Post-Game Quotes

[MavsFanFinley]

Don Nelson

All I can tell you is we were terrible tonight and didn’t deserve to win. I thought they were sensational. They were as good as we were bad and that spells disaster. My two best players were my worst two players tonight. I was very disappointed with the performance. It’s too bad that Marquis had such a great game and we blow it. He and Jamison and Walker were the only real guys that competed. Nobody else really showed up in my mind.

I’m pretty disappointed but that’s what happens in the NBA where you have games where you are not good. That certainly was the case with Nash and Nowitzki tonight. I might as well given them the game off like I did Finley and have the whole big three not show up. We probably would have had a better shot to win.

On the game:

You never know when they are gonna happen. You never know when you’re gonna be terrible. You just don’t. It’s like a golfer. He hits practice balls and gets out there and can’t keep it on the fairway. Sometimes you have games where the whole game you are in the sand trap and you three or four putt and you have a high score. That’s the way we played tonight. We couldn’t get anything consistently going.

Dirk Nowitzki

We have played well lately and this was tough. Luckily there is another game tomorrow. I had great looks I thought it’s just that some nights nothing will drop. We didn’t get any bounces and they got all the bounces. They were more aggressive then we were and usually the aggressor gets the calls and bounces. That’s why they won the game.

Antoine Walker

It was a tough loss for us. It’s a tough back to back situation against teams like Seattle. They are still playing hard regardless of their record.

They are difficult to play and you have to bring you’re A game. We missed shots early and we kinda got down on ourselves. Being down 20 points to a team that shoots the ball well it makes it very difficulty to get back in the game. They controlled the game pretty much from start to finish.

Nate McMillan

I thought the guys came out and pushed the ball, shared the ball, defended the ball and made it a fun day in this building. It was an exciting game for those guys to play in. I thought the guys worked together.

on Ridnour:

Luke brought his game to the floor. He’s a guy that forces that tempo to be fast and I thought tonight he set the tone by pushing the ball off made and missed baskets. He found shooters. I think he was really looking to deliver the ball and when he had his opportunities to score took advantage of that. I thought his defense was really good, just containing Nash and keeping Nash in front of him.

I thought he had a good night: pushing the ball, delivering the ball, defending the ball. It was an opportunity to look at him. Tonight against Nash I thought he did a really good job. He kept the pace at a tempo that was really good for us. When we started to play a half court game and let them set up in their zone we started to turn the ball over and allowed them to control the tempo.

On the early part of the game:

I thought Luke set the tone early by pushing the ball and that’s what we wanted him to do. We wanted to push the ball and we say “play early” or “play late.” And we had a lot of opportunities to “play early” getting to the basket, getting to the rim. We wanted to keep the pressure on them, they looked a little fatigued. Keep the pressure on them to get back defensively.

Good shooting comes from good passing. The fact that we had 20 assists at halftime and 32 for the game shows that we were sharing the ball. Whenever you share the ball and have your feet set, it makes it an easier shot. Everybody was looking to share the ball and we shot a high percentage. We came out and played hard and played together which is what we’re looking for.

Luke Ridnour

I had a lot of lay-ups. Anytime you get in a rhythm, you get comfortable and shots become easier. When you get in a rhythm you don’t have to force it right away and make something happen.

We wanted to get a win. They got us pretty good at their place and we hadn’t beaten them yet this season. We wanted to come out and really push the ball on them and we were able to do that. We were able to get in a rththy and push the ball a lot. We were really running tonight and to start off like that really opened up the whole game from there on out. Guys were hitting shots which makes us harder to guard and when that happens it makes it easier for all of us guards to get into the cracks.

Coach McMillan just told me to go out and play and have some fun. We were able to get stops and then get out and run and that opened up the whole court for us. I just wanted to make the most of the chances I get.

On being in the starting lineup:

I just thank the Lord for keeping me patient and giving me the strength to do it. I just try to stay ready and make the most of it when I get the opportunity.

On Steve Nash:

He’s a tough match up. Everyone did a good job of helping and trying to get back. We wanted to clog his game and make him take tough shots. He missed a few that he usually makes but we kept pushing the ball and made them get back on D.

[mavsman55]

Don Nelson

It’s too bad that Marquis had such a great game and we blow it. He and Jamison and Walker were the only real guys that competed. Nobody else really showed up in my mind.

My question is: How is Shawn Bradley supposed to "show up" if you only give him 2 freaking minutes to play???

[Bookit]

Originally posted by: mavsman55

My question is: How is Shawn Bradley supposed to "show up" if you only give him 2 freaking minutes to play???

Come on. Bradley can't race up and down the court.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

[Chiwas]

Originally posted by: mavsman55

My question is: How is Shawn Bradley supposed to "show up" if you only give him 2 freaking minutes to play???

The "only real guys that competed" and the "in my mind" seems to be pointing to Nash and Dirk. I think Nelson lost any hope from the 4 headed center since several weeks ago.