Postgame quotes: Blazers 120, Bucks 108
BLAZERS POST GAME QUOTES
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 – Final Score: Portland 120, Milwaukee 108
COACH NATE McMILLAN
“I thought it was good. I love our energy. I love what I saw with both groups tonight, trying to slide Rudy back in rotation. We looked at that in practice and they practiced that way yesterday. I thought they came out very aggressive – Blake, Bayless, and Rudy – and really went after the first group and basically I told them that’s how we want to play. That first half, we were really good. I thought throughout the game was really good – we started to get a little loose late in the ball game when they started trapping us but I loved our energy tonight.”
On Buck’s comeback attempt:
“They were down 24 in the Phoenix game and they’re going to play. That team plays hard and they play for 48 minutes. We knew that we were going to have to put them away. It was a very similar game to the one they played in Phoenix being down 24 – they actually took a 2 point lead with that very trap so that was something we had seen. We just didn’t execute well, attack it, when we had opportunities.”
On having to put starters back in during the fourth quarter:
“Whatever we have to do… That happens sometimes. We got control of the game where we won the game.”
On resting Roy after his hamstring tightened up:
“I think he made a move or did something and he felt it so we just took him out of the game.”
On Rudy Fernandez:
“He came in and I thought he fit right in. The flow was good. He knocked down his first shot and spacing and having those 3 guards, again, I just like the movement that we saw. I thought defensively they did a good job.”
BRANDON ROY
Was the team looking for payback from loss in Milwaukee?
“I don’t know if we use the word payback but we definitely wanted to come out and play well against them. They got a win against us in their building when we felt we had a chance to win it so tonight we just wanted to come out and play with a lot of effort. We just kept saying this team won’t go away. Coach Skiles is going to make sure they play with effort for 48 minutes. We wanted to make sure we played hard and played a full game tonight.”
On team playing well right now:
“We’re just coming out and I think we’re playing with a lot of energy. It was great having Rudy back out getting us a little depth. I looked out there at one point and we had a full second lineup out there. I think that’s been the biggest difference in putting teams away where now we have some depth and guys don’t have to play so many minutes. We’re just playing good basketball. I think we’re finally understanding this is the team we have and we’ve got to keep trying to improve with it.”
