Blazers vs Net, 11/15/2014, Post Game Quotes

[FONT=&quot]HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“It was a rewarding win. I was pleased with the contributions of everybody. Damian was terrific as a point guard, scoring, passing, making players better. The contributions of everybody off the bench – it was definitely a team win because we needed everybody’s contribution. It just goes to show the young guys are getting better.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Was success tonight reflective of returning 13 players from last year?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I don’t know about that. I think it’s more a manifestation of how hard, when you look at Allen coming in and Meyers coming in and Joel, them being ready for an opportunity. Certainly the style of play not having LaMarcus out there and having to change a little bit of our style offensively, but I was really very pleased with our defense obviously for four quarters. We had a lead at half time by not shooting the ball very well, but defending very well. We were able to sustain that. We’ve been getting off to slow starts in the first quarter as far as defensively, we’ve been very good offensively in the first quarter and terrible defensively. I’m glad we turned the tide on that tonight.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On decision to start Leonard:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I liked the spacing that he’d provide. I’ve got confidence in Meyers. If you look at that preseason game that he had against the Clippers, our last preseason game, he played terrific. Then he came down with the illness and he wasn’t able to get in the rotation, but I liked his energy. I thought he could run up and down with Garnett in the game, spacing the court particularly for Dame in pick and rolls. His style of game matched up well against them to start the game.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On defending three point line:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“They were if not the leading three point shooting team in the league, they were close to it. That was a priority going into the game, was chase them off the three point line. They still got 19 attempts up, but I think two or three of them were in the last minute. But we were very attuned the shots that they were getting. Joel and Meyers both did a nice job on Teletovic as far as not letting him break open on threes. They too 19 and I’m sure they missed some open ones, so it’s not like we made them miss all 18 of them, but I thought we made them work for them.”[/FONT]


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[FONT=&quot]DAMIAN LILLARD[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On playing and getting win without Aldridge and Batum:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It was not easy at all, especially without two of our starters, our best player. It makes everything tougher, but guys are ready for the challenge. We knew that it wouldn’t be one or two guys having to do a whole bunch more, but we’d need everybody to step up to fill in those gaps. A.C. did a great job. Steve came in and did a great job. Chris, Will, Meyers had a great start to the game. Joel impacted the game. So I think everybody came in and pitched in and kind of filled those holes.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On 26 assists:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“We knew that we were a younger and more energetic, faster team, so I think we moved around well. We moved without the ball. We made hard cuts and made them chase us and guys made shots.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]What did you like defensively?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“That it was consistent. Tonight was our first time actually having a good first quarter defensively. We made them do what we wanted them to do coming into the game and that’s play isolation. Load up and help and that’s how we were able to control the game.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]What does winning without two starters do for confidence?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It gives us great confidence because it wasn’t like Wes came out here and got 40, or I came out here and got 40. It was a collective effort just like every game that we play. The guys that might not get a lot of opportunities, they came into the game ready. Guys stepped right in and they were ready to contribute. They filled that hole. They filled that gap in our team without Nico and LA and we were able to play our same game and get a win.”[/FONT]

 

[FONT=&quot]HEAD COACH LIONEL HOLLINS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On the game:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“We battled, but we were behind and every time we got close we either missed a shot or gave up a bucket or a foul. We played much better through the course of the game, we just didn’t shoot the ball well…They played well but they didn’t do all of that [much] to stop us from making shots.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On nights like this when the team just isn’t making shots:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“You got to keep battling. If we could have dominated the boards or forced turnovers, maybe we could have [won], but we didn’t and we didn’t get the win. I commended us for being in all these games. These are tough environments that we played in. And in every one of these places have tough teams to match up with. We competed. We just got to get better and be more consistent.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On this road trip:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It wasn’t all negative. We want to win, but we knew coming in it was going to be a tough trip, and we were hoping to get one or two wins but we didn’t play well enough to get any of them. At different points in the games we did, but not consistently.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On maintaining the guys’ positivity level:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Why shouldn’t we be positive? We played well enough in spurts on this road trip. We just got to get better. It’s the early part of the season. We’re still kind of learning to be consistent in our defensive schemes, be consistent in our offensive execution.”[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]KEVIN GARNETT[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]On characterizing the performance:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I thought it was great, we fought hard. Anytime you give yourself a chance on the road it says a lot. Portland plays really well at home, they had LaMarcus out but they have pieces that have been together, they know how to win together so it says a lot. Not to discount anything they did tonight”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On getting on the same page:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Being consistent with it, consistency wins in this league. Obviously no excuses, you got to come out and got to execute. We’re still working, figuring out who we are, getting an identity and coming out and playing”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On how he feels physically:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I’m giving it what I got. I’m trying to be an example through non-excuses and come out here and be whatever example I can be for this young team. Hopefully some people follow and I’m able to impact some.”[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]BROOK LOPEZ[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On describing the game:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I thought we did a good job coming out at the half without the lead. Our guys stuck with it and we had great minutes off the bench tonight. We were right there but we never really got where we wanted to get even though we kept fighting.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On early foul trouble:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“It was unfortunate but we just got to keep fighting. It’s a toss up on how it’s going to go, you just have to come out aggressive and not worry. Guys gave it great minutes off the bench. In regards to the end of the game, I think we had a great group in there who were solid defensively and gave us good looks on offense.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On what his coach wants him to do down the stretch:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“I need to be more aggressive and have more of an effort. I feel slow out there, kind of in the mud. I need to keep working and getting back to moving more.”[/FONT]