Brian Hill Guys Quotations

We're not going to rule out the playoffs until we're mathematically eliminated. I know the players would hate to hear this, but I'd love to go to training camp with this group of guys right now and start the season all over again.

Obviously with each win our guys are beginning to believe more and more. We want teams to know if they come into our place they are going to have their hands full.

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 just has one of those bodies, kind of like (Detroit's Richard) Hamilton, and the wiry-type guys can just run all night. He's like the Energizer bunny because he just keeps coming at you.

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 thought our guys played outstanding. We got contributions from everyone out there tonight. I'm very pleased with the way we played.

I thought our guys played outstanding. I'm very pleased with the way we played. In my heart this is the way I thought we would respond, but you just don't know.

Sure they were disappointed, but I don't think it was reflected in our play. I thought the guys came out and gave us an honest effort. I don't think we played as well as we'd been playing but let's give Chicago some credit for that.

Steve looked like, I think, the Steve Francis that you guys were used to watching last year and that we anticipate. He was aggressive, he was attacking, he did a good job defensively.

I tell the guys we've got to take care of our own business, and we're either going to get help from somebody else or not.

I think he just needs a chance. He's a very skilled player, but he hasn't had much of an opportunity. He was the No. 2 pick in the draft and Detroit took him for a reason. Sometimes we just pick guys who take a little longer.

We'll go through another transitional phase, but it'll be worth it to get guys back. Roles will change, adjustments will be made for the better.

With all the mistakes we made, if you can be encouraged in a loss, I am extremely encouraged with how these guys are playing. They could easily have quit.

This was a much needed win and I was very happy with the effort that the guys gave tonight. We just came out and played very hard from the beginning of the game.

This was a big step for us. I think we're becoming a basketball team rather than a collection of individuals. To me it's very rewarding to see how, at this stage of the season, how hard these guys are playing.

I've said all along that the key thing is that we finish up this season on a positive note so that these guys feel good about themselves and feel good about what we can accomplish next year. That's the biggest impetus and with the way we're finishing up, I think everybody feels the same way, that this team has a chance to be a real nice basketball team if we continue to work at it.

It was a little bit of a mismatch. We had smaller guys and we couldn't keep them off the glass.

Sometimes big guys just take longer to progress. Not everybody comes in as Shaquille O'Neal and dominates the league right away. Sometimes big guys don't develop until the third, fourth or fifth year. And you certainly don't develop in this league without an opportunity to play.

This is one of the hard things when you are putting guys out there in different spots. Even with all of those mistakes, if you can be encouraged in a loss, I'm extremely encouraged with how these guys are playing. They could have easily quit. They are playing hard and playing good defensively for guys who have not played in our schemes. I like the way this team is competing right now.

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.

That's part of his learning curve, when he's going against guys like that inside. I thought there were a few where he could have tried to power himself to the basket a little bit more.

I'm sure the guys would have liked to have gotten more rest. But if you're thinking that way, you come out and get the job done early and we didn't get the job done early tonight.

I'm sure our guys were disappointed about not being in the playoffs, but I don't think it reflected in our play. They gave an honest effort, but just didn't play as well as we've been playing. But let's give Chicago some credit because they made some big shots.

I look at it that since we put this group of guys together in the third week of February, how are we playing and what are we capable of becoming? I know the players would hate to hear this, but I'd love to go to training camp with this group right now and start the season all over again.

He's one of those guys who any night can explode for 40 or 50 or -- you certainly hope not -- 60 points against you. He's so tough because he's constantly attacking and he never really gives your defense a chance to relax. And pound for pound he's probably the toughest guy in the league.

I don't know if I'm amazed by this team or not. But it's certainly a lot more fun. These guys deserve the credit because they enjoy playing with one another. If a guy makes a mistake, we pick each other (up) and move on because they're playing unselfishly and hard.

I don't mean to be insensitive, but you worry about the guys you have, not the guys you don't have. I'm concerned about the guys we have returning and the new additions and trying to put the pieces together so we make the best use of their abilities.

These guys are playing unselfishly, they're sharing he ball, and if there's an open guy, he gets the ball.

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.

The Detroit thing is such an aberration. It's easy to say they have no starting All-Stars, but they have four All-Star caliber players. Those remaining seven guys that are voted in by the coaches -- I think that means more, quite honestly.

All the guys were really, really excited. That was a great win over an excellent basketball team. That we did it after playing the night before (against Toronto) made it even more impressive.