Here is what they said after the Hawks’ 105-87 victory over the Sixers Tuesday night:
Coach Mike Budenholzer
Opening statement: "It was a good team effort, good team win. I think our defense and just our activity for the first three quarters kept giving us an opportunity to get a little bit of separation. Obviously, Al Horford had a great game. In so many ways he impacts the game. Kent Bazemore off the bench was really good for us. Really you can go all up and down the roster. It's just a good team win."
On Horford getting to 10 assists for triple-double: "He is a great decision maker. He sees the court. He knows where his teammates are. He doesn't surprise me. He always plays very unselfish. It's great to see the ball move like that, not just from Al but from everybody."
On second half: "I thought we finished the second quarter well. I think it was a four- or six-point game with three minutes to go and we got it up to 12, which is a good way to finish the quarter. We've been talking about. Coming out with a defensive mindset in the third quarter, we thought that could give us a chance."
On road winning streak: "We don't talk a lot about road or home. We just want to approach each game and understand what is important to us, how we are going to get better and playing unselfishly. Thirty-four assists on 42 field goals and being good defensively, those are our talking points."
On taking Horford out after getting triple-double: "It's always tough when you have a little bit of a lead and when you can substitute a little bit. I think we were just fortunate we didn't have to over-extend him."
On being pleased with play missing three starters: "It's always hard when you are missing some guys. You worry about each guy doing his job and continuing to play within the framework of the team and continue to share the ball and move it. All those little things. Nobody tried to do too much. I thought our guys, for the most part, did a good job of sticking to what we do."
Al Horford
On whether he should be called Magic Johnson: "Yeah, if you want."
On whether he knew he was close to triple-double: "Going into the third, all the guys on the bench kept telling me 'Get two more rebounds. Get two more rebounds.' Then in the fourth quarter, when I got the 10th one, me and (Mike) Muscala were about to get it and Shelvin (Mack) was like 'No, let him get it.' The guys were great about it.
On first career triple-double: "It was great. It's a good feeling. But really I'm just playing team basketball. I'm out there finding people and they are knocking down shots. They kept making shot after shot. It's a good feeling when you are playing like that and having fun."
On playing without three starters: "We knew that we had to play the way coach wants us to play, move the ball and focus on defending, and we are going to find ways to score the ball. And we did. We found ways. (Kent) Bazemore was huge for us off the bench. Shelvin played solid minutes. This is what this team is about. Guys step up."
On message from Budenholzer going into a game without three starters: "Not really. Coach just felt like doing that. And when he did that, it opened an opportunity for other players. The guys took advantage of it, especially Kent. Kent was great for us, his energy, very confident shooting the ball. It was good to see him play like that."
Kent Bazemore
On playing without three starters: "It's an opportunity for the bench to get in a rhythm together and play extended minutes and continue to sharpen the things that coach tells you to do. We were moving the ball, which was great. We stayed within the concept and came out with a win."
Kyle Korver
On win: "We don't have that superstar but it makes everybody relevant. Every time down the court, everybody feels like they are going to touch the ball, they are going to set a screen, they are going to make a pass, there is a possibility they are going to do something or they are going to score. It makes you play harder. When you feel like you have an opportunity every single time down the court to be a part of what is happening, you naturally play a little harder. I feel like that has been one of our strengths. We come out and play hard as a team."
Elton Brand
On winning: "It's so much fun, being a part of the team, being a part of the unit. Tonight, for example, we had a lot of guys out. I didn't want to lose on my watch. You get that opportunity and the next guy steps up. We have a team. That is what it's about."
On not doing too much without three starters: "That is what we talked about. The OG (old guy) as they call me. We talked about it in the huddle before the game starts. We usually have a message. The message today was just play. Play the right way. Don't try to do too much because you have 18 points missing from one player, 16 from another. You are missing 40 points from two players. Don't try to do too much. Play within yourself and our system and you'll be all right. We are professional quarter by quarter. That's how we got that big lead."
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