Feb. 8, 2009 at Washington
Wizards 119, Pacers 117
PACERS COACH JIM O'BRIEN
(On tonight’s game) "The Washington Wizards have a very good group of forwards and Danny Granger is our best defender. Danny Granger cannot defend both of their forwards at the same time and we didn’t have anyone else that could do a sufficient job defending either one of them. We didn’t have the ingredients to stop them tonight.”
(On defending Washington) “We didn’t have the depth to put a small and quick team on the floor which is the best way to play the Washington Wizards.”
(On Caron Butler) “Caron (Butler) played an awesome game. He hit some very tough shots and ultimately he helped the Washington Wizards come up with the victory.”
PACERS FORWARD DANNY GRANGER
(On Caron Butler) “Tonight Caron (Butler) had a good game and hit some very tough shots. It happened to be one of those nights where he really got it going. Jarrett Jack was all over him but still he continued to hit tough shots. He adds another dynamic to the (Washington Wizards). He is very good off the dribble, he is able to create his own shot anytime he wants and when he gets it going from the 3-point line, he is almost un-guardable. In essence, he played a great game tonight, especially in the fourth quarter.”
(On Caron Butler’s buzzer beater) “When he held the ball until the last five seconds, I knew he was going to take a jump shot because he didn’t have enough time to get all the way to the basket. Therefore, I made sure I had a hand in his face but he was still able to hit the shot falling down, it was a great shot.”
(On the Wizards) “They have two former all-stars on their team and anytime you that caliber of players on your team, you are capable of beating anybody on any given night.”
PACERS GUARD T.J. FORD
(On tonight’s game) “It’s tough because we started off strong, we had a subpar second quarter and from there we allowed them to work their way back into the game. If you give a team an opportunity to win, then it becomes either team’s game to win. Tonight Caron took advantage of that opportunity and came up big.”
(On Antawn Jamison) “We allowed Antawn Jamison to get into a rhythm and when a team allows a player of that caliber to get into a rhythm and a comfort zone, that player becomes very hard to stop.”
(On losing Mike Dunleavy) “We lost our starting forward in the first five minutes of the game and essentially that’s been the story of our season.”
WIZARDS INTERIM COACH ED TAPSCOTT
“We had a terrific game. It showed that we had offense from different areas of the floor so they couldn’t load up on Antawn. That made a big difference for us offensively. We made a concerted effort to slow the pace in the first quarter and get it up and down. It became an offensive game and the key was to keep the pace and we got a couple of important stops late in the fourth quarter and that really helped us.”
(On Caron Butler) “At halftime we had a discussion and he told me that he was feeling pretty good so I told him that I would call him a play. He then went on to make a long jump-shot. I then said to him that if he wanted to make a play I would create a play for him. He then told me that in the second half he was going to mix it up and he did. He drove the ball and shot the ball, and they could never get engaged on what he was doing. He got hot when we really needed it and it was the key to us winning big.”
(On Nick Young) “It’s very critical for us to have someone come off the bench and add some offensive life to the game.”
(On the win) “I am always happy to get a win. Being that we were struggling it means even more that we got this win. The players have also been working very hard and they need to see some success to give additional meaning to their hard work. To win in dramatic fashion after coming back down the stretch builds confidence. When you win you also teach so that you enforce the team values that allowed you to win and that helps us a lot.”
WIZARDS FORWARD CARON BUTLER
(On coming back from the flu) “It was real frustrating being home sick and seeing the team go through what they went through the last two games. I was just watching a lot of film and rewinding and rewinding to see how I could be more effective when I came back. I just really wanted to go out there and compete and help out as much as possible. To get this win means a lot. We finished the homestand with a win and now we’re going on the road for two, so hopefully this will build a little momentum going into the All-Star break.”
(On tonight’s game) “Coach was feeding the hot hand at the time and my teammates were doing me a great job of setting picks and riding the momentum. We did a good job executing our offense. They put me in great situations. We were communicating and we got the job done tonight.”
(On hitting the game-winning shot) “I was just trying to read how he (Danny Granger) was playing me. I saw the defense and I knew that (Jeff) Foster came into the lane. I was counting that he had a one-count, a two-count and the second he had to clear, I think there were four seconds on the clock, that’s when I began to drive. I saw him anticipating the move, so that’s when I pulled back and got in my sweet spot and it was a good shot.”
WIZARDS FORWARD ANTAWN JAMISON
(On Caron Butler) “We had an All-Star performance from an All-Star in Caron. He did a good job and he was our closer tonight. That’s what we expect out of him and he took us on his back and got it done for us. He did an excellent job. He got into that rhythm, into that zone. No matter who was guarding him, he felt confident in his shot and he was able to convert on a lot of tough shots.”
(On tonight’s game) “For us as a team, we did a good job on the defensive end. We got the stops that we needed to get in order to win, and Caron (Butler) just took care of the rest. It feels good to have a different atmosphere after the game in the locker room. We got a win and we can build from that. Hopefully, we can make some noise before the All-Star break comes upon us.”
WIZARDS GUARD NICK YOUNG
(On tonight’s game) “It felt great. CB (Caron Butler) came back, and that gave us a little boost. He just went on a tear and showed that he should be an All-Star. We got a win, and we’ve been trying so hard to get one. I try to be that spark off the bench. I have Antawn (Jamison) in my ear telling me that’s what he needs me to do, so I’m trying to be that spark for him and that team.”