See what the Brooklyn Nets had to say after their 101-93 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
KENNY ATKINSON
On Denver in the third quarter:
“Yes, that’s where it got away. That’s when I thought we had a ton of good looks. We started missing and obviously, in the second half, we did not shoot the ball well. I will say this, I was proud of the guys. When you’re missing like that, I thought we made a great effort to get back and defend. Sometimes, when you have consecutive misses like that, you can really hang your head and really take it on the chin. We showed some defensive resiliency. I thought we moved the ball well, moved the ball really well. Shots weren’t going in. I thought their second group did a great job. You know, [Mason] Plumlee, that’s what he does, great energy. I thought their second unit really gave them a boost.”
On Nets in the third quarter:
“Tonight, I’d love to have a snapshot of the first. I thought we had wide open looks. I just think we had some really good looks that didn’t go down and it’s tough when you are going back all the time off the misses. I thought we held the fort, like I said, it could have been worse. We go into the fourth tied against one of the best teams in the league. I thought we gave ourselves a chance with our defense, but like I said, the shots just didn’t go in tonight.”
On the road trip:
“I think we have had a bunch of games like that this year where it’s just like we’re not getting over the hump right now. I did feel good about our process tonight and I felt good about how we competed. The Phoenix game, I think, that’s the outlier. I really wasn’t pleased. But, like I said, I think we’re moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, we didn’t make more shots tonight.”
KYRIE IRVING
On playing with Spencer Dinwiddie:
“Just developing a chemistry with him where I could be off the ball and he could be on the ball. Just being mature about it in our execution. It’s much more needed down the stretch so we just got to find that balance.”
On the second half:
“They just picked up their physicality and they started getting out in transition. Monte Morris started coming down and making some midrange shots, made a three in the third quarter and that really kind of cemented their momentum down the stretch. Once they tied the game 77-77, it was anyone’s game at that point. You just got to strap-up and be loose and ready to play in the fourth quarter. We’ve done that in spurts, but when teams pick up their physicality we just got to be able to respond and adjust and of course when the game is being officiated all over the place, it’s going to be what it’s going to be. You just got to be able to adjust.”
JARRETT ALLEN
On the second half:
“Obviously they did do that, but I don’t think it was the catalyst, the why everything went downhill. You’ll probably hear it a lot from us, we weren’t hitting shots. I think that was a big thing, our defensive, we stepped it up a bit. But on the offensive end is where it hurt.”
On Denver altitude:
“Altitude always is gonna play a part, but we can’t blame it on that at the end of the day. I think it’s just for us, staying focused. You look back on every single game, third quarter is gonna be one of the big things no matter offense or defense. Third quarter always hits us.”
On the third quarter:
“I say they came out more intense, they came out throwing punches and we just weren’t ready. Just not coming out with the intensity that we need.”