What they said after the Hawks’ 93-88 win over the Nets Friday night:
“To get a win with a good defensive effort is important for our group. We’ve been talking about improving defensively probably all year. To get a win like this, at this moment and this time, and really a lot of it coming from our defensive effort is really important to our group. A lot of contributions from a lot of guys. Guys rebounding and getting after it on the defensive end is what it is going to take to continue to improve and build.”
- Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
We talk about going on to the next play a lot. That is the most important thing, what is happening next. You have to forget what just happened, whatever just frustrated you and go to the next play.”
- Budenholzer on overcoming ups and downs in game
“It was critical. Defensively, (the Nets) are a tough team to score against. They have a lot of length. They played a little different, different matchups. So Jeff was able to get in the paint and score. Paul just has a way of carrying us. We were fortunate.”
- Budenholzer on play of Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap
“Probably not many people would think we could win a game only making one 3. That’s probably what you look at when you look at the stat sheet, our defense allowed us to win a game when we only made one 3-point shot.”
- Budenholzer on win despite 1-for-19 shooting from 3-point range
“The last couple nights we have been able to respond when the other team has taken a lead. It was a heck of a basket by Paul. Our defense down the stretch was good. We were fortunate they missed a couple free throws. We feel fortunate to get the win.”
- Budenholzer on Millsap’s reverse with 2:02 remaining to give Hawks the lead for good
“Early it didn’t feel that way but then once he got going it seemed like he was finding cracks and finding ways. Paul and Kyle (Korver) and everybody attract so much attention and Jeff was taking advantage of his opportunities. Really from the end of the second quarter he got into a good rhythm and a good place and it carried through the rest of the game.”
- Budenholzer on Teague’s mismatch with Nets guards
“I thought in the fourth quarter I got a few good looks. They just didn’t go in. We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight being 1-for-19 from 3. To still win the game, we did a lot of other things well. This time of the season we are just trying to get win. We’ll take it.”
- Kyle Korver on Hawks’ troubles from 3-point range
“If you are not shooting and you are not playing defense, you are going to get blown out in the NBA. I thought defensively we did some solid things. We still have more to clean up. This is a tough little stretch here, four games in five nights. To come on the road and get a win was good.”
- Korver on Hawks’ defense
“It’s a big game tomorrow, for a lot of reasons. I’m sure we’ll get up for it. We just want to keep on playing good basketball and keep building our habits.”
- Korver on facing Heat Saturday
“Great win to snap (the Nets’) 15-game home win streak and shoot the ball like we did. That’s a great team effort.”
- Elton Brand on win
“Defense. That’s all it was about. Getting stops. They rested some players of course, some good players, but we just played good defense.”
- Brand on win despite poor shooting
“Great win, especially to go 1-for-19 from 3.”
- DeMarre Carroll on Hawks’ win
“I think we did it on the defensive end. A lot of guys stepped up, took charges, helped one another. That’s what we’ve got to do, from now on until the end of the season.”
- Carroll on win despite poor shooting
“Not paying attention to it. I don’t think we realized really what happen, 1-for-19. But it wasn’t even about offense tonight. Our defense stepped up big time. That’s what we continue to do.”
- Paul Millsap on win despite poor shooting
“It says a lot about our team. It says a lot about what we are trying to accomplish here. The focus that it took to get this win, it says a lot. Guys want to win. Guys want to make this push.”
- Millsap on win
“I attacked hard to the basket. I saw the big guy come. My main thing is just to try to get to the basket and get in on the rim. I was able to put some English on it. It was one of those luck shots.”
- Millsap on his reverse that gave the Hawks the lead for good
“Plays like that turn games around. It just so happened to be me tonight. Through the course of the season, somebody has to make that shot. Jeff makes a lot of those shots. It came at the right time.”
- Millsap on reverse stopping Nets’ momentum
“I think he was in attack mode the whole night. It was attack, attack. When he is like that, he is a hard player to guard. That is what we need, for him to continue to attack, get to the basket and open up a lot of things for us.”
- Millsap on Jeff Teague’s play
“It was really cool. When the starting lineups were announced with his name and where he is from, Farragut Academy, it just took me back to watching games as a kid in Minnesota.”
- Rookie Mike Muscala on playing against childhood idol Kevin Garnett
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