Here is what they Hawks said after Wednesday’s 100-97 win over the Jazz at Philips Arena:
Mike Budenholzer
Opening statement: "I think the thing to look at positively is our defense in the fourth quarter. We were holding them to nine points gave us a chance to win a heck of a game. I'm very pleased with that effort in the fourth quarter and, really, the second quarter. Just like always, we have to look at where the breakdowns were in the first and the third giving up 32 and 34 points. I think you have to give Utah credit. They executed well. The moved the ball well. They made shots. We found a way to win. That is important for our group. We had a lot of different guys step up and play well at different times. It's a good win for our group."
On allowing nine fourth-quarter points: "I think probably our effort, our determination, to get contest. I think to play without fouling and still have an edge and still make every shot difficult. And then to take care of the boards. Kyle (Korver) had 10 rebounds. It's really tough for bigs who are in there battling and holding and doing things that bigs do and to have our guards come in and help out. Kyle got a couple big ones. Thabo (Sefolosha) got one at the free-throw line. Not only do you have to play good defense initially, you have to finish it. It's not a stop until you get the rebound. I think we did both of those things."
On Kyle Korver fourth-quarter 3-pointer: "Any time Kyle shoots it's OK in my mind. The honest, interesting truth is that he practices that. He was caught with a 6-10, 6-11 trying to guard him out on the perimeter. He works on that shot and he practices. It was obviously a huge shot to make but that's the kind of a special player he is."
Kyle Korver
On fourth-quarter 3-pointer: "I practiced that shot last year with Quin. That was the one he was always trying to get me to work on. It's a little ironic that the first time I shoot it, it's tonight."
On taking shot on bigger player: "He switched out. I just backed up to get a lay of the land and see if there was a mismatch or see what was open. The only thing I saw that was open was to pull it. Try to get a little rhythm and let it go."
On allowing nine fourth-quarter points: "It's a combination of a lot of things but the root of it was we just played harder and we played with more purpose and we played with a sense of urgency. You have to give them a lot of credit. They played really well. They attacked the paint. They really kicked us in the paint the first three quarter and we finally took that away a little more and made them shoot jump shots. Luckily, they started missing a few."
Jeff Teague
On scoring last 11 points of game: "We just made plays down the stretch. Kyle Korver being great like he usually is and Paul Millsap being him. Down the stretch I have to take care of the ball a little better. I had some opportunities to shoot it and I was trying to be unselfish and make the spectacular play instead of the easy one."
On Korver 3-pointer: "I knew it was good. I didn't even celebrate. I knew it was going in. I just ran back on D. That is just what he does."
On allowing nine fourth-quarter points: "That was great defensively. The guys off the bench came in and really grinded them down and we finished it up."
Thabo Sefolosha
On allowing nine fourth-quarter point: "It was just energy. We found a groove and we were more aggressive than them."
On scoring last 11 points: "Talent. Just trusting one another. The ball is moving just as well in the first quarter as the last quarter. It's trusting the system and playing our game."
Al Horford
On Paul Millsap: "It's good to see. I tell you that. That is something when he has it rolling like that it makes everybody better. He was in a zone. Every time he got the ball I thought he was going to score. It was just a great effort."
Paul Millsap
On getting 30 points without a free throw: "That's working. No free throws, it's tough. I had some good looks. Teammates found me."
On whether Jazz were losing track of him: "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. I was really just going after the ball and being aggressive, getting back to doing the things that go me here. That's getting down there and getting dirty and getting rebounds."
On Korver 3-pointer: "I'm going down to the other end. He is a sharp-shooter, sniper. That is the type of range he has."
On confidence building win: "I would say so. This is one of those trap games. They are a good team. You have to give it to them. They've got some guys who can play. They are well coached. For us to not to come out with the same intensity we came out with the last two games is a little tough. But we fought back."
