Willie Green recaps loss | Pelicans-Thunder Game 3 Postgame | 2024 NBA Playoffs
Pelicans Head Coach Willie Green
On tonight’s turnovers:
“They're a good defense for a reason, and to beat this team we have to be really sound in our execution and when were not and we’re getting into the paint and trying to throw interior passes they’re really good. They’re handsy, all of their guys this is what they do, they’ve done it all season and it hurt us. Whenever we turn the ball over, they get out in transition, they had 21 fast break points, and a few was their offense.”
On the message to the team headed down 0-3 into Game #4:
“It's not over. It's not over. Look, we’ve got another game here at home and we’re not going to fix all of our issues tonight. Go home, have a good meal and we’ll come back tomorrow and practice and go over what we need to do and get ready for the next game.”
Trey Murphy III talks offensive struggles | Pelicans-Thunder Game 3 Postgame | 2024 NBA Playoffs
Pelicans Guard/Forward Trey Murphy III
On the Pelicans’ shooting struggles:
“I think a problem with a lot of the basketball community is that people are so results based on their confidence and not just based on their work ethic. Like, I don’t care if I miss ten in a row. Like, I know in the back of my head, I’ve had games where I missed a lot, came back, and hit five straight. Like it doesn’t really matter for me. I know for my teammates, we’ve just got to continue to shoot the ball. We were the number one corner three-point shooting team in the entire league last year—this year. So, it’s not a fluke for a reason. We’ve just got to shoot the ball.”
On the Thunder’s second quarter run:
“I’m sure us turning the ball over didn’t help. And then they were just moving the ball really well and we had some defensive breakdowns. They were making shots and capitalizing off of our mistakes. I think that’s just what happened.”
Brandon Ingram | Pelicans-Thunder Game 3 Postgame | 2024 NBA Playoffs
Pelicans Forward Brandon Ingram
On the Thunder’s 14-0 in the second quarter run:
“Just them pushing the pace. They knocked a couple threes down. (Luguentz) Dort knocked a couple key three-pointers down. He’s been shooting the ball well from three. They just continue to push the pace.”
Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault
On being the aggressor in today’s game:
“Yeah, they (New Orleans Pelicans) were ready to play, and I thought we were ready to play. I thought our physicality and our defense was focused on that end of the floor. We made them earn everything. I thought that set the tone for us on the break and could make the offensive end a bit easier on some possessions, because they are obviously really physical as well.”
On sharing the ball:
“I mean with the way we get played we have to spread the ball to the perimeter and I thought we did that on all our possessions, some of those in transition, as well. They put (Larry) Nance on Josh (Giddey) a lot of possessions. That gave him whatever he wants from three, but I thought we had a really good pace for the most part, getting the ball to the perimeter, have to continue to look at ways to attack them.”
Thunder Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
On expanding their lead throughout the game:
“Basketball is a game of runs, we know that. We have seen that all year. We always say it is a 48-minute game, and just worry about stacking possessions. We did so. Because of it, we won the last 3 games.”
On if the Play-In game last season against the Pelicans prepared the team for tonight’s game in New Orleans:
“Absolutely. Every experience you live through, and you learn. That is what we did through that experience. In all 82 games this season, we learned from every experience. We try to get better from it and get ready for this moment.”
Thunder Guard Josh Giddey
On the team’s approach to today’s game:
“We knew this team was going to make adjustments. We did as well. We made adjustments, they did as well. They’re a good team, but hopefully we can close this series out.”
On setting the tone defensively:
“We hang out hats on that end of the floor. Our coaches gave us a great game plan. We have great defenders on this team that can execute. They’ve got good players, so we have to defend at a high-level. [Holding a team to] 85 points in a playoff game is a very winnable score.”