Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry
On the team’s play tonight:
"I thought we did a good job. We started the game the right way. I thought we started with ball movement. I thought we managed our turnovers all the way up until we decided to throw a couple of them to them. They are a really aggressive team, and we talked about how to play the passing lanes, but I thought we did a good job of getting into certain plays, trying to take advantage of the things that we have had some success with, and we shot the ball well. When we shoot the ball well, it opens up everything else. I think Jrue (Holiday) had a great floor game, and I thought he was fantastic defensively. If Kawhi (Leonard) goes 7-for-20, you’ve done an outstanding job on him because not only is he a great defender but he is also a great scorer and great shooter, and I thought Jrue did a really good job on him. Wesley Johnson did a really good job on him. They do such a good job of spreading the floor and driving and finding open guys that when it came down to guarding the ball we did a really good job at that."
How did you neutralize the Toronto backcourt tonight?
"I think our bigs did a great job of stepping out on dribble hand-offs and screens. AD (Anthony Davis), Julius (Randle), Cheick (Diallo) all those guys did a fantastic job of not letting them come off and shoot the ball off screens. When it came down to sitting down and just guarding, we did a good job on Kyle (Lowry), especially not reaching in, he got AD one time but for the most part we didn’t reach in and give him those cheap fouls where they go to the line."
On beating the team with the best record in the league:
"We have 69 more to go. I will talk to you after the 69th one. It’s one loss, this is a great team that we played. Nick (Nurse) has done a really good job with this team and the way they play. We played really good tonight and we beat them but it’s one game. I’d like to say this is going to springboard us but it’s one game and they understand that too. It’s a good win for us on the road against a very good team."
Pelicans Guard E'Twaun Moore
Seems like one of those night’s when everything was going well:
“Just making plays in the paint, taking what the defense gave me. AD (Anthony Davis) and Julius (Randle) did a good job of screening and getting me open. I had the hot hand so I just kept trying to make plays and help us get the win.”
Was there a point you knew it was going to be a good night?
“I was in a good rhythm, anytime you are in a good rhythm and feeling good, you have to take it and be aggressive. I had the hot hand so they kept coming to me and relying on me, so I just tried to keep making plays and it worked out for us.”
What does this win say about the team given the quality of Toronto?
"We knew they were a good team and we had to be ready to play - match the energy of their starters and their bench, they did a good job of coming in and picking up the pace so it was a good win. Especially on the road, anytime you can get a win on the road, it helps.”
Pelicans Forward Anthony Davis
What can you say about the game E’Twaun Moore had tonight?
“E’Twaun was being E’Twaun, he can do more than just shoot the ball; he can put the ball on the floor, he can make plays, both ends of the floor. Without his performance, we don’t win tonight’s game. He’s one of those type of players: when he gets hot, he gets hot. He opens up a lot of things for our team, gets other guys going, like I said he doesn’t force anything; he always makes the right play. He played huge for us tonight.”
What does this win say about the team given the quality of Toronto?
“We just had to get back to it. We lost five in a row on the road and we’re a better road team than that; we are a good road team. We just have to be dominant on the road again and this was our next road game, so we had it in our mind that we wanted to come out, it was a good test for us; best team in the East and we’re on the road, so we just made a concious effort to get this one.”
Did you want to send a bit of a message with this win?
“They’re a great team, theyre a great team; number one in the East for a reason. There will be a lot of great teams, for us, it was a game to get back to getting wins on the road. We are a good road team and we wanted to get back to that. Like I said, they are a great team, it was a big win for us and hopefully this carries over into our next game.”