What they said after the Hawks’ 102-95 loss to the Pistons Tuesday night:
“I think the way we started tonight, we dug ourselves a hole. I guess at one point we were actually able to come back and take the lead but the energy and the effort it took to dig ourselves out of the hole that was created in the first quarter really, in a lot of ways, was the game. As a group, we need to have better focus to start a game. It wasn’t there. We all need to learn from it. We need to get ready to continue. We’ve got a game tomorrow and tonight is something we are going to do our best to learn from it, prepare and move on.”
- Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
“I think you always have to give the defense credit. Detroit’s activity and Detroit’s energy was good. Their activity in pick-and-rolls, so I think they deserve some credit. I think at times we had some good open looks that for us are high percentage, guys that make shots, and tonight was one of those nights where they didn’t go in.”
- Budenholzer on Hawks’ poor shooting
“Well, I referenced that I thought there was a lack of focus to start the game. Coming off a win, coming off a loss, at the end of the day doesn’t really matter. We have to have more focus and be mentally tougher to start a game and throughout a game. You can never explain why.”
- Budenholzer on whether Hawks had mental letdown after defeating Pacers Sunday
“We didn’t change anything. The group has a strong will and they are resilient. We did come back and take the lead at one point. I think we really expended a lot of energy in trying to take care of the boards. Ultimately, we were able to sustain that lead. I think the activity and effort on the boards was better. There was no significant change to help on the boards.”
- Budenholzer on Hawks’ better second-half rebounding
“We didn’t come out with the intensity that we should have. We were hoping to build off the last game where we came out with great focus and fire and attention to detail. Tonight, especially on the defensive end, we weren’t very sharp. I think they had a 35-point first quarter. You just can’t do that right now.”
- Kyle Korver on Hawks’ focus to start the game
“You have to give them some credit, for sure. Man, I feel like the ball was just going in and out for me tonight. It was tough to have one of those nights tonight.”
- Korver on Hawks’ poor shooting
“We are still in the driver’s seat. We have to take care of business and tonight was one we wish we would have gotten. It’s probably going to come down to the end. We just have to fill our cup, that’s what coach said after the game, fill our cup and come back ready to play tomorrow night.”
- Korver on Hawks’ playoff position
“I don’t know. They just came out playing well. We didn’t”
- Jeff Teague on Hawks’ slow start
“No.”
- Teague on whether he can put finger on Hawks’ slow start
“We’re fine.”
- Teague on Hawks’ playoff position
“There was a letdown. We lost. We should have taken care of business.”
- Teague on whether Hawks had mental letdown after defeating Pacers Sunday
“We didn’t come out with enough focus and energy at the beginning of the game. As we know, we can beat any team and lose to any team. We got off to a poor start and it was hard to fight back after that.”
- Elton Brand on Hawks poor start
“I’m not sure what it was. I’m not sure what it was. We didn’t have it and we were down 13 for a bit game like this at home.”
- Brand on reason for Hawks’ poor start
“It’s definitely disappointing. We have our playoff destiny in our hands. We want to protect our home court with the few games we have left. Definitely, it’s a disappointing loss.”
- Brand on loss
“Tough loss but tomorrow we have another game. It’s a big game. Now we put ourselves back into position where it’s a must-win.”
- DeMarre Carroll on loss
“I think we really did it to ourselves. We started missing shots and put our heads down and we weren’t getting any stops on the other end.”
- Carroll on Hawks poor shooting
“I would say that is a fair assessment.”
- Paul Millsap on Hawks lack of focus and energy to start game
“Not sure. Not sure. We want to be a good team. We go to Indiana and beat them at home and we come here and lose to Detroit. That is not setting a good tone for who we are and who we want to be. We just have to do a better job of setting the tone early.”
- Millsap on reason for lack of focus
“We are still there. We are still there fighting. We still have an opportunity. We just can’t let it go to waste.”
- Millsap on Hawks’ playoff position
