Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry:
On tonight’s game:
“I thought we competed and played well. I thought our defense really picked it up. When you play against this team, it’s going to be a grind it out game. I thought we did a good job doing that. I think we gave them a run but there were a couple of 50-50 balls that we just didn’t come up with. I think there were three of them and they got two three-pointers and a basket out of those. We’ve just got to continue to work. Obviously, we are extremely disappointed with being 0-5, but like I said to the guys, the only people that can dig us out of this has to be us. No one is going to feel sorry for you at this level. We have to find a way to get over the hump. We’ve got to find a way to compete, play at a high level and finish the game.”
On Anthony Davis’ game tonight:
“They do a good job. They are very physical and into you the whole game. They do a good job of double and triple teaming and taking away space that he has been able to operate in. He probably took a couple of shots to try and get himself in a rhythm. He’s our guy and that’s going to happen. The thing I thought, we just have to have the grit to come up with those 50-50 balls. I thought we fought to get back in it and we did a lot of positive things. I told our guys that at the end of the day, there is not moral victory. We have to do a better job of making those plays down the stretch.”
On the gameplay of Buddy Hield:
“He still has a long way to go. He’s a young player trying to learn the league and what it’s all about. But tonight, there were blankets of what I think we are going to be able to see. He’s a real conscientious kid. We will sit down with him, watch tape and he will learn from the mistakes he made and some of the breakdowns that he had. I do think he did a good job. I think Lance (Stephenson) really found his shot and he let the game come to him. I think he shot the ball well. I think Langston (Galloway) did a good job running the offense and trying to get downhill and make some plays for some guys. I thought the bench played well. We have to combine the two. We’ve got to have our starters play well and the bench play well. Our margin of error has not been the key.”
Pelicans Forward Anthony Davis:
On what the Grizzlies were able to do to take him out of his game:
“We missed some shots. Everybody else stepped us, made the plays, kept us in the game. I didn’t come through on my end, and that’s on me.”
On the performances of Buddy Hield and Langston Galloway:
“Everybody played well. I mean, everybody played well. It’s on me, I didn’t perform to the level I’m capable of, and supposed to, to help this team win. In order for us to win, I have to play a lot better.”
On reasons for the team’s streaks of scoring and streaks of missing shots:
“I mean, we just missed shots. We played well defensively. Omer [Asik] had a good contest on [Mike] Conley taking a three. I mean, we just can’t dig ourselves a hole, you know. But we gave ourselves a chance to win on the road, and it went to overtime…It’s on me. I didn’t play well enough to help this team win.”
Pelicans Guard Lance Stephenson:
On the keys to his success tonight:
“Being in attack mode, trying to make the right plays, driving and trying to create for others. Mostly trying to win the game.”
On whether he put more emphasis on this game as a former Grizzlies player:
“Oh, no. No, I’m just trying to get back in my groove, trying to help this team win, just trying to work on the little stuff so that everything will come easy. But we just got to keep working, watch film, keep learning each other. I think as we go along, I think we’ll get better as a unit.”
On the last play in regulation:
“I mean, it was a good play. I just felt like we should have slipped and made…not a three-pointer, a two-pointer, made an easier shot. It was tied up, we didn’t need a three. I mean, we are still learning, still learning each other. He never played with me in a clutch moment like that. We’re still gaining a feel for each other. Once the season goes along, I mean, we will be alright…Because we’re playing with a lot of new guys. And we’re being put in moments where it’s tough. We don’t know what we’re going to do. He doesn’t know what I’m going to do; I don’t know what he’s going to do. We’re still learning each other. So as the season goes along, I think we’re going to get to know each other and these possessions like that will come easy.”
On his transition to being a veteran presence on a young team:
“It’s different; it’s tough. It’s very challenging. I always got to be doing the right thing, because everybody’s watching. And I’m not really a vocal person, so I’m learning how to be vocal and helping other guys and being that guy that tries to talk them through it.”