SPURS 86, Suns 84

Post-Game Quotes: Spurs vs. Suns 1/23/04


Gregg Popovich
Tim Duncan
Tony Parker
Mike D’Antoni

Joe Johnson
Casey Jacobsen

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Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich

On the game - “Typical Suns, Spurs game. They are always tough on us. They spread the floor. They play the small line up. It seems like every game is like this. Either team could have won and we feel really fortunate to get the win.

On last shot - I had no clue who was going to take it. I had no idea. I just wanted anybody that might make a shot to take it. With our team, we’ve had a tough time field goal percentage wise and free throws wise, so I really don’t have any preference right now to tell you the truth.”


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Tim Duncan

On the game - “It’s always like this. These guys really get up for us. They play hard against us. They have a great game plan to counter what we do and it always seems to end up that way. We’re up 10 points and in the back of your mind you know this is coming down to the wire. That’s just how it is. I think Jake Voskuhl really gets up to play against me. He plays well against me all the time.”

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Tony Parker

On his last shot - “He called a play, a kind of rub. They tried to double team so I kept the ball and let the clock go down and I was confidant to take that shot and make it. They doubled Timmy every time and we had some pretty good wide open shots and some pretty good penetration so we just tried to get something going.”

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Suns Head Coach Mike D’Antoni

On the game - “Obviously we had a chance to win. I am proud of the way the guys fought. We did not play well all the time and we made mistakes, but they kept fighting and fighting and that is all we can expect out of them right now. I thought they did a heck of a job.”

On keeping it close - “San Antonio are Champions for a reason. They are just solid, but looking at us feels good. To see us from two weeks ago till now, we can play with anybody and that feels good. Casey Jacobsen had a big night. Maybe he is feeling more comfortable. He had a great night offensively and defensively. I really like the way Joe Johnson is playing. He struggled in the being, but come crunch time he took over.”

On the Suns last shot - “At the end of the game I initially wanted a screen set for Casey Jacobsen for a three point shot, but at the end of the time out I yelled that if Joe Johnson was one on one to clear the lane for lay-up. I guess the last thing I said stayed in their heads and they went for the lay-up instead. But we have practice tomorrow and we will improve on this situation.”


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Joe Johnson

On the game - “We fought back into the ball game, and stayed in the ball game, but Duncan was hitting some tough shots, and it was an especially tough one that Tony (Parker) got to fall at the end of the game.”

On playing a better 2nd half - “I just wanted to be assertive on both ends of the floor. I didn’t shoot well in the first half, and I just wanted to stay assertive and make sure that coming out for the second half, the intensity was still there.”


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Casey Jacobsen

On the game - Suns Guard Casey Jacobsen (17 Points, 3 Rebounds): “I felt pretty good out there, but I don’t like to be highlighted for playing well when the team doesn’t win. They are the league champs, and an obviously a talented team, but it just seems like they have our number. This is the second time this season they have beaten us at the buzzer.”

On the final play of the game - “I was the second option in the play. It was supposed to go to Jake (Voskuhl) and then back to Joe Johnson for a quick shot at a two pointer. If Joe was not open then I was the next option behind the arc for a three.”


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