Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn Nets
On the Nets’ poor 3-point shooting percentage:“Obviously we didn’t shoot it well, but credit to their defense. I thought a lot of our shots were contested, they were running us off the line and we were shooting those pull-ups off the dribble, which are much tougher shots, but I think they did a good job of contesting the 3-point line. I thought we could have drove it more. I don’t know what our drive numbers were. I don’t think we got to the rim enough, especially when (Kristaps) Porzingis went out. We should have been at the rim more.”
On what he attributes the Nets’ early deficit to:“I thought their second unit came in and just really took the game over. Similar to the first game, they turned up their pressure, their physicality really. I thought they were the much more physical team, more aggressive. They were beating us on the boards and just had another level of physicality we didn’t match.”
On the impact of rebounding on the game:“I think we’re 11th in defensive rebounding percentage, so we’ve done a good job all year. I think we’re improving in that area, so tonight was a little bit of a disappointment that we didn’t compete on the boards. I thought Kyle O’Quinn’s six offensive boards, they’re getting extra possessions, I thought that was big. I’ve also mentioned we turned the ball over too much. Again, I think a lot of it was them. They were trapping the ball handler and we didn’t get it out of there. They had a physicality and a force we didn’t match tonight.”
Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
On the Knicks’ physicality compared to the first game of the series earlier this season:“They did a great job. That’s what their M.O. is. It’s how they play and they stuck to their style and we weren’t able to combat that.”
On if he settled for three’s with Porzingis out:“No, we have a certain play style and we’re going to do that. We have great confidence in all our guys as shooters and when you don’t make shots it’s easy, hindsight is 20/20, but we have confidence in those guys and our teammates.”
On if the Nets missed open looks or took bad shots:“I think probably a little bit of both. We gotta watch film to give you an accurate answer on that. I mean it’s just a situation where obviously sometimes as a shooter you may change up a little if the contest is good, whatever what have you and you just miss shots.”
On your strong game tonight:“I was just fortunate to hit shots. Last game I couldn’t hit the side of a barn so today they went in and looked like a better game. That’s really it.”
Allen Crabbe, Brooklyn Nets
On what he would attribute the team’s shooting struggles to:“Just the ball not going in for us right now. Just one of those stretches. We will be better, though. That is the good thing about the league, you get another one next day. So hopefully things turn around for us.”
On if it feels like they are settling for shots:“I don’t think so. I think that is the game plan – take the open threes, take the ones that we have good looks at and we shoot on it. And we have been doing that all season. A tough couple stretches. We will be better, though. I feel like we are here. That is all I can say right now: we will be better.”
On if the team has gotten the looks they want:“Yeah. They didn’t take us out of anything or we weren’t forcing bad shots. We just weren’t making shots.”
On if it was surprising how physical the Knicks were:“No, that is how they won the first game in New York. They were more physical and they just brought a lot of energy tonight, got the offensive boards. They made some shots, we didn’t. So it was just their night.”