Postgame Quotes - April 26, 2012

Philadelphia: Doug Collins | Spencer Hawes

(On Ben Wallace): “We have talked about it throughout the year. It has been an honor just to watch him every single day. One of the great competitors who have played this game, from White Hall, Alabama, undrafted. Initially diagnosed as a two guard, to then come down and be one of the great defensive players to ever play the game. He brought a championship to this city and to still be able to play at a high level at his age. He impacts the game every single time he steps on the court, to be the ultimate professional in terms of how he approaches his job. Everyday it’s clockwork. You know when Ben is going to be in the gym and you know when he is going to leave. He’s going to be the first one in and the last one to leave. He’s going to practice every single day. He’s going to mentor players and he’s going to lead by example. It’s been a privilege; I speak for all the coaches, to see him work every single day. I’ve been fortunate over my time to be around some really special players and Ben is right there. He’s a Hall-of-Fame credential player. It’s nice for him to go out the way he did. We won a tap, that doesn’t happen a whole lot. We had a season high in rebounds. People here know it more than I do what he did from the time he came from Orlando and then coming back from Chicago and Cleveland, he’s a special player.”

(On playing well in the last game): “These last games are always a little bit tricky. I really like the way our guys played right from the beginning. We had great ball commitment and sharing. Sometimes the last game of the season can look like an “And-1” game, but I thought our guys had great intent. Obviously Philadelphia was playing some of their bench guys tonight in preparation for the playoffs, but I just like where our guys went right from the beginning. We had really good ball movement, good activity and just the fact that everyone was able to play in the game, being the last game of the year. You look at the start and then the finish; we know we have a lot of work to do. Hopefully, it gives us an opportunity to reflect in terms of getting off to a better start and building some momentum going in to the off-season.”

(On Ben Wallace): "Great. Like I said from day one, when you come into the NBA as a rookie, the one thing you want to do is learn from the other guys who have already been there and done that. I was around a special group. I was able to see first-hand what hard work was about, just the competitive nature he brought to the game and just how he related to everybody else on the team and how we were able to accomplish so many things at that time. But it was self-explanatory what the fans thought about him. You got all the kids and the fans in the stands with afros and we all got headbands on. It was a great time today to be able to do that. He's meant a lot to this organization but I think he's meant a lot to the players who came in the league as young guns and was able to be able to play with him and experience what it takes to be able to achieve in this league."

(On Ben Wallace returning): "No, I wouldn't be surprised for the simple fact that a lot of guys that do retire, they have a lot left in the tank, some of them do. I think the reason why they do retire is the fact that they might want to move to the next chapter in their life or spend time with the family and things like that. But we all know Ben still has the capability of going out there and playing each and every night at a high level, we do know that. But I think the decision will be based on other things."

(On the Chicago Bulls): "We're going to be playing a very, very tough team in Chicago. They're one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Derrick Rose, when healthy, is an incredible point guard. They put so much pressure on your defense and they have depth."

(On beating Chicago Bulls earlier this season): "The one game they were injured. They came in and we had that great third quarter and beat them at home but Rose did not play at all in the fourth."

(On regular season): "We take nine out of last 11 games on the road, which is amazing and now were going for these two, so 11 of 13. I told our guys tonight I feel like we were a better team than we were at 20-9."

(On tonight’s game): "Trying to get the guys who we were playing in that comfort zone and just continue to tune up the things we need to work on.”

(On playing with shorter lineup): "I think that's a fine line that you have to trust the coach. Coach (Doug Collins) has done a good job of managing guys all year long and tonight was no exception."

(On Pistons three-point shooting) "I think the way we were trying to play the pick and roll, I think kind of played into their hand with the stuff they were trying to run in the first half. Sometimes when it rains, it pours."