Hawks-Heat postgame quotes

Here is what they said after the Hawks’ 121-119 overtime loss to the Heat Monday night:

“Our group competed tonight and our group improved tonight. I think that has been one of the things we’ve been talking about all year is that we want to compete and we want to improve. I’m proud of our group. Obviously, we would have like to have won the game. They made a few big plays down the stretch. You have to give them credit.”

- Coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement

“LeBron James hit two walk-up 3’s and Ray Allen got fouled on a 3-point shot in the corner. That’s nine points right there.”

- Budenholzer on how Hawks lost seven-point lead

“I haven’t seen it. They called it. You have to live with it.”

- Budenholzer on foul call of Ray Allen by DeMarre Carroll

“Not a lot. I think we started the game with three or four turnovers. I just encouraged them to throw it to our team and try to get a shot. Then we might have a chance. They figured it out on their own.”

- Budenholzer on what he told team after trailing 13-0

“You saw it. I’m not going to comment on it.”

- DeMarre Carroll on foul call on Ray Allen

“They just hit some big shots. LeBron stepped up and hit some big shots. We didn’t hit the shots. We had the game won. We knew when it came down to too close like that, fate is not in your hands.”

- Carroll on difference in game

“He was great. That was a great shooting performance what he was doing out there. He keeps surprising us time and time again, stepping up big. He likes taking those big shots. He was really good for us.”

- Al Horford on Paul Millsap’s 3-point shooting

“Kyle was a look and the other look was me popping back for a jump shot. When you are the in-bounder and you don’t have any timeouts at times you want to look at the first option. We wanted to catch them off guard. They played that well. If not, it was going to be me popping back for a shot.”

- Horford on final play

“I’m encouraged. I know it’s a regular-season game but for us, we are a team that is trying to gel and trying to figure things out. I’m encouraged by the effort we had here.”

- Horford on Hawks’ effort

“Of course. It’s very disappointing. I’m not happy about it, especially because we played so well. I felt like we should have had the game. Give them credit. They hung in there. There is a reason they are the champs.”

- Horford on being mad with loss

“He just said good, hard-fought game. He was happy with the progress we are making. We have to keep at it.”

- Horford on Budenholzer’s post-game comments

“I think we played a really good game. We just had some tough breaks at the end that didn’t go our way.”

- Lou Williams on game

“They made a bunch of really clutch plays tonight. We should have won that game a couple times. That’s why they are the champions. They’ve been through a bunch of these games. We’re still growing but we are getting better.”

- Kyle Korver on difference in game

“You learn from them. Be glad it’s not in the playoffs. It’s the regular season and we have a lot of games left.”

- Korver on take-away from game

“Chris Anderson came over and got a finger on (the pass). Mario Chalmers was right underneath me. … There were a lot of options. They’re probably not too worried about me going for a lob. Sometimes that works out for you. It was a tough shot. You are not going to get a great look. All those shots at the end of the game, most of the time you have to make a tough shot.”

- Korver on final play

“A lot of good things we did. Things are clicking. I feel like we are getting better. You have to take the positives.”

- Paul Millsap on take-away from game

“They attacked, got in the lane and got fouls a few times. That was the big thing.”

- Millsap on difference in game

“I was just finding my spots. Guys were able to find me. I was able to knock down 3’s.”

- Millsap on his 3-point shooting