Postgame quotes: Blazers 108, Suns 101
Official postgame quotes following the Portland Trail Blazers’ 108-101 road victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday evening.
VISITOR QUOTES
PHOENIX SUNS vs. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
US AIRWAYS CENTER
FEBRUARY 10, 2010
Official postgame quotes following the Portland Trail Blazers’ 108-101 road victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday evening.
PHOENIX SUNS 101| PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 108
PORTLAND HEAD COACH NATE MCMILLAN
(On game)
“We just executed. It was nice to see the ball go in, and I think all teams feed off of when their shots are falling. Our defense was better. I think we did a good job right from the start of not allowing them to get big quarters. Our transition defense was good, mainly because we were knocking down our shots. I thought Steve (Blake) did a good job of just trying to stay in front of Nash. That whole first group was knocking down shots so it was good to see our shots fall.”
(On game)
“It was a good win for us after two bad games. We have been in the position here it seems like the last couple years in Phoenix where we get in last night at 3 o’clock and having to refocus and trying to get this victory. The Suns have been playing good basketball and they aren’t going on break too soon. We hung in tonight and got a good win for us.”
PORTLAND GUARD STEVE BLAKE 20 POINTS | 12 ASSISTS
(On back-to-back)
“Everyone knows that last night we were out there playing fisticuffs with Oklahoma City so we wanted to come back tonight and show everyone how we can really play. We have a big break coming up so we just want to have confidence going into the break so this was huge for us.”
(On All Star break)
“It gives a chance to physically and mentally re-energize. Guys have been putting forth a lot of effort so I think it’s coming at a big time for us.”
PORTLAND GUARD ANDRE MILLER 20 POINTS | 7 REBOUNDS
(On momentum swings)
“They got a little momentum going but then Nick (Batum) hit a three then Steve Blake hit another one. Anything can happen with that team because they score in bunches. I think they almost scored 35 or 40 points in the fourth quarter so it’s tough to play a team like that.”
(On back-to-back)
“We have done that a couple times this year. Lose a game then come back and win, so it just shows a lot of character and a lot of fight in this team.”
PHOENIX HEAD COACH ALVIN GENTRY
(Opening statement)
“We got our ass kicked, plain and simple. They outplayed us in every phase of the game. Even when we got close, it went from seven right back to 18. There are no excuses; they outplayed us in every phase of the game. They outhustled us, they turned out the big plays, they made good passes and they did everything we didn’t do. It’s that simple. I can stand up here and make it sound great but there’s nothing to make it sound great. We didn’t do a very good job, we weren’t ready to play and we didn’t play with a whole lot of energy and passion. When we don’t do that, we’re not very good. We become a very, very average team.
PHOENIX FORWARD AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE 24 POINTS | 9 REBOUNDS
(On the game)
“Portland came out and shot the ball great. The first half they were on fire, shooting and scoring the ball from every angle. We didn’t quite come out with the energy we were supposed to. It was a big game for us and we should have been amped up for this one, but we weren’t.”
(On whether he’d rather play right away or if the break will be good for the team)
“I’d like to go back at it, if you ask me. It’s fresh in your mind and you definitely want to get it off your mind, you want to improve and try to get a win sooner than later, but with these days off, some guys tend to get rusty with the four games off with the All Star break. But we have to do our part during this break and keep ourselves in shape and stay sharp on the basketball court and be ready for Tuesday against Memphis.”
(On what Coach Gentry said after the game)
“He was a little upset. Knowing how big this game was for us – Portland is maybe one or two games out from bumping us out of the playoffs – so it was a big game for us. Every game is going to be a big game and we have to stay motivated every night and come to play every night, because in the Western Conference there’s only one or two games from being No. 2 in the Western Conference or being out of the playoffs, so you have to come to play every night.”
PHOENIX CENTER CHANNING FRYE 12 POINTS | 3 REBOUNDS
(On the game)
“(Portland) came out with a sense of urgency and we really wanted to play better than that. We didn’t have any energy tonight and it was just a bad game – give it to them, they jumped on us early and they just got hot. We need to take a little more pride on the defensive end, but give the credit to them; they came out and took this game from us.”
(On Portland’s big run)
“You always think eventually it’s going to come down, but like I said, they just took their time. They’ve a veteran team, they’re good and they’ve got talent and they know how to play ball.”
