Meh, shouldn't a loss not feel as bad when you expect it going in?

Rick Carlisle

What do say to your team after going through a stretch like this?

Stay up.  We've got to fight back from this.  We've got an important practice day on Friday.  Every game is huge for everybody. We've just got to battle.  We went through something like this earlier in the year. The only way you dig out of these is as a group and as a team. You help each other, you fight, and you break through at some point.  The thing that can't happen is that frustration builds to the point where it's detrimental.  I think we need to get away from this for a day after five in seven nights.  Then Friday is an important day for us.

How concerned are you with the number of points they got on the break?

That I hadn't looked at yet.  Thanks for reminding me.  They played very well.  We need to play better.  I don't fault our effort.  We just didn't have as good a game of basketball as we needed to play to beat them tonight.  Some of the credit you have to give to New Orleans.  They've lost a couple in a row too.  They're a team that was looking to get back in the win column.  These games are all difficult.  You have to approach each one like it's a precious opportunity.  We've got a couple days until the next one but we have to get ready because they are going to come fast and furious after that.

Is the same thing you saw earlier in the year or does this streak have a little variation to it?

No.  No.  Not like earlier in the year. No.

What's different?

We're a different team.  It's the same because we've lost some games but it's a little different situation.

[ed note: he really didn't seem to like this question]

Can you talk about Terry's determination in the 4th quarter?

Well you know he got banged on his other leg last night and tonight was the first night I've not seen him go out and shoot before the game because he was just trying to rest his left leg.  He was riding the bike before he went in for each half.  He's a determined guy.  He's one of the core guys that's kind of the spirit of the team.  He's huge.  Any success we've had this year he's had a lot to do with.

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Every question I get is going to be about the mentality of the team, where are your guys at, and all this other stuff.  They're going to fight.  That's my feeling.  We fought through a tough stretch early in the year and we are going to fight through this.  It's as simple as that.  There is no other way.  These guys are pros and they're all competitors.  There is no easy way out of  a losing streak.  It's got to be a team effort.  Everybody can do something better to help get us through this.  That's what we're going to do.

Dirk Nowitzki

A losing streak is a losing streak.  Whether you have it November or December or whenever.  It's never fun to lose in this league especially when you are a franchise that's used to winning for whatver, four or five years. So it's not fun.  But we pulled ourselves together earlier in November and won some games so at some point we've got to win.