Here is what they said after the Hawks’ 91-86 loss to the Nets Monday night:
“It was a game that had some pretty big swings. I think the way we finished the second quarter to go up six was a really positive stretch – our defense, keeping them off the free-throw line. The game really changed coming out of the third quarter. They went on a big run. We went from being up six to being down six. I think in a lot of ways that is where the game was won. We were able to get back in it and took the lead. We had a couple mental mistakes, a couple turnovers. Eighteen turnovers for 28 points that’s too many to give up. We’ve got to read the game, react to the game, better. I think we have to continue to attack, drive the ball, get to the paint.”
- Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
“ (Mirza) Teletovic got away from us a couple times on breakdowns. There were a couple of them when their spacing was good and they found him when he was open. There were at least two when there was more of a mental mistake.”
- Budenholzer on four 3-pointers by Mirza Teletovic
“Joe Johnson is obviously a very good one-on-one player and he made some very tough shots.”
- Budenholzer on Joe Johnson
“I guess frustrating is a word you can use. That’s part of this process we are talking about. Every game there are mistake, there are execution mistakes and defensive breakdowns. You want to be the team that makes the least of those mistakes.”
- Budenholzer on Hawks’ late mistakes
“It’s plain and simple. They were more aggressive then we were. They came out with more of a chip of their shoulder and we just didn’t react to it.”
- Paul Millsap on difference in game
“We’ve got to toughen up. They got offensive rebounds on us. They got offensive rebounds. We missed a few assignments. A lot of it is just discipline.”
- Millsap on Nets’ late rally
“It’s just discipline. If we get back to the fundamentals we’ll be all right.”
- Millsap on frustration of mounting losses
“It’s frustrating. There are always going to be mistakes in the game. You try not to have them at the important times. We had a couple possessions in a row. I had a turnover and Jeff and I had a miscommunication. That was a big moment there.”
- Kyle Korver of frustration of mounting losses
“We can totally fix it. They both happened when we weren’t sure what we were doing on offense. There were a couple breakdowns and we were freelancing it. We just messed it up and we can’t have that.”
- Korver on fourth-quarter turnovers
“That was big. We gained some momentum and the end of the second quarter and we took the lead. We didn’t even play that well in the first half but we had the lead. They obviously felt like they didn’t play well either. They came out with a bit more fire.”
- Korver on Nets’ 14-0 run to start second half
“The third quarter starts for them is something they have been harping on. I have followed the team and the Brooklyn Nets have not done well in that third quarter, while tonight they controlled the third quarter.”
- Elton Brand on Nets’ 14-0 run to start second half
“Stops were one of the big things. Some of our third quarters have been because we missed some shots or turnovers, which lead to easy baskets so we can’t get stops. Tonight, those guys made a conscious effort to get stops. On the other end, they were moving the ball and guys were getting wide-open looks.”
- Nets coach Jason Kidd on third-run run
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