Postgame Quotes - November 15, 2014

PISTONS HEAD COACH STAN VAN GUNDY

On the tempo of the game:

“For the first half I thought we held our own. Andre Drummond got in foul trouble and I took him out. Looking back it was probably a mistake, because it hurt us on rebounding. That’s when they started to pound us. I think the two big things were second chance points and not taking advantages of free throws. We rebounded well and I think we are a good team. I thought our attempt at half-court defense was good.  I thought we had moments of decent offense. We are a pretty good rebounding team when you put all three bigs together.”

 On Josh Smith guarding Zach Randolph:  

“He is a tough assignment. We didn’t do a great job on the boards. It’s not just one guy. It’s everybody. We didn’t do a good job on the boards.”

 On playing on the road:

“I think with defense we are starting to play harder and better. We can take something from that. We have been playing good teams on the road. We have had back –to- back games. Our guys are developing toughness. We certainly have to get better. Its different things every night. It’s a consistency issue. Obviously offense has been a major struggle. For us to win we have to win the rebounding battle and defend. Our defense has to become more consistent. We have to keep fighting and find some more offensive answers.”

 PISTON FORWARD KYLE SINGLER (21 POINTS, 4 REBOUNDS)

 On the game:

"Just collectively as a team, we just weren't really there in the first half. The guys that came off the bench got us back in the game and played well. It just wasn't a complete game for us to win the game."

On playing the best team in the NBA:

"There a good team but we didn't play perfect. We didn't play as well as we can. We were right there to compete with them, so if we had just played a little bit better, executed on the offensive end, not much better, just a little bit better and converted some offense, we would've been right there."

 On having an unpredictable role in each game:

"You've got to keep on putting your work in without the game going on. You've got to stay focused. You've got to stay ready. As much work you can put in during practice and the shootaround, the better off you'll be."

 PISTON FORWARD JOSH SMITH (11 POINTS, 7 REBOUNDS)

On being matched up against Zach Randolph:

"He's one of the best ever to do it. My main comment before was, it's going to be a battle, and I know that. You need everyone to try and gain the rebound in situations like that because he's so strong and he does a great job getting in position to get offensive rebounds. He has a knack for it."

 On finding a rhythm in the game:

"We tried our best to move the ball side-to-side. We really wanted to get them in transition a little bit but they did a great job balancing the floor on their misses. When you're playing against a good defensive team like that in the half court, we have to be able to move the ball side-to-side. We couldn't make shots. There were open shots but we just couldn't make shots tonight."

 On not having Andre Drummond in for extended minutes:

"It changes the game tremendously but guys stepped in. We made some plays. We just couldn't make them more so than what they did down the stretch."

 On this past road trip:

"We have to do a better job at finishing the game. This will be a good testament for us to be able to watch film and see what we're doing down the stretch. Maybe foul less, and be able to try to buckle down and not get guys in our paint towards the end of the game, especially in the fourth quarter."

GRIZZLIES HEAD COACH DAVE JOERGER

On the game:

“That was a good game. The most completed game that we have played from start to finish. We did a nice job defensively, we came out fast. We wanted to start fast and finish fast and I think we did that. We had a couple of hiccups in the second quarter. We had a couple of break downs defensively. They made some shots. I’ll give them credit. Kyle Singler is a good shooter as well. Caron Butler makes. (D.J.) Augustin and (Brandon) Jennings got in the lane a little too much in the second quarter. Outside of that, that is the longest stretch of 48 minutes that we have played a complete game. I am very proud of our guys. A lot of times we looked down and there would be four guys off with white jerseys checking out, putting bodies on their backs, for a team like that. I know they are on their fifth game in seven nights--to get nine offensive rebounds and shoot 41 percent was a tremendous complement to our team by only allowing them 53, 43; holding this team to 88 points. This team is going to be in the Playoffs. This is a good team. They are coming. Their size, their athleticism and Coach (Stan) Van Gundy is an excellent coach. It was a good win for us. Hopefully we sustain how we are playing and feel good about it and keep bringing that energy and focus every night.”

 On keeping the team focused:

"I really don’t think we have played really well. Tonight was definitely a step in the right direction. We know its part of the process. It’s a long season and we are in the West. Every possession matters, every game matters and that is what they are coming to an understanding of. I was very impressed with Marc Gasol being so assertive early in the game; Same with Zach Randolph early and often going and being aggressive in the paint and taking shots. It seems like we had a lot of paint shots. We had 52 attempts in the paint. That’s hard to do, especially against 7’, 6’ 10”, and 6’10”. Those guys are being aggressive. When they are aggressive it opens up stuff for other guys. When we rebounded we were able to push the basketball and get some easy baskets. That’s nice to see as well.”

 On Zach Randolph:

"He is a fullback. He gets into his 25th run of the game and he just wore you down. He wears down multiple people at a time. You get to that point and you’re just like, ‘I don’t want any more of you.’ He is as good at what he does as anybody in the game. I can’t think of another who can do what he does around the basket and in close quarters in hand-to-hand combat.”

 On the starting five:

"Tayshaun (Prince), analytically, before the last game was our best defender. Our defense efficiency was at its lowest, which is a positive, defensively. He is our longest guy. He is one of our most, I think, athletic wings with his size at 6’ 9”. It just gives us one look to start with against teams that play big threes like we have seen the last two nights. It may or may not continue. It’s not easy, guys get in routines and they like a certain rhythm. They get used to playing with a certain group. It is what it is. Courtney Lee has been tremendous. I’ve been trying him out there 31 good minutes tonight. He has been tremendous. He is playing a ton of the minutes. He is always on the floor at the end of the game. That old adage - it’s not who starts it’s who finishes - but everyone wants to start. We have got a good team. It’s best to just define what it is and have your roles. There are opportunities in games like this with big threes that are post-up guys. Let’s just give them one look and then bring in Tony (Allen) and give them another look. I thought it was more effective tonight than it was the other night.”

 GRIZZLIES GUARD TONY ALLEN (5 rebounds)

 On forcing Brandon Jennings out-of-bounds in the fourth quarter:

“Honestly, I thought Mike Conley did a good job throughout the game.  Coach (Dave Joreger) made an emphasis he scored over 60 points in the last two games.  I just wanted to help Mike out in that specific situation.  Normally we switch guard to guard and just stick to the team defense.  I was fortunate enough to help force him (Brandon Jennings) out of bounds.  Mike did his work early in pressing him up.  Like I said, team defense and he stepped out of bounds.”

On playing with Tayshaun Prince:

“That’s our focus going in.  We keep our energy on the defensive end until further notice and all we can do is do our job and not try to do too much.  Coach (Dave Joerger) told him that he would be starting these last two games and he was ready and helped us.”

 On defense:

“We just understand the game.  We can switch two, three pick-and-rolls.  We can help close out and I just think with the great defensive IQ that we have it’s great for us as a team.”

 On Zach Randolph’s 22 rebounds:

“He’s always on me when I’m stealing rebounds from him, but I told him those rebounds he got today were grown man rebounds.  He stood down there and battled with some guys who lead the league in offensive rebounding.  All the rebounds he got today I salute him.  He worked tonight, and not only that he kept it going on the offensive end.  He shot a bad percentage but he still fought and held it in on both ends.  Great team win.  We understood what kind of team was coming in and we did it all together.”

On Marc Gasol’s aggressiveness:

“I love it when he’s aggressive.  I think he’s the best center in league, hands down.  Two way player.  Whenever he’s going it’s best for other guys like myself, Vince (Carter), and whoever’s playing with him at that time.  He just makes everybody better because he’s that good.”

On the upcoming game against Houston:

“It’s a big game for us and obviously they’re playing well.  I can’t say we’re playing too well right now, but we’re a work in progress.  It’s a challenge for us and we want to keep this streak going and head in the right direction, which is playing together and playing hard defense.”

 GRIZZLIES CENTER MARC GASOL (23 points, 8 rebounds)

On the game:

“I would like to make more shots.  I had some really good looks at the basket and the ball didn’t fall.  I thought defensively we were real engaged.  I thought second quarter we gave up some offensive rebounds to a really good offensive rebounding team.  For the most part yeah, it was a pretty good game especially defensively.”

“They (the Pistons) have a lot of size and on the bench they have size too.  You have to be patient, move the ball, move from side to side and try to get a good shot.”

 On Zach Randolph’s performance:

“That’s been Zach for as long as I’ve known him.  He’s always been like that.  He works hard.  He gets points and rebounds because he works really hard.  He deserves it.”