postgame quotes

On the rookies stepping up tonight and throughout the season:

"Terrific. Couldn't ask for a better effort. Like you said, we had three rookies on the floor, and all of them just battled and they'retough. They know how to play. They play together. They're not afraid of the moment, and like I said, we're all extremely proudof our guys. We just stuck together all season. That was the key. You know no matter what our record was, we came in andjust worked. It's easy to do when you have high character people in the organization, and I'm extremely blessed and grateful tohave just good people around us that are all about the right things."

"Very optimistic. I said it before, our future is bright. We'll soak this up, a number of things. The playoff experience was great forus, elimination games, the play-in experience leading up to that and then this loss. We feel it, so like I told our guys in thelocker room, I will work this summer. It's going to determine what happens next season, and we'll be back in the gym getting it in, getting ready" 

"Extremely far. I feel like we exceeded expectations that a lot of people had on us. But I felt like we were right where we wanted to be. [We] just came up a little short. I’m so proud of the guys and what we did this year despite everything that has happened this year dealing with COVID. I’m just super proud of the guys."

On how the team stayed together despite struggles:

“I think that was just a testament to showing up everyday and wanting to get better regardless of how the previous day went or what was going on. We all just showed up and continued to put in the work. I feel like when you are putting that amount of work with a group of guys each and every day, it’s only right for everybody to be as close as we were.”

On the future of the Pelicans and what kind of culture they’re building:

“The future is very bright. I’m thankful to be here; they welcomed me with open arms. I think we hit the ground running. There were some bumps along the way. I got COVID. We had some injuries, things of that nature. But I think we learned a lot about ourselves. I learned a lot about this team, this city, this organization. We have all world players coming back next season . . . and [we’ll] hit the ground running. I can assure you we won’t start off what we started off last year just based on experience, based on understanding, based on preparation. I’m excited to go through a full training camp and to be with the team from the beginning as opposed to coming in on the fly. I’m excited about the future and to get back to work.”

“I thought he changed the game. He came in and played aggressive. He’s fearless; he showed that New York mentality. It’s the saying heart over height. It doesn’t really matter how tall you are, it matters how smart you are and how hungry you are and how hard you play. He checks the boxes with his integrity, how he works everyday whether he’s playing or not, he’s a good teammate, and he wants to compete. That’s what important. You’re going to win games, and you’re going to lose games. But you need to compete at the end of the day. I think he’s done that consistently his entire life. That’s why he’s here on draft day, signing a big contract, getting playoff minutes, getting tough assignments, having to guard hall of famer Chris Paul, and being fearless offensively (taking shots, making shots, and getting to the cup). Doing all of those little things. That’s why he has been successful, and that’s why he’ll continue to be successful.”

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Pelicans vs. Suns Postgame Quotes | 2022 NBA Playoffs Round 1, Game 6

On what the difference was handling Chris Paul:

"We just tried to throw different looks at him. Be aggressive. Try denying him the ball at times, but you know it was just a collective effort from all of our guys. Having more of a mindset and a focus on not allowing Chris in the fourth quarter to dominate the game, which he's done and is capable of doing. So we're just proud of the overall effort."

On thoughts of being more disruptive in the second half:

"I thought we did solid. Like we were on point. Our game plan discipline was pretty good. They're a tough team and they make you bring it. We're proud of our guys. The effort, the energy. We competed at a high level for 48 minutes."

On how important it was to bring more fire and energy tonight against Chris Paul:

“I feel like that’s a huge part of the game, especially in the playoffs. You’ve got to play with a little more fire than usual. I feel like that fuels the entire team, even guys that are not playing, up on the bench. I feel like it all works together.”

On his three blocks on three-point attempts and timing those plays:

“I just try to read what’s going on and try to make the next best play. I just try to get a good contest but most of the time I jump so high I get blocks.”

On getting into a rhythm on offense early in the game:

“I felt the trust from my teammates. We played together. That’s a big key. It’s fun to play this way. When everyone’s touching the ball, moving, and finding the teammates open, setting loose screens. That’s such a good feeling to play this way – on top of winning the game.”

On Jose Alvarado and Herbert Jones willingness to play physical style of basketball as rookies:

“Never been a question about their physicality. They’re willing to die on the court. They showed it today. Defense, that’s their profession, they’re doing it. Herb, Jose, actually everybody that steps out on the court is willing to play good defense. That’s a key.”

On what's running through his mind when he heard the Jose chants in the first quarter:

"Like I said, NOLA man. I love the city, I love what they do, and then hearing that, it never gets old. I see it and I hear it and it's like man, it's crazy. This city got my back and I got their back and that’s 100%.”

On getting a sneaky backcourt steal on Chris Paul:

"Couldn't wave me off of that one, so I got him. I got him. So that's one thing I wanted to do actually. I got him on my list so I'm good."

On Herbert Jones blocking three three-pointers and his defense:

"It's incredible to see his attention to detail, his athleticism. I was talking to (AJ) Diggs about it earlier. I’ve never seen a guy this young, this sharp, this smart, this unbothered, unfazed. I mean he's getting the toughest assignments every night, unbothered. He comes with the same personality, the same swagger. You know what you are going to get from him, and I think the really cool part is that he can guard on the ball and off the ball. A lot of guys can't do that, especially as rookies. Either you got on ball stoppers or you got guys who can chase. He can do both and his ability to close space is unlike anything I've seen. He's not blocking shots out of the hand, he's meeting the ball in the air which is incredible, the wingspan, the timing, the length, and then him being able to get into the ball. He's always into the ball, he's always after it. He's got great help-side awareness and he doesn't get enough credit for his jump shot. His form is really good. He works on it. The sky’s the limit for him. He's going to be very good not only for us but for this league going forward. He'll be first team all-defense as soon as they start watching Pelicans games."

On what kind of opportunity we have the next few games:

"We've done what we should have done. Obviously, I'd have liked to win game three at the house but we didn't. We got down by 20 in game one and we executed a little bit better down the stretch in game two, but we know game five is going to be a dogfight and we've got to be ready to play. This is a championship caliber team who's been there before, but on the bright side, we understand what to expect. You know, me personally, I've played a lot of these types of games, these types of atmospheres, so I want to make sure the guys are ready mentally and physically, but also it's a really unique challenge for us. This is a great opportunity for us to learn, to grow and to play in a hostile environment, and then we bring it back to the crib and do what we're supposed to do."

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Suns vs. Pelicans Postgame Quotes | 2022 NBA Playoffs Round 1, Game 4

New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Willie Green

On what can be done to make it more difficult on Chris Paul:

"It's a long series. We’ve just got to continue to stay with it; continue to wear them down. Those are the things that he can do well, but we have to do our part especially early in the game. We can't turn the ball over. We have to make sure we get back in transition. Things like that, and then they scored a bit too many points in our paint. We'll be fine. [It’s a] long series. We still won at their place. They came and got one at our place. Give them credit. They played hard [and] played together. We'll regroup, watch some tape, and come back Sunday and be ready."

On what made Deandre Ayton tough to stop in the first half:

"Just [that] he's a big boy, and like I said, we have to do a better job of getting to Chris (Paul) and then multiple effort back to Ayton. But they did a great job of looking for him, going into the post, and he did a great job attacking. We'll be a bit better come next game."

"Yeah, CP (Chris Paul) got him going. He doesn't really try to score until the fourth quarter. He kind of rests throughout the game and then tries to take over down the stretch. He fed Ayton early in the pocket. He hit a three, got to the free-throw line, did a little bit of everything, and I think we did a much better job showing bodies in the second half."

"It's a long series. There's a lot of emotions that go back and forth in the wins and losses, in execution and lack of execution. You've got to turn the page, learn from your mistakes, figure out where you can play better, but also look at all the things we've done well up to this point. Down 1-2, with a game to play at home, I'll take that. Obviously, we'd have liked to win, but we've got a chance to even up the series in front of our fans at home on Sunday and hopefully it's an 8:30 start instead of 9:15."

On the team's fight down 13, and getting back into the game:

"What did you expect? We’re going to fight down 20, down 15, up 10. No matter what the score is, there's fight in this team and, I thought the effort was great."

"Obviously, that's his shot, but you ask any defensive coach in the NBA like 'Hey, what do you want to force? What kind of shot would you like to force from the other team?' It's going to be a tough mid-range pull up. Like, that's his shot and, you know, that's why he's a hall of fame player. That's his shot, but we're going to keep experimenting, trying things. This is going to be a long series. So we changed coverages after Game 1, after Game 2, and I'm sure we'll tinker some stuff after Game 3 and come back ready to fight again."

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Suns vs. Pelicans Postgame Quotes | 2022 NBA Playoffs Round 1, Game 3

Going into the fourth, just took a huge punch from them. How did you guys collect yourselves after that happened?

You know, the biggest point in all of this, and I talked to the team about it, is keeping God first in everything that we do, and giving him the glory when we have an opportunity, especially on this platform, and that's what it was, just having faith in each other, staying connected, knowing that we took their best shot, and we're only down 10 or what have you points going into the fourth quarter. Guys just fought, and we're so proud of that type of effort, and that win tonight was big time.

Your season as a whole has been an insane ride. How good does it feel knowing you're going to the Playoffs?

It's an unbelievable feeling. So grateful for Mrs. Benson and Griff and Trajan and Swin, our coaching staff, our medical team, our performance team, and then our guys. They're great. That's how you withstand tough times is with character, and we have extremely high-character individuals in our organization, and it's been a joy to go at it with them.

What did you see in Brandon to start the game? Seemed like he just had a different kind of look in his eye in that first quarter.

Brandon Ingram is the truth. He just brought it. He had that look in his eye from the time we got on the plane, shootaround. He's been locked in. He has been waiting for this moment, for this type of moment. His preparation is off the charts. This summer he went six, seven hours a day. He believes in his teammates. He's just all you want and more in a player, in a person.

After this exhilarating victory, how do you ride this moment into the Playoffs?

Right now we just focus on enjoying our night. Phoenix is definitely going to be a challenge. We know Phoenix, I know Phoenix well, but I'm not there yet. I'm not there yet.

You've talked all season about the resilience your team has shown, the toughness they've shown, but what's it like seeing this from such a young team coming up in these moments and responding on this stage?

It's incredible. Once again, these guys, we keep God first in everything that we do. We try to treat each other with respect no matter what our record is, and every day that they come in the gym, they compete, and that's from top to bottom, all of our players, all of our staff. We just stayed with it, and it's incredible to see the results, so we're extremely happy. A lot of work to do tomorrow, but definitely going to enjoy this one.

A lot of times when teams are trying to make that leap, they have to make baby steps. How much does it help you this team now gets to play in an actual series, and what can that do for the franchise moving forward?

It's going to be great for us. We're looking forward to lacing it up on Sunday against Phoenix. I don't want to say that -- I didn't know what was going to happen this season in terms of like where we were going to be, but I definitely believed we had a chance to do something special from the very beginning that I got here, and this team reminded me a lot of Phoenix, young, hungry, but high-character guys. The future is bright.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram

Larry was saying that he could tell on the flight here or shootaround you had a look in your eye. How locked in did you feel coming into this game?

You know, these two games in the play-in I've been very locked in. Just trying to know everything about the other team, figure out what they really, really do well and trying to figure out how I can be effective on the offensive end.
My approach is just trying to be the aggressor and trying to make sure that my team is -- our guys are being the aggressors, too, on the offensive end and defensive end and just staying consistent throughout the game.

Considering how this season started, how good does it feel to a couple months later, you guys have made it all the way back and you're going to the Playoffs?

We've been resilient. Willie stayed positive throughout the season, no matter if we won or lost, and we continued to worry about ourselves, how we can get better, how we can continue to build wins for the organization, and knowing that this isn't just for this year, this continues to go on, but we stayed in the moment and continued to get better.

You took a huge punch from the Clippers in the third quarter, down 10 going into the fourth. How did you collect yourselves and get back into the game in the fourth?

Guys stepped up. Trey Murphy was big in that fourth quarter, maybe even in the third quarter, just defensive rebounding and knocking down shots. We're going to need that from him as we continue to go on, for him to knock shots down, be ready and continue to learn the game. Larry Nance came in and was really, really good on the offensive and defensive glass and making smart decisions. We needed something from everybody today.

Willie said after the game Brandon Ingram is the truth. We've felt all season long that you can tell he really believes in you. Does that give you confidence? How does it make you feel knowing you have that bond with that coach like that?

Yeah, it's a great feeling. I get to tell him whatever is on my mind, whatever I feel in the game, and he gives a good response every single time and he listens. It's great to have that, and the continued dialogue. He makes me a better person and a better basketball player, so we continue to keep going.

We heard you talking a little bit after the game, but what does it mean for you to have your first opportunity to play in the Playoffs and get to show what you can do on that stage?

To God be the glory. It's our time. All the work that we've put in every single day, all the work that we've put in this summer, we finally get to showcase it on the biggest stage. I'm excited. I know my teammates are excited. Willie is excited. You should see Jose dancing behind this screen right now. I know he's excited. It's going to be fun.

We got to hear the speech on TV, but what were you thinking heading into that fourth quarter, the words Willie said to you guys in the huddle, just looked like a different type of attitude, different type of passion than what we're used to seeing from Willie. What were you thinking when he was giving that speech?

That we've got to win this basketball game. That's the only thing that's going through my mind. How I can be effective in the last six minutes in the game, how I can be aggressive, make the best decisions on the basketball floor. Everyone bought into that. Everyone on the floor made good decisions on the floor. We were really good on the defensive end, and we just executed our offense.

For you personally, how do you enjoy playing with those teammates, and what did you see as the ceiling for this team from your perspective?

This team is different. We get a chance to be together off the floor and really like each other and be around each other. I think that's why we play so well and we're so loose on the basketball floor. I haven't been around a team like that since maybe high school where we all got young guys, even some of the older guys are just really in tune with what we're doing. It's fun. It's fun playing with these guys and trying to gut out and get wins. We really play for each other.

One of the first things you said when we got here is have y'all seen Brandon Ingram play lately. Was tonight an example of the level that guy can get to?

Yeah, he's one of them ones. He's a special player. He gets to his spots. I'm just thankful -- obviously I get to play alongside him and I'm happy about that, but I'm glad the world gets to see how good he truly is. I think oftentimes if you don't make the Playoffs people kind of forget about you or underestimate your talent. Now he has the chance to play on the biggest stage, and he showed tonight how great he is. He can get to his spots, get to the rim, he can make plays. Defensively he's active, engaged, can initiate the offense, 6'9", 6'10" and now he gets to play on the biggest stage and I'm happy for him.

Brandon seems like a guy that guys who play the game really appreciate what he can do. Do you think there's anything to that?

Yeah, I think it's just a skill set that he has and it's a skill set that he's worked on and developed from his time at Duke to now. He's a completely different player. Obviously more polished, more physical, more methodical with his movement, dribbling into his spots, the footwork, finishing around the basket, his playmaking. I think his IQ has kind of elevated and evolved. I think now you're kind of getting the best version of him every night and you're starting to really see the work ethic and everything that he's done up to this point coming to fruition.

As a vet when the Clippers are kind of throwing that punch, obviously we kind of heard what Willie was saying in the huddle. What do you try to say to those guys or what are you trying to do in those moments to settle the team down and into the fourth quarter to get things back on track?

Normally I'd be talking a lot, but I'm battling some stomach issues so I didn't really talk a lot. I was just trying to catch my breath. Normally I would just tell the guys to understand it's a long game. I think I talked about it before the first play-in game. We're going to be up, we're going to be down; they're going to go on a run, we're
going to go on a run. It's more about how we respond to it. I think we level responded well. We didn't pout, we didn't
put our heads down. They got up by 14, they were executing and they were getting into us, they were getting to the free-throw line, they were playing off of their fans, and we didn't allow that to affect us and we kind of steadied the ship and finished the game.

What did you think about the way the guys responded in that fourth quarter after that punch that the Clippers delivered in the third and just being able to march your way back and get back into it late in the game?

Yeah, it's a sign of growth and maturity from a young group, which is surprising that you see that type of growth and maturity. Usually teams lay down and fold. I talked about it after one of our shootarounds how a lot of times when a team is facing an elimination game, they begin to let go of the rope, so to speak. In the tug-of-war they kind of let go and fold, and I thought that we did a great job of holding on to the rope and continuing to fight. It's like a tug-of-war game, continuing to fight, making sure that we're competing and making sure that we're defending, not giving up second-chance opportunities and then executing a little bit better offensively, and I thought we did that down the stretch.

It wasn't just a young team kind of in this moment, it was a young coach. This was Willie's first  experience doing this, and he said matching wits with Ty Lue felt like a heavyweight fight at some points. What did you think about the way he kind of rose to the moment in that fourth quarter and matched the adjustments Ty Lue was throwing at you guys?

No, I thought he handled himself well. He showed great moxie, he challenged us, challenged me specifically to be more aggressive, more methodical, and I can appreciate that and respect that, and I think him having played for so long he understood the importance of this moment, he understood what this moment meant for our team and our young players and our franchise and our fans, and we want to really take advantage of this. We've got a long summer ahead, and we can rest in the summer, but right now we've got to fight and do what we can to kind of continue to extend our season.

I wanted to ask you about the two guys off the bench. In just the time you've been here you've seen Trey Murphy make a huge jump. What did you think of the way for a guy in his rookie year to be able to come through the way he did in the fourth quarter?

I think that shows the work ethic and preparation. He's been in and out of the lineup, he's been in the G-League some. Sometimes he's in the game, sometimes he's not played some in the first half, then didn't play a lot in the second quarter, then Coach throws him in. That's a sign of trust but also him being ready. He'd catch-and-shoot, got some offensive rebounds, got to the free-throw line. It gives us a different dynamic because of his ability to shoot, and I think the other team recognizes that. Tonight he stepped up and made some great plays for us.

As far as Larry goes, he's only been playing with the team less than a month. What did you think of just for him to be able to do what he did tonight?

He was great. I think that the first time out he told me, I'm here. I said that, I said, well, if I'm not going to show up, you have to. He did a great job of being aggressive. He was rebounding. He was athletic. I think he's just getting more comfortable, too, understanding he's coming off an injury where he wasn't able to practice, he learned a new offense, new city. We're both away from our families. So there's a lot of different variables that make this transition difficult. I think he's kind of settling in, finding his rhythm, finding his basketball rhythm and getting more comfortable playing this spacing. Tonight he was huge. Without him, we don't win this game tonight.

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Clippers vs. Pelicans Postgame Quotes | 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament

On the contributions from Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado:

“They have really grown up in front of our eyes. Credit to Griff (David Griffin), Trajan (Langdon), Swin (Cash), and our management team that went after these guys, because they recognized how special they were. At one point, I had three rookies on the floor at the same time. I was nervous as heck with those guys on the floor. They worked at it and improved to earn the opportunity to be on the floor.”

On how long will the team celebrate before preparing for the LA Clippers:

“We will celebrate tonight and tomorrow morning we will get up and start preparing for the Clippers. We have a good idea of who they are as a team, but it's going to be another extremely difficult challenge for us. We just have to get ready.”

On playing in front of this crowd tonight:

"Wow, it was really, really loud. Some moments I had to cover my ears. It was great. I mean great atmosphere, great support. That's what we need and it's fun to play in front of this crowd. I said earlier, this was as loud as this has been here and now we've got to keep building on that. This is great. We need the fans and I hope we didn't disappoint them, and we need them every game."

On seeing how the young guys, without postseason experience, responded to playing in this game:

"It was great. We've been talking about locked in, being ready. It's a different game. It's different, low scoring game, position by position, more strategy in the game, so we just got to be ready, be locked in on what we're doing offensively and defensively and good things are going to happen."

On playing with Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valančiūnas:

"Yeah, I told BI (Brandon Ingram), he's got to get back out here because we need to get in rhythm for the playoffs. He looked great. He looked like he didn't miss a beat. He was fresh. He got to his spots. He showed some explosiveness around the basket. JV (Jonas Valančiūnas) was great. We got him some touches in that third quarter. I think he was really aggressive. Obviously, he rebounded the ball well finishing with how many rebounds…14. So, he was very aggressive. I thought Herb (Jones) was great. I thought everybody was really locked in. Jose (Alvarado) did a great job playing in a hostile environment. You could tell he was excited about the opportunity and he delivered. So, I was excited to really obviously play a meaningful game with fans and to really see how our team was going to respond being so young. You know, sellout crowd at the crib, you never know how it's going to go, but I thought they went out there and they hooped."

"Yeah, I understood the magnitude of this game and how the Spurs were always going to go on a run at some point. They're well coached, they execute, and they got a lot of great players who can shoot and score. So, when you get a chance to get up double digits, you've got to continue to put the pedal to the metal and that's what I tried to do, tried to be aggressive. I'd have liked to have been more efficient in the second half, but I thought we did a great job of staying steady, mixing the ball up, hitting the pocket, hitting the weak side. JV was great around the basket. You know, he made some great passes, and BI was elite in terms of his finishing and getting to his spots."

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Pelicans vs. Spurs Postgame Quotes 4-13-2022

On the takeaways from the last two games of the regular season:

"More important than those games, we are proud of our group and where we are right now. The guys understand that they have worked extremely hard. They stayed together and we have a great opportunity on Wednesday against San Antonio. We are all proud of them for that."

On the excitement level of the team for the play-in game Wednesday night:

"We are all excited for the opportunity and are excited about the journey, more importantly. Where we were and where we are right now as our group. We stayed together and stayed connected. We will start our prep work tomorrow morning by bringing our guys in, having a meeting and going from there."

On the excitement level getting to the play-in game after the rough start to the season:

"It's honestly a blessing. I think, we are all thankful to be in this position, and I think we're prepared and ready to go."

On what the team needs to focus on for the play-in game:

"I think the same thing all year, just execute especially down the stretch when it comes to it defensively and offensively. If we do that, I feel like we can shock the world."

On the excitement level in the locker room after the rough start to the season:

“I can't really explain it in all, honesty. This season's been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of ebbs and flows, but at the end of the day we stay really consistent with our energy. Practices from day one to day 82 have been the same, like we always have energy, always got music, and even if we were losing and 1-13, you wouldn't notice the difference from even our last 10 where we were 7-3.”

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Pelicans vs. Warriors Postgame Quotes 4-10-2022

On the importance of the bench’s performance tonight:

“It was extremely important for our group that the bench continued to come in and play up-tempo, keeping the game simple, and making the right plays. It was beautiful to watch.”

On placing an emphasis on forcing turnovers and steals:

"It was. We wanted to be active on our defense, making sure we put our hands in the pocket pass and try to cause havoc with deflections and steals. This triggers our offensive ability to get out and play in open court. I thought our guys did a really good job."

"He's a great, great leader, a coach on the floor, does everything the right way, and he challenges everybody to do everything the right way, regardless…defensively, offensively, in the locker room, when we go on trips. He just always pushes the message to do everything the right way so that we can become a consistently good team, and I feel like he's done a great job of that since he's gotten here."

On his chances of being on the NBA All-Defensive team this year:

"That would be insane. Just because coming into the year, I had zero thoughts about being on an all-defensive team. I mean, it would be a great accomplishment. But, right now, I'll just let whoever – you guys – decide on that. You know…vote for me…[laughter]. So hopefully I make it."

On how motivated the team is to host a home play-in game:

"We want that game here in New Orleans. We want the city to get crazy. We need that. It's going to be fantastic to play at home. The crowd has been really amazing. It's so fun to play right now with the fans, and it feels like we have another player with us. Hopefully, we can win one more game or San Antonio lose the next one, so we can have the game. We need everybody to be here the first game because we're trying to get to the playoffs, so step by step, everybody's got to help each other to make it happen."

On playing with Jose Alvarado and Herbert Jones:

"It's amazing because I said between our guys in the locker room that this might be one of the best locker rooms I've ever been around, even the national team. It's so funny to be around this locker room, it's so humble, and Herb and Jose are part of the franchise. It's only their first year but I feel like they'll be here for a long time. It's been amazing with those guys. Like I said, the future is bright. Everybody in New Orleans will be so excited about this team and this organization.

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Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Postgame Quotes 4-7-2022

On his conversation with Brandon Ingram to start the second half:

“I just told him he has to play faster and with more force. Sometimes he’ll have a tendency to survey the game, but when he plays fast, there’s nothing anybody can do with him. He started to get it going and you could see right away. He got the ball, he drove, he made plays, got to the free throw line. With our team, we have to get stops, rebound the ball and we have to play fast.”

“It’s been a long journey to get to this point, starting the season off the way that we did. It’s a credit to the guys in the locker room and the people in our organization. More importantly, it’s a credit to God. Just keeping Him first in everything that we do. Giving Him praise and glory and just staying with it. Trusting. Believing. The season’s not over, we still have a long way to go, but we’re just building confidence and momentum at the right time.”

“We had some poise tonight. Late in that game, it was us scoring, them scoring, us trying to get rebounds, stops and pushing our pace and then late down the stretch we had some good execution. CJ [McCollum] made some tough shots. CJ hit some big free throws at the end of that game. Everybody was locked in on the defensive end. We’ve been confident from the first to the fourth quarter.”

“Coach just told me to tighten up. He said I was playing too slow in the third quarter. That’s all I needed – just to get going and put an effect on the game, so I just kind of got aggressive. I found the right guys on the basketball floor that made some good cuts. CJ, Herb was on the wing, Trey Murphy was on the wing just trying to make good decision after good decision.”

“They just show up at the hoop. I don’t think they really read into the magnitude of each game, how important it is, what it means. I think guys just show up, do their job, play as hard as they can, and live with the results, which is really important. You can’t really get caught up in ‘oh if we win, then this happens, if we lose, then this happens’. Just do your job to the best of your ability and live with the result. I think tonight we did that. We competed. Obviously, I’m glad we won, but if we would’ve lost this game with the way we played, I could’ve lived with that.

“I think we got stops and we executed in the half-court. I think that was the difference in the game. We stopped giving them second chance opportunities and got back and loaded up defensively.”