Jeff Gundy Hard Quotations

We didn't try hard enough. It gives you pause to think what do we really have here? We should've been frothing at the mouth, like pit bulls. I so much want to have a team that really, really, really wants to play every day, every night.

We didn't try hard enough. Defense in this league is about making multiple efforts, going from one thing to the next. We stood, watched and hoped that he (Cook) would miss. It gives you pause to think what do we really have here. What do we really have?

(McGrady) played super hard today. He just doesn't make (shots) at home like he makes on the road. I can't explain it. We don't have an inside presence right now (without Yao) to throw the ball into to keep the defense honest. He's trying to make a lot of tough shots while playing big minutes.

(McGrady) can hurt you with the shot or the pass. Obviously a pick-and-roll with him and Yao together is hard to guard.

I don't care how hard you play, if you don't shoot the ball competently, you're going to have a hard time. We do just enough good to lose close. That's what we've been all season. It's mind-boggling. I know some of our guys killed themselves out there tonight and while that should certainly be complimented, this is about winning.

I don't think it's a fact, actually, ... I think he's the same weight that he has been, and the lighter for him has been the better. When he's been able to keep his weight about 305 (pounds), I think he's better served. But he has worked hard to be stronger. I hate to disagree with Steve once again, but so be it.

Hard playing, very few mistakes, no tricks coming at you ? they're just going to compete harder on defense than you're going to play on offense and (be) ultra prepared. No one talks about it, but I think without question, when all is said and done, he is a Hall of Fame coach. I really believe that with all my heart.

It is infinitesimally small progress each day so it adds up so slowly it's hard to notice. But if you look back, even from (the end of his rookie season) to now, the improvement is so great.

Our guys competed really hard for the most part. It's wasn't like we overwhelmed them with talent, that's for sure.

Our guys try hard on defense. Any time a team goes 1-for-18 (to start a quarter), they are probably going to hit some of those shots most times. We got back and made things difficult for them.

We put nothing into the game. Give them all the credit. I said this before the game, I never see them play anything but well. They come out and play hard every night.

Even though we have a mediocre record, you don't have to be a mediocre player. It's all dependent on how hard you're willing to work to win and how much you want to put into it. You may not always win, but you can certainly put forth great effort and play with passion and discipline.

It's hard against a quality team like Jersey. They're very, very good defensively.

They whipped us. Once the whipping started, I don't think we competed as hard as I would've liked to have seen us - but that was after the whipping started.

I know we haven't played well enough or near hard enough the last two games to play well enough to have a chance against two first-place teams, and obviously not well enough from a shooting standpoint. But every player and every team is going to go through the ability to make or miss. That's why you need to have other parts of your game that are consistent, individually and as a team.

I'm not surprised when (Yao) plays well. He is prepared every day. He works hard every day. He's one of the few guys who doesn't need outside motivation. He is without question the best regular-season center in basketball.

If you have Tracy McGrady on your team and play really hard and smart, you can be in games.