What They Said! Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors 3-27-15

Grizzlies Head Coach Dave Joerger

On the game:

“It was another tough night. We played a very very good team. That’s two games now we’ve played two teams that are very good that played very very well. We did not play very well again which is disappointing. For me, what I just told those guys, it’s things we can control. Our turnovers are killing us. Our transition defense is just effort. Our weak side defense was struggling a little bit. We gave up 14 offensive rebounds tonight to guys who were just kind of throwing us out of the way. There are certainly some long bounces for the number of threes that they take. To give up 32 points off turnovers, to give up 28 points in transition in fast break points, that’s not us. We need to do a better job of scoring the basketball obviously which will help set our defense. We have to take care of those other areas, and when we do we’ll be beating teams like this.”

On the Warriors’ performance in the 3rd quarter:

“They made a lot of shots. They were able to run off of our inability to score the basketball. They had eight or nine guys standing in the lane. It was tough for Marc (Gasol) and Zach (Randolph) to have anywhere to work.

They were forcing tough shots. We’re asking our bigs to do a lot for us. They’re very fast. They get out in transition quick. We didn’t get back well. I think at one point in the game they were 13 of 22 from three. Some of them were open, but they made some tough shots too. It was certainly a tough night in that area.”

On the Grizzlies struggling offense affecting their defense:

” I think you want to make up for it. We over-helped twice in the first half on balls that didn’t need to be helped on and opened up the three-point shot. By and large, our guys are playing hard and they’re trying to do the right thing. The other night we played really frantic against Cleveland. We were trying almost too hard and doing some things that were out of character. Tonight I think we played hard, they made some shots, and the frustration builds up and builds up and the turnovers are really hurting us.”

On preparing for the playoffs:

“We have to do those things that I said, and once we do those we’ll perform at a higher level.”

Grizzlies Center Marc Gasol (13 points, 5 rebounds)

On the third quarter:

“They were making shots and we were not. That’s pretty obvious how they went up 20 pretty quick. We could not execute. We could not make shots. Obviously they were making shots. Although they were making tough shots, those are the shots they take. The ones they were missing most of the time you have to position for the rebound. They did a good job of crashing and moving on the weak side. And keeping you occupied. Too many mistakes, the ones that happen you lose a lot of trust in your defense. And you try to make your own defense and then it becomes really ugly. You have no chance at winning the game.”

On the defense:

“They made some tough shots. Once that happens you stop trusting your scheme. You start looking around. Everybody tries to make plays on their own defensively. Then it gets pretty bad at that point. They made too many transition points out of our turnovers, bad shot selection and poor execution. To me that’s from a defensive end. Once we play and engage defensively we get stops and finish those stops with a rebound, we become a much better disciplined team offensively.

When we don’t do that, it’s not us. It’s at least not how we are going to win. That’s for sure.”

On back-to-back home losses:

“You are always concerned. You always try to fix when you aren’t playing well. You try to analyze what you are doing and how you can help the team better. And try to get everybody on the same page especially defensively. And especially against teams like the two teams that we just played. They are going to make some tough shots. They are a talented team. They are a jump shooting team. You have to expect that to happen but that cannot through you off your game. You have to keep playing and grinding it out kind of basketball. And be patient. Just because they made some tough shots, you cannot blow off the scheme and say, ‘I’m going to do this now just because I feel like that’s what we have got to do.’

You have to believe in what you are working on. You win as a team and you lose as a team. We have a plan and we have to execute it. If we don’t execute it gets a lot difficult.”

Grizzlies Forward Zach Randolph (10 points, 3 rebounds)

On the game:

“They hit shots. We hit shots. It’s tough. It’s a good team. They are good shooters. The last two games have been tough. We have to stick together. And take one game at a time. And get back on track. Stick together and work through it. We can’t point figured or this is that. Each one of our players needs to look in the mirror and see what we can do better as a team. The last two games, this hasn’t been us. We haven’t been making shots inside the perimeter. Defense hasn’t really been there. We just have to keep working.”

On the last two games:

“They hit shots. (Stephen) Curry hit shots tonight. It was a game.We get contested shots. Klay (Thompson) got a couple shots but Curry was contesting shots. He is probably the best shooter in the league to make shots like that.”

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr

Opening statement:

“It was just a really good, solid effort, and it continues the stretch we’ve been on the last couple of weeks. I think I’ve used the term methodical a couple of times – professional. I think we’ve gotten much better with just understanding our purpose out there on the floor . We defend like crazy. We take care of the ball. We move the ball. It’s a pretty simple formula. It’s not that simple to execute, but our guys are doing it really well right now, and that’s why we’ re on a good run.”

On beating every team in league:

“It’s been a weird schedule. I was talking to Dave Joerger before the game; we haven’t seen them in Oakland, and we’re almost at the end of the season. It’s a bizarre schedule. The main thing is, to go on the road and beat one of the best teams in the league with a really decisive effort, that’s very gratifying.”

On getting a big win in the west:

“One of our mantras this year has been, ‘Let’s set a standard, and let’s play to that standard consistently.’ There are a few things that go into that standard, mainly what I was just talking about. Good defense , take care of the ball and move the ball. When we reach that standard, we are really tough to beat. It’s just great to see in a game that doesn’t really mean that much to us in the standards, but against a really good team. To do it on the road is impressive.”

On Draymond Green foul trouble not hurting team:

“It means we have depth. David Lee came off the bench in the first half and did a terrific job keeping our momentum going and taking the minutes that weren’t there from Draymond and keeping us afloat. LB [Leandro Barbosa] came in and gave us a really good stretch there in the second quarter, maybe it was the first quarter when he came in for Klay [Thompson]. Festus [Ezeli] has been a game changer for us the last couple of weeks. Once we got him back from injury and once I was smart enough to actually put him in the rotation, our defense has been more solid for the full 48 . I think we’ve figured some things out too as a staff – Kind of who we want to play with whom. What are the rotations, what are the best combinations? Something that unfolds as the season goes on, and we feel as if we’ve found some pretty good combinations .”

On if he’s impatient for playoffs to start:

“I still think we can get better. We had a stretch there in the second quarter where we turned the ball over too much. We didn’t do much offensively the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. I’m actually happy to have a couple more weeks to keep honing our game and let this thing continue to grow. These guys really have a great feel for one another and what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to accomplish , but we all feel like we can still improve. We’re going to try to do that.”

On if he believes a three-point shooting team can win a title:

“Well let’s see, the Spurs just did it, Miami did it twice, Dallas did it a few years ago. Four teams in the last four or five years have won titles shooting threes. The game’s changed. People are winning championships with defense and long range shooting. So I’m very comfortable with our style. I don’t know why Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] would stop taking threes once the playoffs start. We’re going to continue to do what we do.”

Warriors Guard Stephen Curry (38 points, 10 assists)

On this performance:

“To get a win on the road and keep playing at the level we have been playing at is a good test for us. I think we executed offensively for the majority of the game the best we have in a while and obviously we did what we did on defense. The ball was moving all around and guys were making plays. It was just for the play.”

On making progress:

“Our focus is great. Everybody is locked in. We’re not getting too ahead of ourselves. We are in a good spot right now obviously with the standings and having 10 games left and having a pretty good lead on the #1 seed. If we sputter and faulter into the playoffs that’s just not going to be a good look for us. We need to keep playing at a high level. Keep winning and creating that mentality as we go into the playoffs. Like I said, these tests that are coming up, we play some solid teams down the stretch. We want to show up for those kind of moments which will prepare you for the playoffs.”

On getting to the rim during the third quarter :

“It was fun. I got some good looks. I got in rhythm. We got a lot of stops and got in transition. Obviously have confidence and time to shoot, and thankfully a lot of them went in the third. It helps when you set a good foundation for how you are getting shots in the first half and then that carries over into the second half.”

On Jeff Green chasing him down during his layup:

“Personally those are ones I don’t like because I’m not the most explosive getting over the rim and those guys are tip-toeing ready to meet me at the rim. So if I can show and go or find any way to finish it, I get pretty happy especially a jumper like Jeff (Green) is. I have to be really crafty to finish that play. I’m thinking about it for about 10 steps from half court so a lot is going through my mind.”

Warriors Guard Klay Thompson (28 points, 2 rebounds) On the performance:

“Both of these teams are competitive . Everyone hates to lose . This is a team we might see down the road. You try to send a message every night that we are not going to be easy out. Everyone just wanted to come in here and play well. This is the only team we hadn’t beaten so far in the league so a real complete effort on everyone’s part.”

On getting in a good rhythm second half:

“Just move the ball. It’s that simple. Coach (Kerr) told us at halftime if you see an open man, hit him. Be aggressive and get two feet in the paint. Make easy plays, and when we do that we’re the best team in the league.”

On waiting for playoffs:

“I think we have been great just taking it day-by-day this year. Not looking too far ahead. That’s what we are going to do. We are going to try and finish on a high note these last 10 games and try and win everyone one of them. Just go into the playoffs with great momentum. We are not thinking about it too much right now.”