Postgame Quotes - February 8, 2014

(On the game tonight): “They started the game off shooting the ball extremely well. We had to get ourselves going. It looked like we weren’t used to playing that type of game, the way they pushed the ball up the floor at the pace they play and they usually play like that every night. We had to regroup and we did, we regrouped pretty nicely.”

(On Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith): “I thought the way Josh (Smith) attacked the rim, of course, that’s what we like to get him to do, attack the rim like that. Brandon’s (Jennings) been playing like this for a while, shooting the ball well, getting in the open court. I think the key to our offensive success is when he plays that way and the way Josh attacks the rim. But Brandon has been playing like this for a while and quite frankly Josh has been playing like this for a while. The more times we keep the pace, our offensive pace this way, we get easy baskets and it allows other guys to get open. But I think we have to keep Brandon playing at this pace, pick-and-rolls and making open shots and making three’s. It makes us more effective when he’s playing like that.”

(On Pistons’ effort): “I think we matched the intensity that they were putting forth on our defensive end and we were aggressive, grabbing offensive rebounds and attacking the basket.”

(On home court advantage): “We’re winning at home, everybody’s coming out, trying to see what we’re about and we’re putting a good show on and winning games.”

(On Pistons’ offensive rhythm): “I think pushing the ball, making it an up-tempo game made it that easier to get the shots that we were looking for.”

(On closing the fourth quarter): “They made a run, obviously that’s what teams are going to do in this league and we answered with a run of our own. Guys were setting screens all night, we were communicating and talking on the defensive end and it’s good. It’s fun to be a part of something when we’re doing it the right way.”

(On game): "We are not going to win too many games when we give up 126 points. The theme that we have been seeing too long is the ‘memo's’ at the bottom of the stat sheet: season-high points for Brandon Jennings. Josh Smith tied season-high assists, Pistons record a season-high in points. That says it all."

(On the impact of Ty Lawson’s injury): "You could just see it take the wind out of ourselves when Ty (Lawson) came out of the game. He is our floor leader, our table setter out there on the floor. He controls the pace and tempo of the game with his speed and the things he does out there on the floor. When you do not have him, it also takes away the best guy we have to stay in front of Brandon Jennings."

(On battling back): "They hit a couple of timely shots. They got a few stops and at that point they were up 14 or 16 whatever the case may be, but we were still in striking distance.”

(On team struggles): "I think the main thing for us is that we have to play tougher. You've got to understand that you have to take on the challenge every single night. You've got to want to be confronted with confrontation and meet confrontation head-to-head, and win the battle. You can't back down from anyone. As a team, as a group, we have to do a better job of fighting. We can make shots, we can hit threes, but when it comes down to getting stops, we have to do it.

(On team turnovers): "It's just been from being careless with the ball. It goes back to being tough; when someone puts pressure on you, you've got to be able to triple threat and get them off you and just make basketball plays."