Bernie Bickerstaff Shot Quotations

He has been very efficient. His shot selection has been much better and he's finishing going to the basket.

I thought our defense was superb on the last two possessions that Atlanta had. They couldn't get a shot off. I thought we made them earn every possession.

We played about a quarter and a half tonight. But we played the fourth quarter with some fight to get back into it. The shot Brand made late in the game was a big-time shot and he made it at a very critical time in the basketball game.

Everything in this basketball game was pretty much even, but they shot 33-of-39 (from the line). Everything else was pretty much even. It gets down to the free-throw line and making the free throws. The opportunity was there. That's no indictment on anyone but ourselves for not making free throws. It ends up really being the difference in your basketball game.

That started at the middle of the season last year. We got the best shot from people. The way we played last year, the advantage we had at the beginning of the season is no longer an advantage for us.

(Carroll) shot it without hesitation tonight and that's important. What's more important is they were getting him the ball and he should have had the ball. When he has the ball or when he comes off a screen, that makes it better for everybody else.