Blazers vs Peligans, 11/17/2014 - Quote Book

[SlyPokerDog]

[FONT=&quot]Monday, Nov. 17, 2014 Final Score: POR 102 , NOP 93 [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“I thought that was a tremendous defensive effort in the fourth quarter. To come back against a team like New Orleans with all their scoring options and behind down 15, I think it’s something that certainly we can build on. After 10 or 11 games now, I think our defense, we know what we can do. I thought the energy Robin gave us in the fourth quarter was terrific. Steve Blake was very good. But it’s team defense. LaMarcus got big rebounds. Wes did a nice job on Evans. Evans had the ball in his hands a lot. Just you go down the list. Obviously we won the game in the fourth quarter with our defense. When you get stops, it’s easy to get a rhythm on offense.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On Lopez in fourth quarter:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“When he came back in the game, he was all over the place. He was changing shots at the rim, he was getting deflections. They were running a play that was difficult to guard and he was able to figure it out. He took the challenge of guarding Davis. Obviously Davis had a great line. We got stops when it mattered. I thought Ro-Lo, when he came back in the game in the fourth quarter along with LaMarcus and Wes, they all came in at the same time, but I thought his defensive energy – he got on the floor for a ball and that got the crowd into the game and kind of energized everybody.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On game planning for Anthony Davis[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Well, it’s a team thing. We’re not one to double team. He’s a difficult guy to double because he doesn’t play off the dribble much. It’s one or two dribbles and he’s pretty quick. You’ve just got to make him work, just like all great players. You go down the list, you just have to make him work for his points. He’s going to have nights like tonight where he shoots the ball really well, but everybody has to do their job. In this league, I think one guy can beat you in certain situations, but I don’t think for 48 minutes he’s going to. So you do the best job you can on him as a team, but also not lose focus of a team like New Orleans that has a lot of players that can score as well.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On getting wins despite injuries lately:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Obviously guys have come in and played well. Steve Blake came in just like he did against Charlotte and finished the game, played the whole fourth quarter. Chris Kaman is able to score and rebound. I thought that group in the first half did a terrific job. CJ, Allen, Will, all those guys, Joel, I think they know their role. They’re comfortable, they’re confident in what they can do. To win in this league, when you have injuries you can’t bemoan them, it’s next man up.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Describing win:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Gutsy. I like it. It shows that we have growth. Every game cant be a blowout win or an easy win, so I thought tonight when our backs were up against a wall, guys played well. Guys stepped up and played better D. Our whole team defense got better in the second half and even more in the fourth quarter. I think good teams have to learn how to win games like that and we did tonight.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On Lopez in fourth quarter:
“He was energetic. He was on the boards, he was blocking shots. I think that’s what he brings to the table. We need that from him and I think he understands that. Tonight, he was great at trying to alter shots, trying to rebound, making free throws down the stretch too. Doing it all.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On winning after being down 16 and winning after being down 23 last week:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“We don’t want to do that often, but I’m thankful that these two times that we’ve done it, we definitely stepped up and played better defense. We gutted it out. Some nights your offense is going to take time to get started, but your defense can always be there. Tonight, our offense kind of sputtered in the first half but our defense definitely picked up in the second half.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]On getting stops in the fourth quarter leading to offense:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It got us more confident offensively. We got some stops, ran out and got some easy buckets, got some easy layups and some open threes. I think guys just started to play with more energy then.”[/FONT]
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[SlyPokerDog]

[FONT=&quot]HEAD COACH MONTY WILLIAMS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On thoughts after the game:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Tough loss. We had the game under control, and our fourth quarter execution was about as bad as it has been all year long. Our shot selection in the fourth quarter, our execution in the fourth quarter led to them being in transition, which is why they scored 34 points and we scored 13. It wasn’t about missing shots. I just don’t think we had the next level stuff we talk about all the time. For us to be a good team, we got to know when the moment arrives, we got to be a better executing team when it counts.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On the game turning so quickly:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“On the road it’s tougher to control. The momentum swung…They were physical on defense. They made plays, and they moved the ball. We didn’t. When Mathews got the ball, there was no question about passing the ball to him. In the fourth quarter for us, we became a one-on-one ship, and you can’t play like that on defense.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On what he thought about turning around the fourth quarter and moving forward:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“For us, we just have to be mentally tough enough to turn it around, and get ready for tomorrow. It is a good growth moment for us.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On why they lost:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“They did a good job defensively. They absolutely did. I don’t want to take any credit away from them. They played tough at the rim. I thought we missed shots at the rim, and we were looking for the referees to bail us out. A little bit of it was our execution.”
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[FONT=&quot]ANTHONY DAVIS[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]On 4th quarter execution:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It was tough, we only scored 13 points. We had good looks and shots but we got to focus more on the final minutes. They had some tough shots in the 4th quarter, but got the offensive rebound and then Westley for three or Dame comes down and hits a three, so it’s tough.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On if he thinks that he should have gotten the ball more:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“No, there’s other scorers, we just want to win. Whoever gets the ball, as long as it goes in the bucket then that’s all that matters. Like I said, we had good looks but missed opportunities.” [/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]TYREKE EVANS[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]On what changed in the 4th quarter:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I don’t know. We just weren’t executing, it wasn’t going for us, and the shots weren’t falling. We were just trying to get a bucket at the end and on the road we just have to do a better job at that.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On if the 13 point 4th quarter was Blazer defense or Pelicans offense:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I’d say it was our execution, nothing was going for us even though we were in the right spot. Guys got good looks but the shot clock was late and we rushed a couple shots and that hurt us.”[/FONT]

 

[SlyPokerDog]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nicolas Batum [/FONT][FONT=&quot]missed his fourth consecutive game with a right knee contusion.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Portland has now won five consecutive games,currently the longest active win streak in the NBA.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Trail Blazers are 7-1at the Moda Center this season and lead the NBA with seven home wins. Portland has won seven consecutive games against New Orleans at home.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Portland is 7-1 when scoring 100-plus points.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Trail Blazers are now 3-0 when trailing entering the fourth quarter.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]With 10:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, Portland closed the game on a 34-10 run.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Portland's 16-point comeback victory marks its second largest come-from-behind[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]win of the season. The Trail Blazers rallied from down 23 to beat Charlotte,102-[/FONT][FONT=&quot]100 on Nov. 11.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Portland held New Orleans to 4-of-24 shooting in the fourth quarter (0-6 3-PT). Jrue Holiday shot 0-of-9 in the fourth quarter alone.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Trail Blazers finished the game with 20 assists,marking the 11th consecutive game that Portland has dished out at least 20 assists.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Damian Lillard [/FONT][FONT=&quot]scored 24 points and led Portland in scoring for the fourth con* secutive game. Earlier this afternoon,Lillard was named the NBA's Western Confer* ence Player of the Week for the first time in his three-year career.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Six of Steve Blake's seven assists came in the fourth quarter.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]After making just one 3-pointer in seven tries in the first half,Portland shot 6-of-[/FONT][FONT=&quot]12 from behind the arc (50.0°/o) in the second half. The Trail Blazers were 4-of-6 from deep in the fourth quarter.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]LaMarcus Aldridge [/FONT][FONT=&quot]scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half. In the final two quarters,Aldridge shot 6-of-10 (60.0°/o).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Chris Kaman [/FONT][FONT=&quot]scored 15 points and hauled in 10 rebounds,becoming the first Trail Blazers reserve with 5 straight games of 12+ points and 5+ rebounds since Arvydas Sabonis (7,Jan. 2-18,1996).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Chris Kaman's [/FONT][FONT=&quot]double-double (15 points,10 rebounds) is his first as a Trail Blaz[/FONT][FONT=&quot]er and the 173rd of his career.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Pelicans [/FONT][FONT=&quot]forward Ryan Anderson scored 10 of his 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting[/FONT] [FONT=&quot](2-3 3-PT) in the second quarter.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Anthony Davis finished with 31points on 14-of-20 shooting (70.0°/o),notch[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ing his highest point total of the season. Portland limited Davis to six points in the[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]fourth quarter.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]• [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Trail Blazers started the game on an 8-0 run in the first 2:55,but were out[/FONT][FONT=&quot]scored 21-14 through the rest of the first quarter (led 22-21).[/FONT]

 

[BlazerCaravan]

"The Trail Blazers are now 3-0 when trailing entering the fourth quarter."

Unnf! That's hardcore right there.

 

[kjironman1]

Monty Williams is a total class act. He didn't throw anyone under the bus and he gave a lot of credit to the Blazers for the win.
He pretty much always tells it like it is.

 

[kjironman1]

I also like the statement by Stotts.
".... when you have injuries you can’t bemoan them, it’s next man up.” Blazers are doing just that!

 

[magnifier661]

Monty Williams is a total class act. He didn't throw anyone under the bus and he gave a lot of credit to the Blazers for the win.
He pretty much always tells it like it is.

Anyone that thinks otherwise about Monty is a fucking noob. One of the most liked ex Blazers on this planet. I would give Webster a close second as well

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Monty Williams is a total class act. He didn't throw anyone under the bus and he gave a lot of credit to the Blazers for the win.
He pretty much always tells it like it is.

Anyone that thinks otherwise about Monty is a fucking noob. One of the most liked ex Blazers on this planet. I would give Webster a close second as well

SI just did a story on Ryan Anderson and his GF's suicide. If you haven't read it, it's amazing story. Here is one small part that shows what a great human being Monty Williams is.

The first thing Ryan saw upon entering Gia’s fourth-floor apartment were her knees. His recollections of what followed are fragmentary. His screaming and running to her. The vacuum-cleaner cord hanging from the second-floor handrail of the spiral staircase, so tight around her neck that at first he couldn’t loosen it. Gia’s dog, Bentley, running to him. A neighbor arriving and dialing 911 as Ryan tried to revive Gia. Seeing the three-word note in her handwriting on the dining room table: Mom gets everything. Paramedics rushing in. Ryan calling Donna. Donna cursing at him, screaming that he knew Gia was sensitive, that he was supposed to protect her. The police pushing through the door. Ryan answering questions, sobbing, blaming himself. Pelicans coach Monty Williams hurrying in with a team security guard and finding Ryan slumped on the carpet, his back to the door, unable to rise. Williams dropping to his knees and hugging his player, the two men rocking back and forth.

For Williams, the night was a test of sorts. A fourth-year coach, Williams had played at Notre Dame and then for five NBA teams. He and Anderson were unusually close. Both men were Christians, and they bonded immediately despite the vast differences in their backgrounds. Williams grew up poor and once, at Notre Dame, considered suicide. That didn’t make it any easier to relate to Anderson now, however. Everyone’s pain is different.

As a crowd milled outside the apartment complex, Williams and the security guard hoisted up Ryan, who was limp and drenched with tears and sweat, too hysterical even to walk. They dragged Ryan to the elevator and then into a waiting car, the tops of his feet, still wedged into flip-flops, scraping the asphalt so hard that his toes still bear thick white calluses more than a year later.

As they drove in silence, Williams kept thinking that it was fine if he blew a game, but he couldn’t mess up now. Once home, he huddled with his wife, Ingrid, and Ryan in the family room, praying. Ingrid’s brother had committed suicide recently. She knew not to say it was going to be O.K., because it wasn’t. “This is going to be hard for a long time,” she told Ryan.

That night, as the family pastor came and went, Ryan cried so much that it felt as if he were dry heaving or bleeding internally. Each convulsion ripped his insides apart.

Around 1 a.m., at Ingrid’s urging, Monty brought one of his sons’ mattresses down to the living room. There the two men lay through the night, Ryan curled on the sofa and his coach on the floor next to him. When Ryan wanted to talk, they talked. Otherwise there was only his muted sobbing. Finally, just after the sun came up, Ryan fell into a fitful sleep.

Read the rest of the story here - http://www.si.com/nba/2014/11/13/ryan-anderson-gia-allemand

 

[magnifier661]

SI just did a story on Ryan Anderson and his GF's suicide. If you haven't read it, it's amazing story. Here is one small part that shows what a great human being Monty Williams is.



Read the rest of the story here - http://www.si.com/nba/2014/11/13/ryan-anderson-gia-allemand

Wow that made me cry! Thanks a lot you asshole!