Pat Riley Quotations

If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.

Don't let other people tell you what you want.

Public life is regarded as the crown of a career, and to young men it is the worthiest ambition. Politics is still the greatest and the most honorable adventure.

Look for your choices, pick the best one, then go with it.

There's always the motivation of wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a motivation above and beyond winning.

You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again.

A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.

To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.

There can only be one state of mind as you approach any profound test; total concentration, a spirit of togetherness, and strength.

Being ready isn't enough; you have to be prepared for a promotion or any other significant change.

When a great team loses through complacency, it will constantly search for new and more intricate explanations to explain away defeat.

People who create 20% of the results will begin believing they deserve 80% of the rewards.

Each Warrior wants to leave the mark of his will, his signature, on important acts he touches. This is not the voice of ego but of the human spirit, rising up and declaring that it has something to contribute to the solution of the hardest problems, no matter how vexing!

All I did from day-to-day is coach. That's what my job was, that's what my passion was, and the fact that now it's something I'm being considered for is just mind-blowing to me, that I would ever be in that kind of company.

Giving yourself permission to lose guarantees a loss.

A particular shot or way of moving the ball can be a player's personal signature, but efficiency of performance is what wins the game for the team.

Management must speak with one voice. When it doesn't management itself becomes a peripheral opponent to the team's mission.

There's no such thing as coulda, shoulda, or woulda. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it.

Being a part of success is more important than being personally indispensable.

You have to defeat a great players aura more than his game.

When it comes right down to it I coached a horrible game. I started the wrong lineup, I made the wrong substitutions and I called the wrong plays.

We're going to go at it (Wednesday) without trying anything new. I think if we ever get to that point where we play them down the road we'll probably have a few other things that they haven't seen.

When we are in the penalty, you have to go to him as much as you can. We kept trying to call his number.

What he does that's so impressive is he sees everybody. He's a lot like (Phoenix guard) Steve Nash. He's so unselfish.

We're going to bring them in and have them lean on him and lean on him and we're not going to let him just back them in. And then he's going to have to take 100 jump hooks and 100 turnaround jumpers.

We feel that he will be able to play three positions for us, giving us added versatility.

We're a winning team. Right now, that's all we are. And for us to get to another level, then there's going to have to be a tremendous amount of improvement in the overall commitment to a greater effort for 48 minutes.

We're a winning team. Right now, that's all we are.

We know he's a big-time tumbler. He goes hard to the basket. He hits the floor a lot. If he could play he'd be out there.

We have to guard the ball a lot better. And he's got to go to the rim a little more with his blocks.

We were a minute and a half away from the Finals -- big deal, ... It's about winning a championship.

We were trying to survive. The game got to that point. We had a 20-point lead, they cut it to five. We made a couple of plays and we got out of here.

We are all so quick to judge around here, but the demise of Shaquille O'Neal has been greatly exaggerated. I guarantee you that.

What we need is all in the head for us. When we are so inclined to really, really get after it as a team, we do. I have been around the game long enough, although I hate to admit it, but sometimes you get bored with all the little things you have to do - especially when you are a veteran team. The thing is that if you really want to be respected and you want to take the step to the next level, you can't do what you did the other night and then come out the next night and not be ready.

We're absolutely finding ways to win. We're making play after play we need to make in crucial situations.

When it went from (26) to nine, I wasn't very happy. I was thinking that the worst nightmare was going to be coming our way. We gathered ourselves very quickly.

There are universal truths of defensive basketball. If a guy is open, guard him. Don't leave him standing in the corner or out on the three-point line.

When I left, I knew the end was near. I didn't think it was going to be 48 hours. ... Anybody who's been through it, you understand. I've got a job to do and I'm going to do it.

Last year we understood and found out exactly how lethal injuries at the wrong time can be, so I think we protected ourselves a little bit there. As a matter of fact, I think we protected ourselves big-time in that capacity if we lose a perimeter guy.

Shaq is very active and motivated right now. There's a lot that's been written of his philosophy for the regular season. He really wants it, and he really wants the ball too.

Shaq is in shape. He's back in 26 games. We've been together 46 games. Enough talk about learning each other and coming together. It's time to put up and play, and play against the best teams in the league, especially at home.

Shaq had an off night. In the beginning of the game he had a couple of turnovers (because of) strips, but obviously he could play a lot better than he did today.

Shaq did a great job tonight. We have to make sure he's not in foul trouble and constantly look to go to him.

Obviously we're concerned about everybody's health, based on what happened last year. We've still got 19 games to play. You can't walk around on egg shells, but we do have to be conscious of the maintenance of these guys.

Obviously I'm very happy with the win and the fact that we had 26 assists and a lot of guys involved. Tonight we did a lot better at cutting and spotting quickly. We just made a lot better decisions.

Obviously, it was a surprise, based on what's been happening for us. We were running; they were missing. We were running; they were missing.

No gas manager wants to send out high bills. If we're in public gas, that's not what we're about. We're about serving our customers.

One thing I'm not worried about is our rebounding.

Nobody knew he was hurt because he wanted the two points on the lay-up so bad. He drove all the way down and dunked the ball, and then blood was rushing out of his nose. That's who he is. He'll fight through anything. I love him, respect him, admire him and I wish more of our guys would take on his attitude.

I would say at the end of the games if you went back and charted Jason Williams making shots in the last four minutes he's one of the best at making open shots. So you've got to have him on the court. While everybody says you've got take him off the court because it's a defensive thing, what do I do at the other end?

I would recommend the NBA show it to all of its young players. These Texas Western guys paved the way, and a lot of these guys don't even know it.

If we had come back with the same team as last year, it would have been a disaster. We didn't have the firepower to sustain what we needed in this conference. Last year was a honeymoon year. A couple players had career years. I didn't believe we had the core of players like the core we have now. We have a lot more versatility now.

If we had brought back the exact same group we had last year, I think the results would be good, but we needed more talent, ... We built the team around Shaquille that's a now team. We want to get it done as quick as we can. This is by far the best team that I've been around since the ones that I coached in Los Angeles.

If we're going to make any kind of move, this is the time to do it.

I have complete faith. That's how I operate, that's how I coach. I truly believe that when all the parts are healthy, I know how good we are. I've said it over and over again and I will continue to say it, I just think this team can do something special. And that's the way I'll keep thinking.

I have complete faith. That's how I operate, that's how I coach. I had complete faith when we were 25 and whatever (in 2002-03), and I do now. I truly believe that when all the parts are healthy, I know how good we are. I've said it over and over again and I will continue to say it, I just think this team can do something special.

I don't have an answer for that team. We don't have a defensive game for them.

I'd like to secure what we've had all season, which is the number two spot (in the playoffs). We have to gather ourselves and get back on track.

I'd like to secure what we've had all season, which is the No. 2 spot. We've got to gather ourselves.

I coached an absolutely awful game; terrible game plan, pick-and-roll schemes; everything.

I am totally indifferent to what other people think. There are always going to be people trying to take you apart. But I do know if we are 0-6 against the top teams, there is room for improvement.

But we're ahead 2-0. That's what it's about.

But it's up to Shaquille, too. I mean, it's up to him. And this is where the old coach came out of Stu. He started using some coaching terminology. He said, 'Well, you've got to get him to make a V-cut every now and then. If he makes a V-cut, then they impede his progress, they'll call it.

Basically, one guy beat us. ... Vince was unbelievable.

I have a Louisville Slugger in my locker. It's like 42 ounces. We corked it also, with cement.

I hated to break up the energy level we had going early in the fourth quarter.

I feel we're going to be a very good team. This is not a measuring stick at all.

I can't remember ever dealing with something like that over a long period of time. There are always disputes. You have them. But when you carry it that far, anything can go on. But that happens in this league. A lot of it stays in the locker room. We try to keep it in the locker room if we can.

I can't judge by practice, because he doesn't practice.

Frustration is part of this game. You have to press on. That's it. You can't let that get to you. Welcome to the NBA playoffs.

If it's two to four weeks, then I'll be happy. He'll work very diligently to get it healthy. He'll stay in condition. Just as long as he's ready to play when it counts the most.

I give all the credit to Brian Hill for keeping that team together.

If we would have gotten Finley, ... then we would have had what people would have called the perfect summer.

If Tim Duncan's foot is bothering him in the playoffs, you never know what could happen. The Lakers are a good team. They could make a run in the West.

He was at the rim all night. Once he gets in the open court, you can forget it.

He was at the rim all night. He has tremendous athleticism, strength, force and instincts.

He's had some pretty ... good games. He's playing extremely well, we're winning and he's stepping up.

He's had a very consistent year, with the exception of the last couple of weeks, and I think he's getting worn down a little bit. He's got a little bit of an injury, so we're trying to work through that, but it is what it is, because he has to play now with Jason out.

He's grabbing the ball strongly. He's catching the ball in traffic now. It's positioning. It's conditioning. It's getting your head under the rim.

He was definitely set back with the back for three months, and I don't think he ever really regained physically his game 100 percent.

He understands what he needs to do to get himself ready. And I think he's very, very smart in what he's doing in dropping the weight and getting down to a point where it's going to extend his career. I think he understands that, even though he won't admit it.

He has a great demeanor about it. If he got upset, it would be awful.

He had a problem with it the first year he was here. He sweats a lot and, like most players, doesn't drink enough liquids.

He had an impact on some of the drives they made. I'm sure they kicked it out a lot because of him.

He had one of those nights. He won't have many of them.

He has a little irritation on his knee. It came out of nowhere.

He has a little irritation on his knee. I don't think its any more than that. He sort of experienced it (Wednesday) morning. We'll see how it goes.

He has a little irritation on his knee. I don't think it is anything more than that.

He has a little bit of a slow release on his jumper. He's got to get there quicker, be set a little quicker. ... People are closing on him pretty hard and making him put it on the floor.

He'd go a week and he'd be OK, and then he'd get hurt again. So I just hope he's healthy now and I can use him in that role.

He did things that I haven't seen in a couple of years.

He is a very athletic, quick, explosive scorer and has great experience. One of the reasons why we are making the trade is that we haven't had anyone here like that since Tim Hardaway left.

He had 19 at the half and I ran one play for him. He just gets it.

He made the game easy for us. There are nights when there's going to be some real heavy lifting on his part, and there are going to be nights when he has to facilitate. I thought he did a great job in doing that.

He needs to dominate. We know it, he knows it. And it isn't a question of whether or not the ball is coming to him, he's got to go get it. It's getting to the point where it's got to be 10, 12, 14, 15 every night. When Shaq goes after the basketball then he's going to get those 15 rebounds.

He might get 100. If you can get 81 . . . absolutely. He has the mentality to do that and conditioning. He's one of the best conditioned athletes in the world.

Today is not indicative of who we are. It's a little bit indicative of who Chicago is. I was very conscious of minutes and then at the end, I was very conscious of health.

We traded a lot, but we got back three quality players. Antoine Walker is one of the very best multi-faceted, versatile players in this game. ... He is able to handle the ball, pass it, make plays, shoot 3's and rebound the ball. There isn't anyone in this league better at doing that.

We've got to stop the penetration, that's key. We've got to keep our bodies in front of the ball better.