Brian Hill Game Quotations

Maybe it says something about the fact that they were both raised in different countries. I think if you ask anybody, they'll tell you European players are more fundamentally sound than American players. And maybe the same is true for learning the game in Puerto Rico.

I can't say enough good things about the bench. I thought early in the game we lacked energy. Guys came in and picked it up for us; picked up our defensive intensity. It was basically the same thing in the second half. We got good shots and good offensive production from our bench.

He looked like like he was still favoring it a little bit this morning when he was out on the floor. We just felt it would be much better for him if he waited until Wednesday's game and he was able to get a practice or two under his belt, rather than rush him right back into a game.

He's doing more than he's ever had to really do before, in terms of thinking about the game and playing all the parts of the game. And to combine that with chasing down every rebound, that's a credit to him that he's able to keep that pace.

I thought we tightened it up a lot in the second half and we only gave up 41. That was the difference in the game. I don't think we were as sharp offensively and defensively to start the game but your going to have that. We'll take the win and move on and see if we can keep it going.

I thought we played sluggish and tired all night long. I just thought the energy wasn't there. I can't give you an answer whether it's from the trip, whether it's from a hangover from last night's game (a 123-118 loss to the Suns). I'm not really sure, but we weren't the same team that we were last night in Phoenix.

I thought we didn't have a lot of life. We started the game shooting a lot of jump shots.

I thought we mentally succumbed to fatigue in the beginning of the game because we played last night and that's what I told the team. We were the more aggressive team in the second half and got ourselves back in the game. We just didn't have enough to pull it off.

I thought their guys coming off the bench won the game for them. Daniels and Taylor are the guys who came in and broke our back with 16 and 10 respectively.

I think this was definitely our worst loss of the season. It's very bitter to me simply for one reason that we couldn't come into the game focused because the other team had their best player out.

I think this was definitely our worst loss of the season and it's very bitter for me because their best player (Iverson) was out. I thought we were sloppy offensively the whole game and we weren't focused defensively. I thought from top to bottom it was from every individual, our worst game of the year.

That's two in a row on the road after 16 straight losses. This season is not over until after game 82. That eighth spot is anybody's and is up for grabs now.

We haven't stopped talking about it and that's where we are. We have games coming up with people ahead of us, Chicago, Philadelphia, Indiana, and that's certainly not overlooking tomorrow's game against Atlanta.

We get the game where we have the opportunity to win it, then we turn it over. The turnovers in the second half I thought killed us - along with our inability to make shots.

We haven't ever stopped talking about it. We still have games against the people in front of us. . . . I said it before the season, during the season and I said it recently, it's all going to be decided in Game 82. Those six, seven and eight spots are going to be decided on the last day of the season.

We didn't come out at the beginning of the game with the mind set that we were going to win this game. We did a better job in the second half, but we dug ourselves a hole early on.

We had a tie game a gave up two consecutive offensive rebounds to Harrison. That set the tone for the end of the game. Harrison and Granger were the difference and we didn't have an answer for them.

We gave ourselves more than a chance, and I was disappointed that the game wasn't decided by the players, that it was decided by the officials.

We don't win the game tonight without him out there. He made all the big shots when we were struggling a little bit offensively.

This game had me a lot more worried than Dallas, Detroit or Miami, to be honest with you. Against those teams, you know your guys are going to play at the top of their game . . . in the beginning of the game, it was very similar to our past games (against the Hawks) -- too much dribble penetration and too many offensive rebounds.

They (Miami) had a tough game last night in Washington and we had to try and take advantage of that. We did a good job in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter shutting down the paint.

It's a real shame we couldn't win our last home game and keep our streaks going. Chicago showed why they are going to the playoffs. I feel I didn't do a good job coaching. It was a disappointing game.

It's all going to be decided in Game 82. Those six, seven and eight spots are going to be decided on the last day of the year.

I told the team the season is not over until after game 82. The eighth (playoff) spot to me is still anybody's and still up for grabs. Chicago doesn't think they are out of it, and we don't think we are out of it, either. We are just going to continue to play hard.

It's hard for me to talk about next year. All I really want to do is make sure we finish up this season on the right note and that's our game Wednesday night against Indiana.

I'm embarrassed by our performance. I hope our players are because they should be. The way we played proved we didn't respect the game or the team. We just went through the motions.

Before the game we talked about just getting a total team effort tonight. From everybody - from both units, our starters and our second unit. I thought we really got that tonight. We didn't come out sluggish like we did last night.

Before the game we talked about a total team effort -- getting something from both the starters and reserves -- and I thought we really got that tonight. We had 41 field goals and 24 assists, which is a great percentage and when you're shooting 58 percent, it helps a great deal.

Home wins are huge, no doubt about it. We got excellent contributions from everybody at some point in the game and I was obviously pleased with our defense at the end. Phoenix is a tough team to defend.

You've got to find guys in transition. We didn't execute our last two offensive possessions down the floor and as a result, he hit a big three. All of our guys competed their hearts out. We should have won the game in regulation.