Postgame Quotes

February 27, 2009: Sixers 108, Knicks 103

Box Score | Postgame Report | Video: Highlights

Head Coach Tony DiLeo

On Tonights Game:
We knew they would come out firing in the second half. They had momentum and we did a good job. For us that offset three pointers because we are not a three point shooting team. We are an attacking team and sprinkle in some threes.

On the Team Chemistry:
What’s good about this team is that it’s not just one player. They are very unselfish and anyone can come up with what we need.

Sixers Guard Andre Miller

On tonight's game:
They got back in the game and they fought hard. Our game plan was to go in to pick and rolls. They started to hit threes in the third and they played with a lot of energy and effort in the second half. We made our adjustments and finished them off.

On Nate Robinson:
It was one of those nights where someone else had it going and he didn’t. Larry Hughes gave them a big game off the bench. He played well but tonight just wasn’t Nate’s (Robinson) night.

Sixers Forward Andre Iguodala

On tonight's game:
I was pretty sure we were going to pull the game out. We just had to continue to execute and get one or two stops in a row. They did a good job getting back in the game but we started knocking down some threes. We were able to get the stops we needed to and convert when we needed to.

Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni

On tonight's game:
Anytime you make a trade, it takes a little bit of adjustment. It’s going to take some adjustment on my part to be able to figure the group that we need to go with. I don’t know if that was the problem, we just missed shots. We did battle back and the guys had another chance. But, obviously we can’t dig 20-point holes and then try to come out of it. (We) just got to figure this out.

On Chris Duhon:
I thought he was in a funk and that sometimes happens, but he played his way out of it. I thought the second half, he played well. He and Larry Hughes kind of let us get back, get stabilized. I just think it’s a period that people go through and he’ll get through this and be fine.

On Larry Hughes:
I just thought he was really good. He’s kind of the guy that we envisioned when we went and got him. We’re just really happy for him. He shot the ball well. His defense, if you watch his defense, he’ll be contagious. And you need a couple guys to start picking up some defense and I think he’ll do that. I think he’ll help the rest of the guys get a little bit more conscientious, a little bit more aware of what we’re doing. You always try to find a bright spot, and that’s definitely a bright spot. We can work on this. We can get a lot better.

Knicks Guard Nate Robinson

On Playing Catch Up:
first quarter killed us. We played hard down the stretch. Larry came in and gave us a lot of energy. We played hard, but it wasn’t good enough.

On First Half:
We just came out flat. We didn’t make shots – and then they kind of hand a dunk contest for a minute. They had a lot of energy, and everybody knows that Philadelphia is a dangerous team, but for the most part, we played as hard as we could – but they got the win.p>

On Third Quarter Energy:
The guys shared the ball and Larry showed his talent, playing the way he has been playing for many years. The Garden welcomed him with open arms [tonight] which is good for his confidence. He’s a great defender and a great teammate and he talks a lot and that’s exactly what we need.

On Ongoing Conversation with the Refs:
It just seemed like nothing was going right for us and I was trying to get some kind of leeway for us. For the most part it was good because they were talking back to me. I got some good feedback from them, which was good.”

Knicks Forward David Lee

On Larry Hughes:
It seems like he finally found his rhythm here. He’s a guy that we can count on night in and night out for us.

On Tomorrow Nights Game:
We need to come out and play with the same kind of energy we played with in the second half tonight. That’s the most frustrating thing about tonight just like against Orlando, is that first quarter we put ourselves in a hole – down 10 or 15 and then needing to come back like that.

Knicks Forward Larry Hughes

On getting a rhythm:
It’s all about getting a rhythm, I know my body better than anybody. I told myself by the third game, this is actually the fourth game that I would start to feel normal and get a little pop back in my step and in my jump shot. And that is exactly what it felt like.

On First Half:
It was 29-11 in the 1st quarter and we beat them every other quarter after that. Its tough to come back from that but we fought hard. Obviously we all know that we have to get off to a better start than that and not give up 29 points and we have to score more than 11.

On what the team needs to do:
Just getting after it. We have a limited number of games left and we have to blow it out. We have a lot of guys who can contribute so when your in there you have to give maximum effort and energy and once you get tired let the other guys come in and do their jobs… Go out and win. Go out and play. We understand that we’ve put ourselves in a little bit of a hole, but at the same time we have a game tomorrow, and we have to come in and be focused. Tonight is over with and we can’t get it back. So we have to go and get one on the road.

On his good performance in a losing effort:
Obviously we’ve made some moves and everybody’s been trying to figure out where we fit in and were obviously trying to make a playoff push. I’m just going to try and play with in the system and try to be productive. I don’t look so much into my performance as long as I go out and try and give the team the best chance to win, I know if I play well that gives us a better chance to in, So that’s what I want to continue to do, Just come out and give it everything that I’ve got and at the end of the day get that W on the board.