See what the Brooklyn Nets had to say after their 111-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
KENNY ATKINSON
On tough decision with LeVert's minutes restriction:
“It’s how we operate. We knew there was an understanding of where he was. That’s how we work – thinking about long-term health and the long-term plan and sticking with that plan, because it’s easy to say ‘hey, let’s win this game.’ I think you would regret it if something ever happened, so, I think it’s a plan that we stick with, we make it beforehand, and we stick with it.”
On if loss stings considering team played well in stretches:
“We played some really good basketball, so that’s the shame about it. And again, the defense was pretty good, obviously Chris Paul hit some tough, big shots at the end of the game. But we scored, I think, two points in overtime. Our offense is just not where it needs to be. We’re just really struggling. A lot of good defensive performances the last 10 games and our offense is just struggling big time.”
On Chris Paul in fourth quarter:
“I think it was two, might have been three, I thought one of them we ended up switching late, which we like, and then we started blitzing him and we blitz him one time, put two on him, and he went right around us and shot, so we did change our coverage. Guy made great shots, got to shake his hand.”
JOE HARRIS
On if loss stung the way the game ended:
“Yeah, definitely. I thought we played better tonight than we had the previous losses that we’ve had, especially when you feel like you have a good opportunity there at the end, a chance to win. It’s a credit to OKC – both of us coming off a back-to-back. And again, it’s just one of those situations where they made more plays in critical moments. Obviously they’ve got a big-time player in Chris (Paul), where he’s able to kind of take over down the stretch, the fourth quarter and overtime.”
On Caris LeVert:
“Everybody knows that Caris (LeVert) is one of the best players on this team. He’s one of the better young players in this league, so anytime you can have somebody like that play, he’s obviously somebody that’s going to help out a lot.”
On importance of Taurean Prince and offense getting going:
“That’s sort of the NBA in a nutshell. Some nights you’re going to get it going, other nights you’re not. But it was good for guys to see the ball go through the net early on. We still didn’t shoot particularly well across the board, but to start the game, it was nice to have Taurean (Prince) carry the momentum for us and get hot.”
SPENCER DINWIDDIE
On how loss hurts:
“Yeah, having had six losses in a row prior to this, and having played well, it’s not a good feeling to drop a game we definitely could’ve won and had our chance to win.”
On struggling early, then attacking:
“Yeah, the stuff that ebbs and flows through the game is what it is. Obviously the two last shots are very disappointing because we had a chance to win, well, the free throw and last shot, so one and one. But that’s extremely disheartening. My teammates trust me to make those plays and I didn’t, so, this one’s on me for sure.”
On Taurean Prince getting offense going early:
“Just trying to get guys off and stuff like that. Taurean played phenomenally and made a bunch of plays and we are going to need that from him going forward.”