Maurice Cheeks Quotes

"He can move and come off screens. He's a different type player because he has the ability to step back from three-point range and make shots and he has the ability to drive to the basket. He's a bigger Allen (Iverson) with his ability to shoot. He shoots deeper than Allen. His ability to get to the basket is in the same form of Allen because he looks to attack, attack, attack."

"It's unfortunate when a guy who could play like that and have the ability that he had is not be able to play. He was one of the few guys who could shoot the three, break you down and post up."

"I was very impressed with Johnny Salmons, his ability to get to the basket, to penetrate, make baskets and find people."

"I don't think I had any doubt about them playing together. The reason you put the ball in their hands is because they make plays."

"When a guy has to sit for whatever reason, another guys steps in. Michael Bradley's a prime example. He's been impressive. He has pretty much taken advantage of an opportunity with guys being out."

"Their execution down the stretch was the key. They advanced the ball quicker up the court than what we're normally used to."

"The zone hurt us quite a bit. It was poor, poor execution against the zone in the fourth quarter. We couldn't make a shot and they never went back to man-to-man. They stayed with the zone and packed it in."

"This was a heck of a win. Everyone fought hard for us all game. This game was a prime example of a team effort to not lose a game."

"It was high energy. He hadn't touched a ball for a week, so it took him a minute to get his rhythm. Once he did, we kind of took off. Then, he was doing the things he always does."

"They don't usually push that type of tempo for 48 minutes, but they did to have us expend some energy. We got back in the game a little bit, but never really threatened enough to have a chance."

"All the emotion is gone now. This was not the way I wanted get the season started."

"Our energy got us back in the game. But you've got to play perfect when you get down 28 points or so."

"The essence of this game is they played harder than we did. Our energy was great [Wednesday] night. Tonight, our energy was low. We can't use having back-to-back games as an excuse."

"That one hurts. It hurts because we fought our game. We were fighting up hill all game and we finally get it and we are up one, ball out on the side and we gave up a lay-up. I don't mind getting beat, shooting a jump shot, but we gave up a lay-up."

"He (Howard) is great, young and energetic and always fighting. On that last play where a lot of players just stay put after a shot, he continued to play and ended up getting the big play."

"We're working. Everything we do is not going to be perfect. We just have to keep fighting."

"They're just fighting to get a second seed. We're trying to get a seed so it means a lot more to us to go out there and play the way we've been playing the last few games."

"When you play a team that has come back and beat you each time in some form or fashion, it can play little mind games on you."

"When it got to a certain point I think the fatigue factor went out the window, because everyone was playing on adrenaline. I know that Chris was exhausted."

"We just don't do enough. We must turn it immediately and believe in ourselves to be in the playoffs. We must defend much better."