Official postgame quotes from the Jazz's 88-87 road victory against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
Head Coach Mark Jackson
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On tonight’s game:
“I told the guys you think that the game was won or lost by Monta Ellis’ runner, but that’s not real basketball. We didn’t execute two, two on one fast breaks. We didn’t close out possessions defensively and we didn’t gang rebound and we allowed them second shot opportunities. We made mistakes and turned the ball over. Give us one of those plays back and we win the ballgame. Those are winning plays and so many players seem to ignore those plays because the one that is shown is the runner in the lane. We lost the game before that.”
On how they build after tonight’s game:
“It’s a process…it’s a process. You have to keep on working, keep on preaching. You have to find guys that believe in the message and are willing to do whatever. No need to hold our heads down, we‘re going to be fine. We’ve got to make it happen, nobody is going to hand deliver us a win.”
On Monta Ellis maybe going too late on final shot attempt:
“That’s his read my only concern in that situation is that they had a foul to give, but once he realized they were playing straight defense I can’t be upset with that. He got a great look. The guy is doing everything I ask him to do on both sides of the basketball and he has the ball in his hands and gets a quality look. It’s just a tough bounce.”
Guard Nate Robinson
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On what coach wanted on the last play:
“We got the ball to our go to guy, Monta (Ellis), we will live with a shot like that, he’s made that a plenty of times in his career as I’ve been watching. The ball just didn’t go in. Coach wanted to call a play for the iso at top; he got what exactly what we needed but it just didn’t go in.”
On what keeps them believing on turning things around:
“We come in and we do what we love to do and that’s play basketball. As a team and as a unit we know we can do it. We just have to figure out a formula that works, period. Coach does a great job drawing stuff up, we have to do a better as a team on executing exactly what he wants. We have to continue to keep playing hard.”
Forward Dorell Wright
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On how disappointing it is losing a close game like this:
“It’s very disappointing. Rewind the tape; it’s not the first time, the past two games. We just have to find a way to get better.”
On turnovers:
“We have to take care of the basketball at any point of the game. We have to get better all around; it’s just not one thing.”
Forward David Lee
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On defense playing well but offensively struggling:
“Part of that comes from having a guy like Stephen Curry who’s not in right now who provides some more scoring from the perimeter for us, makes us deeper as a team. It’s frustrating just because we’re sitting here 2-6 we can easily be 4-4 or 5-3. I’m going to be really frustrated until that next win. During this losing streak nothing seems positive at this point.”
Head Coach Tyrone Corbin
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On the teams overall game performance:
“I thought that the guys really toughed it out. We really crunched down after playing so many games in such a short amount of time. Everybody is a little tired and it showed. We hung in there and continued to fight as a team and as a result we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end [while also making] some big plays.”
On building on this win on the road:
“That’s the thing that we’ve talked about, we did a great job at home. We’ve taken care of our business here and now we’ve got to take that same kind of effort out on the road. I thought that we did that tonight. The first three games that we had on the road we didn’t feel good about our performance. Tonight, I thought that we came out and played together as a group of guys, continued to fight when we got down and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end.”
On the team continuing to build an identity off of the win:
“We’re trying to create an identity and to find out who we are and how we have to play in order to be effective. Guys have to understand that we have to put forth maximum effort every night that we step on the floor and that’s from one-to-13. We can’t have one guy slack off, we’ve got to have every body fight hard and give ourselves a chance to win.”
Guard/Forward Gordon Hayward
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On shooting well:
“Raja [Bell] really came out hot and I was able to hit a couple jumpers as well. When we do that it really helps our offense as a whole. They can’t just focus on the post players and they were kicking it out a little bit more tonight so we were able to get some easy and open looks.”
On his play and tonight’s win:
“It was a relief. I was just more worried about the team win than anything. We finally pulled one out on the road after getting blown out in the other one, so I think it’s a tell tale that we got the win off a defensive stop as well. That’s what Coach [Tyrone Corbin] has been harping on – us playing better defense. We’ve been trying to do that and we were able to do that tonight”
On the team’s defense:
“Defensively, I think we’ve been a lot better. We still have work to do for sure, but I don’t think guys are getting as easy of looks as they’ve been [getting]. And I think we’ve been coming out with more energy, especially tonight. I thought that was the one thing that we’ve struggled with, so we were able to get off to a good start and when you do that it’s amazing what happens. It was a good win.”
Guard Raja Bell
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On contributing to his team:
“I’ll contribute any way I can. Whatever capacity is asked, I do my best to contribute in any way. Tonight, there were some opportunities there, I think the game got to an up tempo pace and it afforded me some offensive looks and the opportunity to handle the ball a bit. And that’s fine, but I always know I can count on playing defense and bringing energy.”
On the importance of tonight’s win:
“We’ve been playing pretty well, so for us it was just a matter of continuing to do the things that we had been doing well and continuing to grow. Not only a road win, but a close win, one that we had to gut out down the stretch and had to execute offensively and defensively was important for us.”
Head Coach Mark Jackson
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On tonight’s game:
“I told the guys you think that the game was won or lost by Monta Ellis’ runner, but that’s not real basketball. We didn’t execute two, two on one fast breaks. We didn’t close out possessions defensively and we didn’t gang rebound and we allowed them second shot opportunities. We made mistakes and turned the ball over. Give us one of those plays back and we win the ballgame. Those are winning plays and so many players seem to ignore those plays because the one that is shown is the runner in the lane. We lost the game before that.”
On how they build after tonight’s game:
“It’s a process…it’s a process. You have to keep on working, keep on preaching. You have to find guys that believe in the message and are willing to do whatever. No need to hold our heads down, we‘re going to be fine. We’ve got to make it happen, nobody is going to hand deliver us a win.”
On Monta Ellis maybe going too late on final shot attempt:
“That’s his read my only concern in that situation is that they had a foul to give, but once he realized they were playing straight defense I can’t be upset with that. He got a great look. The guy is doing everything I ask him to do on both sides of the basketball and he has the ball in his hands and gets a quality look. It’s just a tough bounce.”
Guard Nate Robinson
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On what coach wanted on the last play:
“We got the ball to our go to guy, Monta (Ellis), we will live with a shot like that, he’s made that a plenty of times in his career as I’ve been watching. The ball just didn’t go in. Coach wanted to call a play for the iso at top; he got what exactly what we needed but it just didn’t go in.”
On what keeps them believing on turning things around:
“We come in and we do what we love to do and that’s play basketball. As a team and as a unit we know we can do it. We just have to figure out a formula that works, period. Coach does a great job drawing stuff up, we have to do a better as a team on executing exactly what he wants. We have to continue to keep playing hard.”
Forward Dorell Wright
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On how disappointing it is losing a close game like this:
“It’s very disappointing. Rewind the tape; it’s not the first time, the past two games. We just have to find a way to get better.”
On turnovers:
“We have to take care of the basketball at any point of the game. We have to get better all around; it’s just not one thing.”
Forward David Lee
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On defense playing well but offensively struggling:
“Part of that comes from having a guy like Stephen Curry who’s not in right now who provides some more scoring from the perimeter for us, makes us deeper as a team. It’s frustrating just because we’re sitting here 2-6 we can easily be 4-4 or 5-3. I’m going to be really frustrated until that next win. During this losing streak nothing seems positive at this point.”
Head Coach Tyrone Corbin
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On the teams overall game performance:
“I thought that the guys really toughed it out. We really crunched down after playing so many games in such a short amount of time. Everybody is a little tired and it showed. We hung in there and continued to fight as a team and as a result we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end [while also making] some big plays.”
On building on this win on the road:
“That’s the thing that we’ve talked about, we did a great job at home. We’ve taken care of our business here and now we’ve got to take that same kind of effort out on the road. I thought that we did that tonight. The first three games that we had on the road we didn’t feel good about our performance. Tonight, I thought that we came out and played together as a group of guys, continued to fight when we got down and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end.”
On the team continuing to build an identity off of the win:
“We’re trying to create an identity and to find out who we are and how we have to play in order to be effective. Guys have to understand that we have to put forth maximum effort every night that we step on the floor and that’s from one-to-13. We can’t have one guy slack off, we’ve got to have every body fight hard and give ourselves a chance to win.”
Guard/Forward Gordon Hayward
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On shooting well:
“Raja [Bell] really came out hot and I was able to hit a couple jumpers as well. When we do that it really helps our offense as a whole. They can’t just focus on the post players and they were kicking it out a little bit more tonight so we were able to get some easy and open looks.”
On his play and tonight’s win:
“It was a relief. I was just more worried about the team win than anything. We finally pulled one out on the road after getting blown out in the other one, so I think it’s a tell tale that we got the win off a defensive stop as well. That’s what Coach [Tyrone Corbin] has been harping on – us playing better defense. We’ve been trying to do that and we were able to do that tonight”
On the team’s defense:
“Defensively, I think we’ve been a lot better. We still have work to do for sure, but I don’t think guys are getting as easy of looks as they’ve been [getting]. And I think we’ve been coming out with more energy, especially tonight. I thought that was the one thing that we’ve struggled with, so we were able to get off to a good start and when you do that it’s amazing what happens. It was a good win.”
Guard Raja Bell
Post-Game Quotes – January 7, 2012
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
On contributing to his team:
“I’ll contribute any way I can. Whatever capacity is asked, I do my best to contribute in any way. Tonight, there were some opportunities there, I think the game got to an up tempo pace and it afforded me some offensive looks and the opportunity to handle the ball a bit. And that’s fine, but I always know I can count on playing defense and bringing energy.”
On the importance of tonight’s win:
“We’ve been playing pretty well, so for us it was just a matter of continuing to do the things that we had been doing well and continuing to grow. Not only a road win, but a close win, one that we had to gut out down the stretch and had to execute offensively and defensively was important for us.”
