Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn Nets
On what changed after being down 16 points:
“I thought Caris (LeVert) and Quincy (Acy) came in the game and changed the energy. Caris had a big hand in it, obviously Quincy shooting opened up the floor for us. Lastly, our offense definitely wasn’t pretty by any means but a really good defensive performance.”
On getting over the hump and finishing out the game:
“There were so many big plays. At the end of the day this is a player’s game, DeMarre (Carroll) hits a big three, Caris and Spencer (Dinwiddie) have two big-time drives in the pick-and-roll and we made plays, but more importantly we got stops. We really locked down defensively. That’s a good team, that’s a top-four team in the East, they’re playing really well. We struggled big-time in the first half, did not look great, but I think we held them to 16 points in that third quarter and that kind of changed the game. I thought, again, Quincy and Caris coming in it just changed the energy of the game. Caris had a run there at the end of the third quarter I think it was where he had some drives, hit a big three and just boosted us, he boosted our energy.”
On if Caris and Spencer’s late-game performance is a reflection of how much they’ve grown without D’Angelo Russell:
“Yes, I do think it was a reflection. What was great about it was it wasn’t just one guy. We haven’t had those two in at the end a ton lately and so it was all on Spencer’s shoulders. So the fact that they could share that ball handling duty and share that pick-and-roll play at the end I think it kept Miami off balance.”
BROOKLYN NETS POSTGAME QUOTES
KENNY ATKINSON JANUARY 19, 2018
Caris LeVert
On what sparked the Nets in the second half:
“I think defensively is what got us going. D’Angelo (Russell) was real vocal when he came in like in the third quarter, when he came in I think that is when the run started. He was just telling us stop by stop, just get a stop. Easy baskets. And that kind of sparked the run.”
On what sparked Caris in the clutch moments of the game:
“That was all God honestly. I played bad the first half of the game, first half of the third quarter. And then it just came over me. I just got it together in the third and fourth.”
On the importance of this win:
“It is huge. Especially since we are about to go on the road. Tough road stretch so it was big for us.”
On outscoring the Heat down the stretch and what that says about how the team has learned:
“Trust in each other, trust in our teammates. I feel like we had great spacing at the end of the game. Everybody was in sync and we just made plays.”
On how the team played defensively:
“I think the third quarter was really when that switched. Like I said, when D’Angelo checked in he was real vocal and that was the main point. Just get stops on defense and that will spark the offense. We held them to 95 points and that was the game right there.”
D'Angelo Russell
On how it felt to be out on the court again:
“Great. That was the main test, so getting the opportunity to go out there and be with my teammates again was great.”
On what was different from first half to second half to spark the Nets’ run:
“Man, I thought the five that was out there did that. We played together. Just tried to do what Coach told us to do.”
On what was different for him in the second half:
“Limited minutes, but it was great. Like I said, just being out there in general. All numbers aside, I don’t know how you want to put it, but just being out there was really my main focus.”
On whether he felt a little rusty:
“Yeah, I mean I feel like everything is still there, but definitely not being able to play the last few games, you’re going to feel like that.”
On his approach in the third quarter with Caris LeVert:
“I tried to be that voice for him, but he’s growing on his own. Every game he has ups and downs, but being that voice for him – two young guys on the team trying to find their way in this league, so I think we’re going to need each other to do that.”