We fought back and it seemed like every time we got it close they made a play.

We weren’t as focused as we should have been, especially defensively because we know this is a great offensive team.

I can honestly say if I had gotten (the gold) the first time, it probably would have been a different scenario this time around.

I missed some shots that I normally make, and they really pressured me. It was tough, but when we play them again in April, we’ll have some counters for what they were doing tonight.

He took advantage of defensive mistakes, lapses in transition and got some easy buckets. Got to the foul line 23, 24 times, so he was very aggressive. He had a great game. … I take...

We’ve got it now, you know? We’ve got what we need to do to win.

I was more aware and aggressive in the second half. I didn’t want to lose and wanted to do whatever I could to help the team win.

This was a good one for me as far as my consistency goes because that’s a good team that doesn’t beat itself. It was just a matter of pulling the trigger and making my shots.

It’s no secret that the Bulls have no one to guard him down low, so he can dominate the game that way. Also, he’s in great shape. He’s really in playoff mode and we want...

I think you can just check my phone bill, man, … Stan was on my phone all summer.

Another win Wednesday will make us feel great about the way we’re playing.

We gave ourselves a chance tonight. We were on our home floor, but they made the plays.

It’s all a win-now philosophy. We’ve got some old guys on this team. Gary (Payton) ain’t got five, six more years left. Shaq ain’t got five, six more years left. That is the reason the...

It’s feeling a little better. I got out there with the guys and moved around a little bit. I plan on playing even though it’s a little sore.

I want the ball in my hands. I want to make plays for the guys. I got in that matrix [in the third quarter]. I felt like I couldn’t miss.

Y’all might have made him mad. I think y’all lit a fire under him, so that’s good.

You all (the media) might have made him mad. I think you all lit a fire under him. He’s been playing well the last couple of games. He continued to do it today.

Last year my heart was racing up until the point I got picked. This year I was more confident that after a good year people would recognize me as an All-Star. But getting the nod...

That is what I am battling right now so I am trying to do everything I can to be ready to go for our next game, so I am battling right now.

I want more, … If you go out and search for those things, you got to be willing to take what comes with it. I’m going to be more busy this year than I have...

That’s a big reason the trade was made so we’d have a lot of guns.

I approached the game differently by coming out and focusing on getting my teammates the ball. That is something I want to continue to do. I want to open things up and get my teammates...

I got a rhythm going. The guys just did a good job of putting the ball in my hands.

It’s a totally different situation. I have other guys on my team.

No question at all. They’re exactly the same.

That’s once in a lifetime right there. There are not many times when Shaq has been on the bench in the fourth quarter.

There’s no question you have to try to keep the ball in front of you as much as possible without getting fouls. The perimeter (defenders) have got to do a little better job on that...

It’s great to win against probably the hottest team in the NBA. The game was very competitive and no one was going to back down from anyone.

No matter what, if it was going right or wrong, or guys were tired, we still got the job done. It’s a beautiful thing to see guys come into their roles.

Just get it back to Miami. Out in Chicago I never play good. I have a long career ahead of me, so one day I will get one good game in.

He’s got his legs back and he’s finishing his plays. He’s more active getting deep and we’re looking for him and finding him.

They really wanted it tonight and it showed. I don’t think our team was as focused as we should have been, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

Last year, he just lost weight. And I think at the end of the year that kind of took a toll on him because he didn’t have that strength that he used to, to fall...

That was the first time I’ve heard that, so it was good.

He’s got, like, two suits, … and they’re terrible. I just keep it real with him.

It’s kind of scary where he’s at right now, at 21 years old and the way he dominates games. If I didn’t know him, I would be surprised (by his development). He’s one of the...

In this league, you know, you lose games, you come in and you get better. We’ve got 42 games left.

We played into their hands by helping so much and letting shooters like Jones and Bell and guys like that hit some awfully big shots.

The first half I was looking for my teammates more than my shot, and in the third quarter I just decided to be more aggressive offensively.

This was an exciting game from beginning to end. Both teams were getting out running and scoring at will.

A lot of teams, guys come in against Miami and they try to go off. We have to try to limit that as much as possible. … We’re still a ways away [defensively]. More than...

I was in the right place at the right time to get the bucket.

Every time we play them, it’s a rough game.

We have enough on this team to win games. We just have to go out and do it.

I didn’t have my athletic ability tonight.

Whatever we’re most dominant at in the series, that’s what we want to do. It may turn out we’re most dominant in the post, so that’s what we’ll do.

When a guy’s 6-8, raises as high as he does and fades on his shot, you just try to do the best that you can to put a hand in his face. He made big...

I took it upon myself to be more aggressive. I wanted the ball. Coach gave me the ball and I just tried to attack (and) make plays, just take it to the rim and see...

Some games it’s just guys have open shots and they take them, and when they miss it looks worse.

Having five days off helped me come out with a lot of energy. It is tough to be able to play games like this, down to the end. This is what you need come playoff...