Nets vs. Celtics: Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, and Steve Nash Top Quotes

See what the Brooklyn Nets had to say after their 123-95 win over the Boston Celtics.

“I think that’s right. I think all of the above. We’re still in such a formative phase with our team. Sometimes we slow down. We need to play with a little more pace, a little more burst. Like I said, entering our action that pace will maybe knock down the first domino and allow us to create an advantage offensively. So I think our pace will allow us to do that and our skill, talent and depth will allow us to capitalize. But the offense is probably behind the defense, which is where we want to be, frankly. At the same time, we have some work there. As you see, we’ve got shot-makers. At times the offense is much better. At times it’s just some incredible shot-making.”

“There was no adjustment. It was just be more diligent, be earlier, tuck, battle, those things. I thought maybe we got a little outplayed in the first half on the hustle, energy, physicality meter. Our guys are a proud group, and for such an early stage they had that resolve, stuck with it and just picked up their intensity and desire. The guys were hungry and fought. It was beautiful to watch.”

“It’s a privileged position to be in to get off to a good start early. We haven’t had a bad practice yet. I know we’ve only had 10, 12 practices and we might not have many for a while now just the way the schedule goes. It will all be film work and walkthroughs and individual sessions. But that competition level, the depth has promoted that competition and it’s raised the level every day and they’ve brought it. I think that’s put us in a position here where we’re able to compete out of the gates but I also see a lot of room for improvement on both sides of the ball. We are very formative, still, and we have to stick with it, because other teams are going to get better as well. Even if they are a team like Boston has been together, but they’re missing Kemba. You look around the league teams had a really short camp. Teams are going to get better. We have to continue to get better so at the end of the line we’re there and competitive and ready to go against the best teams in the league.”

"I think it's one of those things where first half everybody's excited, even though the atmosphere isn't the same it's a Christmas Day game and the energy that you have. Boston came out they kind of punched us in the mouth early. They played physical, they mixed up their defensive coverages and it took us a little bit of time to match their intensity and then supersede it but then also find ourselves offensively, get in a rhythm. Kevin got going there early to start the third, Ky continued where he left off in the first half and the game sort of opened up for us on the offensive end but a lot of it was what we were doing defensively. Being able to get stops, contesting a lot of shots and then just being able to get out in transition."

"This is sort of going to be redundant from now and then over the course of here we have two of the most talented offensive players that have ever played in the NBA so we, you know you have the luxury of being able to, Kevin might not have had it going, his typical stuff in the first half but second half he came out rolling and that's what great player do. You don't want to let whatever might have happened prior deter you from staying aggressive and continuing to let the rhythm and the offense play through you. And that's how we have to play in order for us to have success. We're playing through these guys and there's going to be times over the course of the season where, yeah, they're not going to be able to do everything themselves but we have the depth and the capability of other guys being able to step up but again this is the luxury of having two of the best offensive players that have played."

“It's one of those things where the priority here early on has been on the defensive end of the ball. So a lot of the stuff that we do in practice, a lot of the things that we're watching on film is defensively. And I think obviously Steve can elaborate on it a little bit more on why he elected to go that way but I think a lot of it is because we have so much offensive firepower where he's not as concerned with it where it's one of those things where the offense is going to kind of find its rhythm over the course of the season where guys are going to figure out playing off one another gelling together and I think even the defense might be a little bit ahead I still think that we play really well together and play well off of those two guys in particular.”

“To be honest with you, if they weren’t unhealthy, we all wish as competitors they would have played. I’ve been playing against those guys my whole career. It doesn’t change anything. Obviously, we wish them well, I wish them well, especially getting back on the court and getting healthy enough to be back and making great plays happen for their teams, but we’ve been going against each other for 10 years now, so some of us have been injured in games, some of us haven’t. I haven’t been in some of games that I’ve played against those guys. It’s just the business that we’re in. I want those guys to be healthy though. We want the best of the best playing at all times. No excuses here. This is the top of the top. In the NBA, we all work our tails off to get here, and we want to play against the best players, but we’ve all got to be healthy. I wish them well, like I said.”

“Absolutely. I think you hit the nail right on the head. What’s there to be content about, what’s there to be happy about? It’s two games. Let’s move on to the next game. Let’s get ready for Charlotte. Let’s go do this thing again. Let’s have some fun. Obviously, we want this season to go in a very patient current. We don’t want to rush this. I know what history looks like, and when you’re a part of it, and I don’t want to take any day for granted, so I’m grateful I get to share it this journey with these guys.”

“There’s no reason to be content. We’ve got 70 more games to go, and then after that, it’s a free for all after that. We have to utilize this time to continue to see different looks from different teams, see different things that will challenge us in the playoffs, throughout the regular season, getting a feel for what the Eastern Conference is going to stack up and be like. There’s so many great players, and so many moves that are happening in the Eastern and Western Conference. We’ve got to get through the regular season, seeding, and we don’t want to rush that. I think in the past, I’ve had just such a rushing mentality to get through the season, to get into the playoffs, and right now I’m just grounded and balanced and playing every single day and not taking any day for granted with these guys.”