“I think our defense in the third quarter picked us up and allowed us to get back in the game and put us in the right frame of mind where we needed to be. It started with the last three minutes of the third quarter. I don’t think they scored in the last three minutes. We keep talking about being better defensively and at some point we have to carry it over to the court and do it and the third quarter was encouraging. I think the fourth quarter we were pretty good defensively. Late they scored some baskets. That is what we are going to keep harping on. It was a good win. I don’t think it was real pretty but it was important for us to get it tonight.”
- Coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
“Elton is one of our best defenders. He really talks and communicates and he helps all five guys defensively. I thought he was helping us on the other end. He made a couple big shots and was a big part of that third quarter where we were able to take the lead. I thought he was playing well. Pero (Antic) is always doing a lot of subtle things, a lot of good things. I think the fatigue was catching up with our whole group a little bit and Pero … I think it was a tough night for him. Fortunately Elton really picked it up and helped us bring it home.”
- Budenholzer on playing Elton Brand in the fourth quarter
“No, not really. I think we are going to have to play a lot better than this going forward. I think the group knows that. Wins are important and we need to build on the win and we need to build on where and when we played well. But I don’t think anybody feels we are settled with two wins in a row. We need to play a lot better on Saturday.”
- Budenholzer on whether team has stabilized after two straight wins
“He has played well in a few different games, a few different situations. Oklahoma City comes to mind. I thought he was really good that night. I think considering the circumstances of the game, we were behind most of the game, they came out in the fourth quarter and went on a 4-0 run and we lost that lead. The way he responded and scored a couple buckets himself and he got DeMarre (Carroll) that ball in the corner. Considering the time and score, that is what we want to see from him. It was one of his better performances. His attacking, his ability to get to the paint. They played really good defense tonight. They pressured us and bothered us. He was able to turn the pressure into a positive for us by getting into the paint.”
- Budenholzer on play of Dennis Schroder
“No. We are always looking for Kyle to get (his shots). I think he found his legs and his energy late. He made a couple shots. He really found a way to manufacture his own shots. It wasn’t anything we did necessarily. Kyle, like the group, found a will to win in that second half.”
- Budenholzer on whether he made changes to get Kyle Korver open
“He just got more aggressive attacking. Both he and Dennis were able to get in the paint a little more in the fourth quarter. I think that the screens that we set were a little better. Hopefully that created some opportunities for Jeff to get in the paint. When he gets in the paint he is good for himself and he creates things for others. Good things happen. Most of the credit goes to Jeff for coming in and really picking up and taking us to where we had established ourselves with Dennis and he was able to finish.”
- Budenholzer on play of Jeff Teague late
“Not over penetrating. First I was over penetrating and that’s how I got all those early turnovers. I was just trying to get to the basket and not just taking the open jumper. That little pull-up jumper was there the whole night and I just didn’t take it.”
- Jeff Teague on the difference in his play late
“Nah.”
- Teague on whether he had something to say on fourth-quarter dunk
“It’s crunch time right now. We are fighting for a playoff spot and we want to be there. Those little things may not show up on the overall outlook on why we won but those things need to be done in order to win.”
- Elton Brand on fourth-quarter play
“We will take all the wins we can get right now. The last two haven’t been pretty but they are wins. It’s two in a row and we’ll keep building on that. The first game back from a road trip is always a trap game. I think we fell for it in the first half. We just didn’t come out with the right energy and focus that we needed. I know I didn’t. Coach got on us on halftime and we tried to pick it up.”
- Kyle Korver on victory
“They were face-gaurding and switching when I came off the screens. They were trying to make it hard for me to catch. It was hard because we weren’t in any type of flow. There weren’t a lot of looks early. I probably didn’t have the right energy, probably my own fault too. I just didn’t bring in in the first half the way I should have.”
- Korver on Bucks’ defense on him
“I tried to play defense first. When I got the ball in my hands he told me to play pick-and-roll and try to find the best solution. I think I took it tonight. I found DeMarre in the corner. I took the shot when it was there. I think it worked well tonight.”
- Dennis Schroder on his offense
“Just being aggressive. Just taking what the defense gave me. I had some open looks so I shot it and was able to make them.
- Paul Millsap on 12-point first quarter
“Just being the more aggressive team. We looked like we were dead the whole first half. You can name a million excuses but it is up to us to go out there and play. Coach did an good job of coming in here and rallying the troops to play hard.”
- DeMarre Carroll on difference in game
- “You can see how it wrote it. It’s pretty big, so he was demanding.”
- Carroll on Budenholzer writing “Agressiveness” on white board in locker room at halftime
“Guys like Elton, they don’t come out of nowhere. I love guys like Elton because he is like myself, he plays hard. He’s like Paul, he plays hard. He grinds. You have to give guys like that credit. It may not fill the stat sheet up but the little things they do really help us win.”
- Carroll on Brand’s play
About the Author
