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POSTGAME QUOTES
DECEMBER 14, 2002


On the Clippers' play:
"Well, they came in here and played a really physical game; no surprise. They sort of wore us down. We tried a zone early. They did a real good job (against the zone). We thought that maybe with (Eric) Piatkowski out of the lineup that would be a good defense to use. They did a real good job of moving (the ball) around and getting good shots.”

On the back-to-back losses:
“We’re going into a bit of a storm here. There will be several of them during the year. You get a game that you could have won (Memphis Grizzlies), and then you come back (and lose) the next day. The league is tough. This is a test for our team, a young team, on how to handle the adversity of this disappointment."

On seven-foot Chinese players facing each other:
“It was interesting. Who knows what will be next? That’s the exciting thing. We had international players last night who decided the game with (Pao) Gasol. And it’s great. (Basketball) is the best sport in the world. And to see players in (different) countries like it is good."

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On the team’s play:
"We had poor execution down the stretch on offense and defense. We have guys that can have a big night scoring, but the last two games I think we lost it defensively. If you have the intensity, the transition defense will be there. We know we can do it. We’ve been there, done that. We just have to execute."

On his play in the post:
"I’ve always been comfortable down there in the post, but we lost the game. Right now, we’re a team that’s lost two in a row, so it’s (the next game) a gutcheck."

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On the team’s defense:
"Well you have to start with defense. Individually, it’s getting better, but as a team we need to work on it."

On the trip to Miami:
"How you rebound from it is the true test. We can’t go in there and think we’re going to beat them."

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On the win:
"Obviously, it was a great win for us. They’re (Houston) another team that has played very well at home. I think they are 8-1 at home if I’m not mistaken. To come out here and get a win against this team, it was great."

On the game:
"Once again, I think Elton (Brand) is Elton. Every night he gives us everything that he’s got. I just think the guy is an All-Star. I thought Andre (Miller) was really, really good tonight. We pretty much led from start to finish. I don’t think they (Houston) ever had a lead. The few times they made a run on us, we regained our composure and stopped their runs. I think that’s something you have to do on the road."

On Yao Ming:
"I think everybody got a flash of how good Yao Ming is going to be. I thought we probably have done about as good a job that you can do on him in the two games we’ve faced him, considering the talent level that he has. Every game I’ve seen him, I think he’s getting smarter, with his up and under moves, his head fakes, and things like that."

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On the Clippers’ rebounding:
"Second-chance opportunities are always a plus in any game. We had a lot of second-chance opportunities and that was great."

On the game:
"We never trailed the entire game. They went on a run, but we withstood it. It was a good win for us."

On facing the Rockets without Kenny Thomas and Maurice Taylor:
"I try to play hard, regardless of who is out there. Eddie Griffin, Kenny Thomas, Maurice Taylor, those guys are tough. Going against those guys is going to be a battle. It was definitely to our advantage (not facing Thomas and Taylor). We got a lot of offensive rebounds and second chance points to control the game. We made outside shots, which opened it up for myself, Michael (Olowokandi), and Q (Quentin Richardson)."

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On the game:
"We came out and played well. Everybody played well. We were basically doing what we wanted to do."

On the Clippers’ rebounding:
"Yes it was (the key to the win). It allowed us to get second-chance points and to get to the free throw line. We stepped up and did some things down low."

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On the game:
"We had guys scrapping. Elton was great for us. Plus, they (Houston) have a tendency to shoot from the outside. Whenever they tried to take it in the paint, we were always there to change (their) direction or to try to block the shot. I think that was the difference in the game."