Here is what they said after the Hawks’ 105-100 loss to the Pelicans Wednesday night:
“That’s a tough loss for our group. We were able to get up seven or eight in the fourth quarter and our execution needs to improve when we are in that situation. A couple of turnovers and then a big rebound loose ball that New Orleans ends up getting and Morrow hits a big 3. That possession is where games are won and lost in the fourth quarter. Our execution down the stretch and finding a way to get that defensive board, even if it’s five or six minutes to go in the game, those types of plays can really change the game. But we’ll keep working and we’ll keep pointing toward improving in each of those areas.”
- Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
“The combination of Mike and Paul to finish the second quarter was very good. We got some good momentum coming in at halftime with that combination. We felt like our best chance to score was to spread them out a little bit and keep shooters out there. At times, it was effective but, obviously, it wasn’t enough to get us home.”
- Budenholzer on using Paul Millsap and Mike Scott at center late in game
“That was a huge shot. DeMarre plays good individual defense and Eric has a great pump fake. DeMarre bit on the pump fake and created the contact and banked the shot it. That was a big play. We had just answered on the other end.”
- Budenholzer on Pelicans’ Eric Gordon banked 19 footer while being fouled in fourth quarter
“It’s a lack of execution. We just didn’t execute down the stretch. They hit some tough shots.”
- Paul Millsap on fourth-quarter issues
“He hit some tough shots. He got to the foul line. He stayed solid and hit some 15-foot shots.”
- Millsap on guarding Anthony Davis late
“Of course. Of course.”
- Millsap on whether he was comfortable guarding the bigger Davis
“The fourth quarter you have to execute that much better. You have to be sharper and that much more focused. I felt like we just played it like it was the other three quarters. I don’t know why we did that tonight. The fourth quarter, especially on the road, we have to be sharper.
“The fourth quarter in the NBA, it’s about making plays. Whoever makes the most plays is going to win.”]
- Kyle Korver on loss
“They made plays. We just didn’t make any plays in that fourth quarter. They made some big plays. The Roberts kid made some big shots in the fourth. We just got a little stagnant on the defensive end. Our defensive intensity just wasn’t there. We didn’t pay attention to detail. Myself, I was supposed to push him left and I let him get right and he made a tough shot.”
- Jeff Teague on loss
“A couple of loose balls, on the road you have to get those 50-50 balls. When you are up seven points, on the road, that is nothing. We didn’t get those 50-50 balls and Anthony Morrow hit those big 3’s and that was the game.”
- DeMarre Carroll on difference in game
“Every game we’ve been losing on the road, when we’ve been winning the whole game, we lose it at the end. That is something that we as a team have to fix. Especially we have to fix it before the All-Star break because after that there are so many road games. We have to get it right.”
- Carroll on fixing fourth-quarter execution problems
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