Thunder Quotes: Reviewing Pistons Win, Previewing Grizzlies Series

Read what Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder said about the win over Detroit and their playoff series with Memphis.

Thursday, April 17th 2014, 3:09 am

By: News 9


Kevin Durant

On finding a way to win a sloppy game:

"We just figured it out and got it done. It wasn't the best game, we didn't play well defensively and didn't shoot the ball well offensively, but something about just getting it done. Having that willpower, having that fight in you no matter what. Through a tough game we persevered and got a good win."

On attacking the rim in the fourth quarter:

"Well my shots weren't falling so I tried to get as close as I could and just be aggressive. I got what I wanted down there going to the rim."

On moving past the team's struggles in recent games:

"You gotta let it go and move past it, no matter what."

On facing Memphis:

"It's going to be a tough and fun series. We have a lot of history with these guys. We're looking forward to getting the opportunity to play for a championship."

On whether Wednesday's close game can help get them prepared for playoff basketball:

"There's going to be a lot of games where it comes down to one possession and you have to get the stop and you have to score. Tonight prepared us for that. To be honest, we wanted to win this game of course, but I'm glad we didn't win it by a lot. That was getting us ready for that — having to make good plays."

RELATED STORY: Thunder Learns Playoff Fate: A Grizzly Rematch

Russell Westbrook

On the team's play entering the postseason:

"We're playing good enough. It's a new season now. 16 wins, that's all that matters."

On seeing the Grizzlies again:

"It'll be fun, man. It'll be a physical matchup. Memphis is a great team, we just gotta go in there and play our game."

On potential revenge:

"Memphis put us out, so now it's our turn to come back and try to win."

On a game like this helping to prepare for the playoffs:

"Yeah, definitely. It's gonna be like that all playoffs. You never know, one possession can change the whole concept of the game, and tonight was one of those nights." 

RELATED STORY: Thunder Beats Pistons In Heart-Stopper, Clinches No. 2 Seed

Scott Brooks

On the team's health entering the postseason:

"Thabo's fine, Perk's fine, everybody can play unlimited minutes."

On Russell's health:

"He's ready to go now. There's times during the course of the season we did (restrict minutes) just because we felt that (gave) us the best chance to have him in the playoffs ready to go. But I think 36 minutes or so."  

On whether there's any concern left regarding Russell:

"We're not worried. Injuries can happen that's part of the game, but he's in a great position, he's in a great place right now. We're not worried."

On getting through the long season through the injuries:

"I give our guys a lot of credit, this is the first time we've all had to really deal with it. We've been pretty healthy for five years prior to this season. But we've adjusted well. Guys really stepped up  and played their roles and did very well in those roles.  There's been some games where the adjustment was a little slower than we all wanted it, but that's part of it.  Obviously with all of our guys we probably win a few more games, but the way it is now, I like where we are. Guys got good experience, we're healthy, and we're excited about going into the playoffs."

On the season as a whole:

"We had a really good year, 59 wins. A lot of good things took place. A lot of good improvement a lot of good growth.  Teamwork was taken to another level. Commitment to each other was taken to another level in the right direction, but I thought our guys competed all year."

On whether their performance in the past few games factors in to prep for Memphis:

"Very little. We've always had a philosophy that we've tried to learn from every game and move on quickly, and we're gonna do the same thing tonight."

On the key against Memphis:

"We're gonna have to block ‘em out, we're gonna have too put a body on ‘em. They have three or four offensive rebounders counting Tony Allen."

On looking forward to the postseason:

"We're playing good basketball. You win in this league, it's not easy. It's not easy to win a game, let alone 59 games in an 82-game season. We're healthy, we went through some adjustments and we got through ‘em."

On meeting Memphis again:

"We're excited about the next (post) season. Guys are excited, they're excited for each other, they're excited about the opportunity ahead. They know we have a lot of work ahead of us, it's not going to be easy. 2 vs. 7: that means zero. It's us against them, they're a very good basketball team, they beat us last season and we understand how they play and they understand how we play."

 

Steven Adams

On anticipating playoff atmosphere for the first time:

"Pretty much exactly the same except the intensity is way higher, just a whole ‘nother level."

On strategy vs. Memphis:

"They just play big. They've got really skilled big men with Randolph and Gasol. Try and be physical."


Caron Butler

On battling back for the victory:

"Us just staying together. We could have easily splintered, but we stayed together. That's all it was about, getting that W."

On playing Memphis:

"I'm very familiar with them, playing them two years in a row in Los Angeles (his time with the Clippers) and now playing them again this year. Opponent's still the same, inside out (play style), they added some shooters and some more depth, so we'll watch a lot of film and get ready for that challenge."

Scouting the Grizzlies:

"They're a really good team, they're great in the half court and that's what playoff basketball is all about. They can get in transition and cause problems with Conley and random guys in pick and rolls, and Zach Randolph on his game, the defensive presence of Tony Allen and those guys, they're a real good team."

On a game like this helping their playoff prep:

"I think winning this type of game, ugly, a little bit of everywhere…winning a game like this is good for us because it's going to come down to possession basketball in the playoffs when you play good teams."

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