By: Michael Marzzacco
The Washington Wizards suffered their first home loss of the season as they couldn’t cool off a hot-shooting Indiana Pacers team in a 127-117 defeat. Here are the top quotes from Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Wes Unseld Jr. You can watch the full interviews here.
Bradley Beal
On the play in the second half compared to the first half:
“It was good, how we played in the second half was how we should’ve played in the first half. We were playing catch-up and allowing the other team to shoot 57 percent from three in the first half. It was tough to be able to come back from that when the other team has the momentum and they were locked in. They got a lot of good things going for them and they exploited us in every way. How we played in the second half was definitely how we should’ve started the game.”
On the defensive breakdowns:
“Obviously we have a scheme, we have a plan but everything’s flying so coach gives us free rein if we see something different or we call something that isn’t in his game plan. Just go with it. Communication is everything so as long as we’re talking it out I think that eliminates a lot of the problems and hassles we may have. They did a really good job on starting with a lot of different actions and we just have to make the extra effort and I don’t think that was there necessarily tonight.”
Kristaps Porzingis
On allowing 75 points to the Pacers in the first half:
“I think they got hot and had some great shooters outside from top to bottom. They got going early and it’s hard to stop a team like that once they get going. I’m sure there’s things where we could’ve been more aggressive on the offensive end more, forcing them to make the nice play which we did in the second half. In the first half definitely hurt us in the long game.”
On the upcoming four games:
“Tough games coming up, good teams. But if we want to be there we have be able to compete with those teams. Every one of those games is a critical game for us, especially with the feeling we have after this game, I think going into the next one it’s going to help us and it’s going to be a tough schedule but that’s why we’re here. That’s what our schedule is like and we have to go game by game.”
Wes Unseld Jr.
On the second-half comeback that cut the deficit to as low as six:
“We hit some tough midrange shots, they kept us at bay but I thought overall in the second half we had a much better defensive mindset to fuel our team after they scored 75 in the first half. Even if you are keeping pace offensively so to speak you’re playing with an eight ball. They’re shooting till a big bucket, they’re playing with a level of confidence and ease and that stuff will come.”
On the absence of Delon Wright, who’s out indefinitely:
“You’re going to miss your backup point guard every night. It wasn’t our best defensive effort. I don’t put that all on Delon, I just think we have the right mindset from the start. Like I said, when the team gets a rhythm with that magnitude it’s not one person’s responsibility, it’s everybody.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
