those two options Rodney was suppose to come to the ball. But it worked out good and it’s about time we got a little luck. The basketball Gods were with us on that one.”

(On Austin Daye and Greg Monroe finishing games) “A lot of it deals with momentum of the game and as things are moving who’s got their legs in the flow of the game and that’s why we stayed with those guys.”

(On the second half) “I thought our energy was so much better. Sometimes it’s not always schemes and it’s deciding ‘hey I’m going to defend.’ That’s one of the things these young guys and T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) at the end did some nice things. Tayshaun is really one of the best defenders in the league as far as I’m concerned and I thought he did a great job. We were able to do some switching with one through four because Stuckey’s strong enough to guard a lot of different players.”

(On being comfortable) “I'm just using everything as a learning experience first of all, just trying to do it from every game, every position, watching a lot of tape, learning a lot of things at practice.”

(On being on the floor in overtime) “It means a lot. Says that coach trusts me and has faith in me. Just trying make sure I'm out there and make the right plays and compete.”

(On closing out games) “I just kept on working, coming into this league you’ve got to earn everything every day. I didn’t lose focus, things get frustrating, but I just kept on working, kept on learning, got in the games and just tried to do my best. As time came along I started playing more, now I’m finishing games and I’m trying to work to stay in that position.”Pistons Forward Austin Daye

(On being on the floor at the end of the game) “It was important to me cause pretty much I played well in spots to come in that situation. It meant a lot to me that coach had the confidence to leave me out there.”

(On the shot that sent the game to overtime) “It actually wasn’t for me to start and then he changed it around and then I got set, a great screen and I was wide open. As soon as I let it go, I knew it was going in.”

(On overtime) “We did a great job, we moved the ball well in overtime we ran plays that worked for us we just needed to make plays and Tayshaun came up big down the stretch, too.”

(On losing in overtime) “It's a shame too. It would have really put a stamp on an incredible week. Our guys have been through a lot. We played Monday in New Orleans at the end of a trip, two in Philly and then this game tonight back-to-back. It's a shame we couldn't put the finishing touches on it.”

(On Louis Williams’ missed free throws in regulation) “I told him those free throws did not lose the game. I got his back in everything he does. He's one of my best players. I want him to understand that as long as he plays for me those plays did not lose the game for us. They still had to hit a three to get the game into overtime. The thing that's tough right now at the end of games, because of the way those calls are made, it’s so hard to take a foul. In that situation there's no way we can foul Austin Daye because he was catching and shooting in one motion so it would have been a three-shot foul. Kid hit a spinning shot. It was a very difficult shot. I just want our guys to know we win or lose together. That's what we do. We don't ever separate ourselves. We play together. We work together and I just want Lou to know that I've got his back. We have 40-something more games to go. Yes that was heartbreaking and it was like Washington revisited but we just have to battle through it.”

(On their feeling after the game) “It definitely is. In these situations the only thing you can do is get together as a unit. We battled all game. Just tried to finish them off. Some of the shots rolled in and out. Questionable plays occurred and they hit some shots and got the momentum going in the overtime.”

(On Louis Williams missed free throws) “Definitely. All for one and one for all. We're all one unit. No one's sitting in the corner saying 'he blew the game.”

(On Greg Monroe and Austin Daye) “They played out of their mind today. They played really well. That's what occurred. They stepped up big. We weren't really focused on them but they definitely stepped up big and hit big shots.”