Allen Iverson Guys Quotations

We knew we were going to be short-handed, being that Chris wasn't playing, and other guys stepped up and played big for us.

If we don't have Willie it's going to hurt us. But we have so many guys ready to step up.

Getting those two guys on the same page will be a major factor on us having a good season,'' Cheeks said.

I don't think it's good for the league. I really don't because it kind of makes it fake. Guys wearing those clothes don't want to be wearing those clothes.

He wasn't calm. He was angry, and he had every right to be. What I got out of it is that the guys need to take a challenge to make this team better. He talked about this bad time were going through and how we need to stick together. It's very important for us to stay together as a unit.

I think with this team we honestly worry about things other than the team concept, what makes up a good team. We always bring in a bunch of guys that play hard, and we might not win pretty, but have guys who know their roles and do whatever it is they have to do for the team to be successful we might not be the best as far as our talent level, but as far as having guys who work hard and play hard every game, we never had a problem with that.

I think the biggest part of this was the fact that we were coming into an arena where the guys were 0-7,

I think a lot of it has to do with the trade deadline being over. Guys are comfortable now that they?re going to be here.

Those guys had their playoffs shirts made up and wanted to wear them after the game. We didn't give them a chance to do that. We had extra incentive to beat them. Now, they have to wear them somewhere else.

We know that team was 0-6 and just for those guys to come in here and get a win would have been devastating to us. Our whole thing was to not let them get their first win on us in our house.

We got things done at the right time tonight. Every time we went down we kept our composure and got back into the game. We were able to get a lead and sustain it. We showed a lot of character being that those guys (Washington) already had their playoff shirts made up and wanted to wear them after the game. We didn't give them a chance to do that, now they have to do it somewhere else. We had an extra incentive to beat them and that gave us a great lift. We just did everything right tonight.

When you have a first half like that nine times out of 10 you're gonna have good lead. Guys are coming out with a sense of urgency the positive thing about that is that it's happening now.

When you rebound the ball we're able to move the ball, and we want to get out and run, try to get guys some easy baskets. We don't want to come out and play a half-court game all the time.

Everything we do from here on out has to be a team effort. If five guys play together on both ends of the court, we can make something positive out of this season.

The most I got out of it was that guys need to take a challenge to make this team better. He talked about during this bad time that we're going through right now that it was important for everybody to stick together.

They're targeting guys who dress like me -- guys who dress hip-hop. Put a murderer in a suit, and he's still a murderer. It sends a bad message to kids.

They're targeting guys who dress like me, guys who dress hip-hop,

It's all mostly effort when it comes to this game. Maybe some of the younger guys don't have that sense of urgency we obviously need to win basketball games. I think as far as talent we have enough to get over the hump.

It's not like defenses are out there just giving guys 50 and 60 points. You have to look at what's going on this season and realize there are just as many great players playing today as there ever has been in this game.

It makes it that much easier for me, especially when he gets that attention on the post and people double him, and I get the entry pass. I get people running out at me, I can drive to the basket or hit that shot. And running the pick-and-roll, when guys try to take the ball out of my hands, all I do is make that one little pass at the free throw line. And when (Webber) is knocking it down, it?s tough for a team to stop us.

That is just something that I don't deal with. You may not think about it as much, but it is something that you must think about because if guys have families here and maybe have to get up and just leave. It would be tough, so it's something to think about. It is part of the business and you just have to deal with it as a professional.

I know we got guys in here who can get it done, because it happens on some nights. But it doesn't happen in others. This has to start with me, because I am our top offensive player. If I can send the message about playing defense, then I'm pretty sure everyone else will follow.

I?m just trying to do a little more talking to the guys and assuring them I?m with them regardless, mistakes or no mistakes. I feel like it?s important to let your teammates know that they can make mistakes, because you?re definitely gonna make them. We feel like we can make mistakes and live with them if they?re aggressive mistakes. I just talk to my squad as much as I can and just try to be there for them because that?s what they do for me.

Chris and myself, some nights we're going to struggle and we're not going to be able to get it done. We need other guys to step up. When you get 31 from a guy off the bench, you're supposed to win that game.

If I start thinking about who's on the opposing team and I've got to play well against that team, then the next night when we play against guys without the big names, then you don't play so well. So you try and keep a consistent approach.

These guys don't play it at a level like a Vince Carter or Tracy McGrady or myself,

These guys don't have all the physical ability but they are able to win basketball games because they play the right way.