That's What He Said - vs Nuggets 12/6

by **bobheckler** Sat Dec 07, 2013 2:01 pm

Brad Stevens

Re: Getting a boost from Kris Humphries:
"The game was an interesting one because our starters played fantastic at the start of the game and got us out to a huge lead. And then in the second half, it was our bench that got us back out to a lead. And Kris was a big part of that. Kris is a very, very reliable mid-range jump shooter, and he continues to make them for us, and he got a couple of baskets at the basket. But I thought the great play was, I think he got the run-out at the end of the first half, where he really sprinted down the sideline to make himself available for Jordan (Crawford) and finish that thing and got knocked down and was a little dinged up but good enough to keep playing. And he played great all night; he’s done a good job for us, and again, I think that speaks to his professionalism too because this hasn’t been always easy for him. But he’s always been a pro about everything."

Re: Boston's ball handling:
"We moved it well when we played well. We didn’t move it when we didn’t play well. So that first six minutes of the third quarter it stuck too much and I thought we were just passive and we let their defense kind of load up on us. But when we moved it, when those guys came in, we were much better, and so the ball moved great with that starting unit the first half; it just didn’t the second. Sometimes that happens because you get yourself in a lull. But you’ve got to break that lull by intentionally getting the ball to the other side of the floor."

Re: Talking to the team about making runs:
"Yeah, (Assistant) Coach (Ron) Adams told me first game – before the Milwaukee game – Coach Adams told me, ‘Twenty-point leads at halftime are hard to hold.’ And of course, that Milwaukee game we were up whatever we were up and we didn’t hold it. So we’re well-aware of that. It’s just hard to beat a good basketball team for that long. If (Ty) Lawson doesn’t get hurt and comes back in the game, maybe we have an even closer game. But the best part about tonight is things didn’t always go our way and we responded and I think that that’s a huge character trait of a good team, especially one that’s been beaten that way earlier in the season."

Re: It being hard to replace Humphries when Kelly Olynyk returns:
"I’d say the answer to that is ‘yes.’ I don’t know how that’s all going to work itself out, but I have a lot of faith in Kris, I have a lot of faith in Kelly, I’ve got a lot of faith in all five bigs. We talked about that before, but the bottom line is I guess when you look across the league it seems like every team we play has one of their bigs out. So to have five of them that are all really, really compliment each other, that gives you the flexibility of four being available on a given night, that’s pretty good. But when we have all five available, I don’t know how that’s going to work itself out."

Kris Humphries

Re: His performance:
"You know its just about playing a part. It's not about me, it's about beating a very good team we really prepared for. We knew it was going to be a very tough game, but we got off to a great start. The bench played great when they brought it back in the third and we were able to close it out."

Re: Practice paying off in terms of conditioning:
"It's tough, especially against a team that plays fast. You know you have to be in shape and I have been conditioning. My rookie Phil Pressey ran six suicides with me yesterday. So, he gets some credit for getting me in shape."

Re: How it feels to contribute meaningful minutes:
"It feels great. You know you practice and you practice, you cheer your team on and everyone in this spot wants to contribute, and everyone in here can contribute. So, when you get your opportunity you have to make the most out of it."

Jordan Crawford

Re: His timely shooting:
"I mean it is just the way the game goes down. It is just the way the game went. I mean I had the ball in my hands and I wanted to get a quality shot. I had a little mismatch. I take the shot and thankfully it went in."

Re: Being more or less aggressive:
"I mean some games call for me to be more aggressive. You know the score of the game sometimes dictates me getting teammates involved. See what the defense gives me and just play off that."

Re: The game:
"They (Nuggets) are a great NBA team. You got to know that they are going to make a run. I think that is the biggest thing. We knew they were going to make a run and then it was our turn to make a run. Just execute."

Nuggets 98
Brian Shaw

Re: The game:
"No excuse tonight. I deem tonight what I would call a... not to discredit them or anything like that, they’re a team that we told our team before the game started tonight, that regardless of their record they’re in first place in their division, they’re gonna come out and fight to stay in first place and they did that. Second consecutive game in a row that we basically got beat up, got hit first, and we can’t continue to put ourselves at a deficit and spot a team a 24-point lead in the first half and expect to be able to win the game. We have to expend so much energy to get back into the game and we do that, and then we just turn around and just give it away. But it just takes too much energy to expend and try to get back into it."

Re: His message at halftime:
"There was no message at halftime. I didn’t even go in the locker room at halftime. They had a day off yesterday, we were just coming off of a back-to-back, so they had a complete day to rest and get ready for today’s game. So there was no excuse for coming out flat the way we did and getting hit in the mouth first like we did tonight. So I didn’t even go in there at halftime. I wanted them to think about it because they were just too cool right from the beginning of the game. I took a 20-second timeout very, very early in the first quarter because I felt it and I could sense it and see it, but it didn’t do any good. We still continued to play with that kind-of laid-back, casual attitude."

Re: The similarity between the Celtics and Nuggets:
"Their team is a lot like ours. They don’t have a superstar on their team, we don’t have a superstar on our team. But the team that plays the hardest is gonna give them a better chance to win, and that’s what they did tonight from beginning to end, and that’s why they won the game."

J.J. Hickson

Re: Boston's fast start:
"That’s the good thing about this league: you can drop an egg or two and you got a game in a couple days or the next day. This team knows you gotta go out and play hard. We can’t have slow quarters like that. You can’t start the way we start and let teams get too comfortable, because that kind of dictates the game. Even when you fight back, the team got comfortable and confidence is up, it’s hard to play defense."

Re: It being tough playing the center position every night:
"Of course, but I’m up for the challenge. Whatever it takes to win and whatever sacrifices I have to make to help my team win, that’s what I’m gonna do."

Randy Foye
Re: Cutting the lead to three:
"We used a lot of energy trying to cut the lead down. The team that cuts the lead down usually cuts it to two or a one possession game, but then the home team, especially when they’re at home, that crowd gets behind them and they always make a run."

Re: Denver making mistakes even in its wins:
"We were making mistakes. We were digging ourselves holes in, but we were rolling. It happens. It’s a long season. We started off slow, we got hot, we just lost two in a row, and now it’s time to get hot again. The main thing is just to stay together and just keep a positive attitude, because we’re good enough to beat anybody. And right now we’re 2-2 on this road trip and we’re trying to go back home 4-2."

bob
MY NOTE: Brian Shaw didn't even go into the locker room at halftime? And they came out and cut a 17 point lead down to single digits in no time flat? That's impressive, both for the nuggets and for Shaw's feeling for his team's rhythm. Also, did you notice how Hump described Pressey as "my rookie"? I like that a lot too, a real lot. I'd like to know if there's that type of pairing with KO and Vitor and other vets. That'd be awesome.

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by **k_j_88** Sat Dec 07, 2013 5:06 pm

Brian Shaw certainly knows the game, much better than that other PG-turned-coach.

KJ

That's What He Said - vs Nuggets 12/6

That's What He Said - vs Nuggets 12/6

Re: That's What He Said - vs Nuggets 12/6