Detroit: John Loyer | Greg Monroe
Philadelphia: Brett Brown | Tony Wroten
(They punched you in the mouth from the beginning. Was it just a lack of energy?)
I don't know, you watched it. If I could put my finger on it, I would have changed it. They competed and they attacked the rim. Once people see them attacking the rim, then they start getting a few calls and that rim starts looking a lot bigger. They were definitely the most aggressive team. They're 30th in the league in three-point shooting, but once you see that rim getting bigger, shots start going in, and we didn't do a very good job on our closeouts. They took it to us and we didn't answer the bell.
(With nine games left, what’s the message to the team to get them to finish out strong?) How do you do that?)
The message to the team is, “If this is the type of effort we're going to have over the next nine, then we'll have results like we did the last two nights.” We didn't have that effort over the first 20 games. I told them I thought their effort in those games was tremendous. It's our job as coaches and their job a players to get back to that. We've played some good basketball against some very good people, so we're capable. We just haven't shown that in two straight nights, and we have to get back to that.
(Does this one hurt more than some of the others?)
They all hurt. They all hurt. Of course Cleveland at the buzzer hurt a lot, and then not playing the way we should have in front of a home crowd last night hurt. To come out tonight after that lackluster effort and give us this is not acceptable. Our guys know that and our coaches know that.
(It looked like they hit you guys in the mouth and you never recovered...)
Yeah. I mean, there was no effort tonight. Absolutely no effort.
(What is going on with the team psyche right now?) Do you think it has anything to do with the season almost being over and you guys not making the playoffs?)
I can't speak for everyone.
(What about yourself?)
I'm trying to win every game. I don't care about the circumstances. And it shouldn't be circumstantial. I'm trying to win every game.
(Does this one hurt more than others considering the circumstances?)
It's tough. It's really tough. It definitely hurts after how we played last night. To play like that two nights in a row is something I'd say I'm disappointed in.
(This is your fourth year in the league and you've been around for a lot of losing here. Is it starting to wear on you and get old?)
Yeah, it's been old. Losing is something that I will never accept or get used to. Each one just gets tougher and tougher.
(To get that streak snapped, you have to feel glad.)
I’m happy for the players, and I’m happy for the fans. I’m real happy for the players, and I’m real happy for the fans.
(Did you defend the paint better than you have?)
I think there was an extra sense of urgency to try to follow through with a simple game plan. We felt like we could get back in transition defense and we could do what you just said, take away the paint and try to finish plays with defensive rebounds, because we’ve been manhandled by that team in the paint and with offensive rebounds the previous times that we’ve played them. I thought that we were physical and we did guard the paint quite well. I thought the third period especially enabled us to create that margin, and the fourth period allowed us to bring it home.
(What have you learned, whether it’s about yourself or the players, the city, the organization. What exactly have you learned?)
I’ve learned that the city does have patience. I’m proud of the city. I feel the weight of the city. I feel the responsibility of the city. My Boston days, my general sporting days, I get the landscape here. Ultimately, that license, that privilege won’t be as extended as it is now. I think the city believes that we’ve been transparent, we haven’t hidden anything. This is who we are and we own it. You may not agree with it, but this is our path, this is our plan, and I think that the city’s patience has been remarkable. We’re grateful. We want to deliver for them.
(Coach Brown said there’s little margin for error. How was it that everything was clicking on all cylinders?)
It was just one of those nights where it was all clicking. It starts with our defense. We let our offense get to our defense. We started playing defense hard together, and we got out on the breaks on offense, and we swung the ball, played together, and that’s how we got our win.
(In the previous three meetings – and I know this roster has changed – they dominated the paint and glass. What was better about that for you guys tonight?)
Focusing on that we know they’re a big team and rebound a lot, so we had to gang rebound. Guards had to come in and get a rebound because there were big guys down there like Andre Drummond, Josh Smith and Greg Monroe, and that’s what we did.