What they said after the Hawks 91-85 victory over the 76ers Saturday night:
Coach Mike Budenholzer
Opening statement: "Tonight, you saw a team that's really improved from the start of the season to the end of the season. I think Philadelphia is growing and improving. Their defense, they did a lot of things that made it difficult for us tonight. Credit to them and their players. For our group to find a way, I think we went down two in the fourth quarter late, different people made big shots. Al (Horford) has been great at the end of quarters and games. Dennis (Schroder) made a big shot. Finding ways to win, different players stepping up each night, against a very good defensive team. We are going to have to play a lot better going forward."
On Schroder fourth-quarter 3-pointer: "As a staff and as a group, we know how important shooting is and we know how important confidence is. He works hard. He works every day. I'm on him a lot to attack. I'm on him to get to the paint. I'm on him to collapse the defense. I'm on him to find his open teammates. We believe that when you are open, you need to take what the game gives you. He is going to grow. He's going to hit big shots for us going forward. We are confident in him."
On 76ers 3-pointers: "I wouldn't say they were getting us out of rotations. They are a team that is very, very efficient in the paint. There a team that is second in the league in percentage of points that come in the paint. So, the emphasis was to try to take that away. Tonight, they made us pay for it. They made a lot of shots and it's a credit to them. Jerami Grant made three or four and (Luc) Mbah a Moute made a couple. When they've got people that can get in the paint and they have people making shots around it, I think it was more of what they were doing. I wouldn't say we were more out of rotation. They did some good things."
On more isolation plays: "I think that is fairly accurate. I think part of it was their defense put us in some difficult positions. I think we just weren't committed enough to move the ball, go side to side, moving it a little bit before we play pick-and-roll. I think I could be better. I think we all could be better. It wasn't a sharp night offensively."
Jeff Teague
On win: "That was a rough game. Guys are banged up and tired but we pulled it out. I don't know how we did it but we did it."
On 76ers' 3-pointers: "They were hitting everything. Guys who don't even shoot 3's, who haven't shot a 3-pointer all year, made 3's tonight."
Dennis Schroder
On win: "It was pretty good that we won the game. I think everybody stepped up. DeMarre (Carroll) and Thabo (Sefolosha) didn't play. (Kent) Bazemore and John (Jenkins) stepped up for us. It was great that we pulled out the win."
On fourth-quarter 3-pointer: "I worked on it last summer the whole time. I'm not working on it when I don't use it. They went under and I just pulled up for the 3. (It was open) so I took it."
Al Horford
On win: "They were playing really good. They were very confident. We just made plays down the stretch. Dennis hit a big 3 there. That was a big relief for us."
On his fourth-quarter play: "I just wanted to make plays. We were a little stagnant on offense. I felt like I need to step up and take the shots. Jeff (Teague) set me up real nice, gave me some good passes and I finished the plays."
On took much isolation offense: "I don't know why that was. Maybe because they were doing a lot of switching and we were playing a little different. We have to make sure we keep running our offense and stick to our principles."
Elton Brand
On getting poked in eye and running off court: "I just forgot I was tough for a second. We are shot a lot of guys. It felt a little better after a few minutes, so I said 'Let me try to get out there and play some defense and get us going."
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