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Quotes of the Night
- Dirk, about saying this team wasn't a playoff team after Friday's home loss: "I didn't say that. I said that if we keep giving away games, we're not a playoff team. You guys wrote that wrong. I didn't say right now that we weren't a playoff team, I said that if we keep on giving away games and let them slip away, then we're not a playoff team."
- Rick Carlisle, speaking out about Knicks head coach Mike Woodson and the rumors surrounding his job: "If I could make one statement about Mike Woodson, I just marvel at the job he's doing with this team right now, given the circumstances, given all the ridiculous rumors about his job security and all the nonsense that's being stirred up in that media cesspool in New York City."
- Knicks guard J.R. Smith, about what the team keyed in on defensively: "We wanted to get the ball out of Dirk's hands as much as possible. We kept up on him almost every time he touched it."
- Carlisle, on Samuel Dalembert's DNP-CD: "He was late for practice yesterday. It's a one-game situation."
Rick Carlisle
On the uninspired play
I didn't have them ready. I will take the blame for that. It's pretty clear. It starts at the top.
On the rumors surrounding Knicks head coach Mike Woodson
If I could make one statement about Mike Woodson, I just marvel at the job he's doing with this team right now, given the circumstances, given all the ridiculous rumors about his job security and all the nonsense that's being stirred up in that media cesspool in New York City.
On Sam Dalembert's DNP-CD
He was late for practice yesterday. It's a one-game situation. But we need everyone to be all in. Our margins are obviously thin. We are not going to reinforce behavior that is unacceptable and that is just the way we are going to do business with him. We need him and I like him, and I think we can correct this, and I believe that we will.
Dirk Nowitzki
On Carlisle saying it was his fault
Sounds good. [long pause] We weren't very good tonight. Blame everybody all the way around. We picked up the energy there a little bit in the third quarter, fourth quarter, but we just didn't make enough plays on offense to really make it tight. We had it to six twice, Monta had a three that rolled in and out, if that had gone in it would have got really interesting.
On saying after the previous game that this wasn't a playoff team
I didn't say that. I said that if we keep giving away games, we're not a playoff team. You guys wrote that wrong. I didn't say right now that we weren't a playoff team, I said that if we keep on giving away games and let them slip away, then we're not a playoff team.
On maybe taking it too easy at home
You can never relax in this league. We're not good enough to relax, you've got to bring it every night. You've got to compete every night, both ends of the floor, for us to have a chance. We're not talented enough to coast on either end of the floor, and I don't know if we took the pedal off the medal thinking we won three straight and we're going to be alright at home, but it doesn't work that way in this league and we have to play hard and compete.
Shawn Marion
On Rick saying he didn't have the team ready to play
We all got to take ownership of this. For us to come home off this roadtrip we had and to lose two games in a row is not good. We've taken the steps back in the wrong direction.
On his defense on Carmelo, who scored 15 in the first quarter but finished with 19
I sprained my ankle the second play of the game and I was playing [hobbled]. It was alright, hurt my Achilles a little bit...I got to get that right. But it decided to make it hard on me, that's all. Sometimes it takes a little while to get a feel and a beat for the way the game is, and sometimes you have to figure out what the refs will let you get away with. For the most part, I was able to really contain him after that.
Samuel Dalembert
On being late for a second time this season
I was late for lifting, just finishing. We're taking steps to make sure that does not happen and move on. We just make sure I have second options and make sure some people are helping me in this situation. It's a sleeping thing for me, I'm working on.
On whether he has a sleep disorder
I can't sleep at night. When that happened to me, I was trying to [work on it] so it doesn't happen again.
Shane Larkin
On the biggest issue in this game
We came out too flat defensively early in the game. We weren't into it and they got hot early. We really didn't start fighting until the end of the game and it was just too late.
Brandan Wright
On first half play
We just didn't come out with any energy. We didn't have the desire we needed to play at a high level and they hit us in the mouth. We made a great run at the eight-minute mark of the third quarter to the end of the game, but that's how we have to play the entire game. It wasn't enough tonight.
On the lack of energy
It's hard to say -- we just didn't come out and play hard enough. Our defense was all messed up. We locked down a little bit better in the second half but it still wasn't enough. We'll see what we're made of after playing four games in five nights coming up. It will be big for us.
Knicks guard JR Smith
On why the team hasn't been this successful all season
I don't know where it was at, but I hope it stays for a long time, I can tell you that. We need it. The way we play on the defnesive end, that's Knick basketball. We're supposed to play tough, physical and take guy out of the game early.
On what the team keyed in on
We wanted to get the ball out of Dirk's hands as much as possible. We kept up on him almost every time he touched it.
Knicks guard Iman Shumpert
On the dagger three he hit at the end of the game
Melo found me when I was open. I think they forgot about me. When you're wide open, you have to knock them down.