Toronto Raptors vs. San Antonio Spurs
Friday, April 4, 2003 – Air Canada Centre

Wilkens

(On the Spurs being a good basketball team) “They played a great game. They played really well. We couldn’t guard anybody. They did everything really well and they showed why they are one of the better teams. We just didn’t have an answer for any of them. You’ve got to make shots, you have to stop people, we weren’t able to do any of that. They just came out and got going right from the beginning and just kept going. We couldn’t guard anybody. Malik Rose went to the basket anytime he wanted to, he played very well. Tony Parker penetrated. All of them, they were very good tonight and when they have a night like that, you just hope you can stop it. It’s like a flood coming and you don’t have enough hands to block the dyke. It was incredible.”

V. Carter

VINCE CARTER

(On playing a good team) “At the same time, it was an awful team they played tonight. There was no effort, no communication, no nothing tonight. From the jump, we did not have that energy and we didn’t match their intensity. They wanted it 100 times more than we did. We were not helping, not communicating and nothing was said on offence. We did not do a lot of things right tonight. It is plain and simple. I’m hoping some of this sticks in our head and we do something about it next game.”

J. Williams

JEROME WILLIAMS

“It was a great effort by the Spurs tonight and a lack-luster effort by us. They just came out and jumped out on top of us and we weren’t able to meet their intensity levels. They were hitting every shot in the first half and it was tough to come back. It is very embarrassing and you try to do everything you can to dig yourself out of the hole. But unfortunately tonight they were working on all cylinders. There were no weaknesses in their armour and they were able to stay on top of us and keep the pressure on us defensively. They drove to the hole, if we stepped in, they either made a shot or kicked it out for an open jump shot.”

G. Popovich

GREGG POPOVICH, Spurs

“We had a good night. I think Toronto caught us on a bad night. They’ve been doing real well. They beat New York and playing Detroit twice, beating once and playing them real tough the other time. We knew we had to play really well here. We didn’t think we were gonna shoot 59 per cent so I think they just caught us on a bad night and we were just really fortunate.” (Is Duncan okay?) “He keeps tweaking it. Every three days he keeps tweaking it. He’s not a 100 per cent but he’ll be okay.” (On Jackson being a big contribution to the team) “Malik – I think he’s the best guy off the bench in the league. He’s been doing that all year long. It seems like nobody knows he exists. He’s a heck of a player for us. He brings us a lot at both ends of the court. Stephen Jackson – he’s diamond in the rough and he’s just going to continue to get better I think.” (On Robinson) We’re going to see how he is tomorrow. It’s kind of a day-to-day ting and probably we’ll MRI him on Monday to look at that knee a little bit but he thought he felt a little better today. I think he’d be doubtful for Detroit.”

S. Jackson

STEPHEN JACKSON Spurs

(About the good old-fashioned whoopin) “I think we just came out and played our style of ball. Shots were falling tonight, especially the three ball. I think we shot 100% for three quarters of the game. It was good shooting the ball tonight. Tim didn’t play in the second half so we knew we had to turn it up.” (About the inside-outside game) “That’s the soul of our team – inside with Dave, Tim, Kevin and Malik. That’s how we play, inside-out and get it going. We do that and we can continue to get good leads in the first half.” (On coach finding something wrong with the game tonight) “The thing with Popovich is that he always wants us to get better. We always have room for improvement so if we can improve, he wants us to, so he’s going to stay on us until the buzzer is out.”

T. Parker

TONY PARKER, Spurs

(On the last time you shot 90% in a quarter) “Wow 90%! I think it’s the first time for us. This year, we’ve been pretty good on offence. We score 100 points in a lot of games. In the last game against Memphis, I think we scored 65 points at halftime, today 66. We’re just on fire. I don’t know what to say. Everybody is playing well. When Malik, Speedy, and Emanuel come off the bench and they’re playing well, it’s just great momentum. I don’t know what to say. We’re just playing great.” (On the Lakers’ game and using it as motivation) “Yeah, a little bit. But still when you lose one game, you never know what can happen. We have some big games coming up, Detroit then Seattle and Portland. We just have to take it one game at a time and we’ll see..”