Here is what they said after the Hawks’ 120-113 victory over the Timberwolves Saturday night:
“I think the third quarter tonight was something we can reference going forward on how we want to play, particularly defensively. To hold them to 21 points in a quarter with the way they score the ball and then, obviously, us turning the defense into offense and getting a hold of the game. I think DeMarre Carroll really responded coming out of halftime. The whole group responded. DeMarre sets a defensive tone for us and I think everybody else follows that. There were a lot of guys who stepped up and did different things when it got close late. Mike Scott came off the bench when Paul Millsap gets his sixth foul and makes a big 3-pointer. Jeff Teague makes a big 3-pointer. Gustavo (Ayon) makes a big layup. DeMarre steps up and makes five out of six free throws and some of those were (fouls on) loose ball situations where he just wanted it. There are a lot of good reference points as we move forward and try to work and improve and get better as the season progresses.”
- Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer’s opening statement
“I think the great thing for DeMarre was that he missed a few shots tonight in the first half. That is part of him coming back in the second half. … I think he really had a great second half. The last two weeks, give or take a little bit, he has really been shooting the ball well. I think he is really confident. I think our spacing and our ball movement is good. Daily we are working with the entire team about spacing and maintaining discipline. I think DeMarre is getting better and better about spacing and catch-and-shoot and he is knocking down shots.”
- Budenholzer on DeMarre Carroll’s recent offensive game
“Hopefully, you could argue that the percentages are about flip on you. If you are 2-for-11 then you should shoot even more because you are going to make them. Some nights that happens, some nights it doesn’t. I think there is a system and a style and a way we want to play and we want to build those habits. That includes spacing the court, attacking and penetrating and if we have the rim, we’ll take the rim. If we have 3’s, we’ll take 3’s. We just want to take what the game gives us. I always want our guys to be confident in shooting.”
- Budenholzer on Hawks’ second-half 3-point shooting
“I got some good screens and just kept on moving. We were really playing with pace and the ball was skipping around. We were just doing what we do but doing it with pace. Eventually, guys usually get tired and I was able to get some shots.”
- Kyle Korver on third-quarter 3-pointers
“Coach laid into us at halftime. Oh man, he really did. I thought our guys responded with a great third quarter for us. Hopefully, he doesn’t have to talk to us like that all the time. It worked tonight.”
- Korver on Budenholzer’s halftime message
“He gets fired up all the time. He really challenged us and guys went out and played hard.”
- Korver on whether Budenholzer has yelled before at halftime
“We got a couple of offensive rebounds, a couple of scrappy plays. We weren’t able to get good looks at the basket but we got to the free-throw line a bunch, which was great. You have to give Kevin Love a lot of credit. He just kept on coming. He is relentless down there. He got boards and hit a couple of 3’s and really, really kept them in the game. It’s tough. Back-to-backs in January are not the most glamorous games you want to play in but I thought guys came out and for the most part did their job and it’s good to get a win.”
- Korver on Hawks’ ability to hold off Timberwolves
“He came in and got after us. It’s what we needed. He motivated us. I think guys responded and played well in the second half.”
- Jeff Teague on Budenholzer’s halftime message
“We just came out and played with some energy. The pace was different. We came out in the first quarter and played well but in the third quarter we took it to another level.”
- Teague on difference in second half
“Give coach credit. He did a good job of coming in here and getting on us because I think we were lackadaisical in the first half. We were getting beat backdoor a lot. We came in here, coach got on us and we responded.”
- DeMarre Carroll on Budenholzer’s halftime message
“Defense is always going to set the tone. That is what we want to focus on the remainder of the season is playing good defense and letting our defense lead to easy offense.
- Carroll on Hawks’ defensive effort
“I’ve really been working hard with coach Quinn Snyder. He has been my individual coach and he has really been giving me the confidence that I can be Bruce Bowen and better, playing the offensive side too and not just shooting 3’s. When I was dribbling the ball and I was on the ground and Corey Brewer had me, I looked at him because he taught me how to keep the ball low. He has really been working with me and my hat goes off to him because he really gives me a lot of confidence. And my teammates like Kyle Korver and Paul (Millsap) telling me I can score the ball and go out there and do what I do.”
- Carroll on his recent offensive game
“That is just me being Junkyard Dog. That comes with my pedigree. Offense, that is a plus but playing defense, being the Junkyard Dog, getting the loose balls, diving on the floor, the little things, that comes with my pedigree.”
- Carroll on his key rebounds down the stretch
“I just thought about going to the basket and that’s it. I looked at Kevin Love and he stuck to Jeff and I attacked the basket.”
- Gustavo Ayon on his key fourth-quarter layup
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