We missed free throws and we missed a box-out on a free throw on the other end. We made some mistakes and they capitalized on it and they came out with a big win.

When we have the intensity that Vince has had in the last week or so, it means a lot.

This isn’t an easy week for us. We’re fighting. We didn’t quit. We just didn’t play well out West and these last two games showed that we can compete with the top teams in the...

I think you saw it (against the Pacers),

He makes it look so easy. As a teammate and a fan, it’s enjoyable to watch.

[He] changes the whole outlook of our defense,

I’m glad we got another game (tonight) and it’s not in Memphis.

I think that’s behind us. If he can help us win, that’s the bottom line. If that’s what they’re going to do, then I think everybody would embrace him.

We were playing pretty good basketball here. Six minutes left and we were tied and we were confident. But we didn’t make baskets or stops.

He has a chance (to catch him) if he stays healthy. I think he could be an Oscar Robertson-type player where he can go out and average a triple-double for a season.

I think a veteran team never panics, and we did not panic. They made a run, and we expected they would make a run. We answered it and kept being aggressive.

I have mixed emotions, … I’m sad to be leaving Dallas. I thought we had a good opportunity here. At the same time, this is my job. Wherever I play, I’m going to give 100...

The season’s too young. It’s 14 games into the season. Nobody will remember this one.

We got stops and we took the ball to the basket and we shared the ball.

I don’t know if we’re in a funk, but we’re playing from behind each time.

At the end of the game, we were going through the motions and we just were trying to get the game over with. But the big thing is we played defense and that gave us...

Well, you’ve got to show him something different because we both know each other pretty well. We both have been with each other, so it’s a matter if you can show him something different he...

got them back in the game almost single-handedly.

From the first year when I got here, we are a lot deeper, … And offensively, we are off the charts. I think that we shouldn’t have too many lulls offensively because we have shooters...

We put ourselves in a big hole in the second quarter. We gave them a cushion and we were playing uphill from that point. We got it down to within five points and we had...

Right now we’re building on something.

That just shows you right there that’s something’s wrong.

That’s how the league goes. You have to show up.

If I was a flat out scorer, maybe I’d want to keep playing. But my job is to get everybody involved and do what I do best. For me, it’s to be ready to go...

It is not against Byron. Unfortunately we should have done it a lot earlier, and it hasn’t happened that way. We just happen to play Coach Scott [tonight].

Whatever it takes. The game is not just played physically, but mentally.

He won’t ever ask for the ball. But we’re going to work on it.

He didn’t get too many calls. He has to just keep taking it to the hole and maybe he’ll get some calls. Maybe after the All-Star break, once they realize he’s an All-Star.

He took control. He did what he wanted. Once he started to get to the foul line (he was 10 of 12), I think he started to get into a groove.

It gives us a hidden weapon.

He is showing the league that he can accept the double team, he is starting to get a lot of attention. Him standing up for himself, him being recognized for his growth as a center,...

Vince had a big tip-in that gave us the lead. Then it became a free-throw game.

For me it’s not surprising. He’s competitive, he loves to be in this kind of atmosphere and he’s playing extremely well.

We’re playing from behind each time. Ever since the All-Star break, we’ve played from behind. We’ve got to find a way to turn that where we’re not chasing and (instead) being chased.

[Collins] is huge for us. He helps out defensively. He might not show it in the offensive stats, but he gets guys open. He’s very solid. That’s what you need, someone to be consistent and...

We understand what it takes for us to be successful. If we don’t play any defense we won’t be successful. So I don’t know if it’s the same or not, but we’re confident that we...

It showed a lot of character. Getting in late after an emotional win, we could have just made it respectable but we did our job and wanted to win and that showed.

That just shows the confidence. He may have thought the game was getting away from him, but then he stepped up. I think that’s what we’ve been talking about all training camp.

We expected them to make a run in the second half. The crowd got back into the game, but we kept our composure, got stops when we needed to, and Vince carried us down the...

The big thing for us is to get back to winning and look at what we’re not doing. That’s taking care of the ball and having a better first quarter, defensively.

This was a character check for us to come back and protect home and beat a team playing extremely well. We didn’t panic, we had good looks and we got stops when we had to.

There are some talented backcourts out there. We just want to be one of the best at the end of the day. If we can continue to build on what we’ve had the last two...

We learned from the last game that we’ve got to defend if we want to have any chance to win in this league,

It gave us a chance to regroup and understand what got us there, and that was playing defense.

I think this team thrives in the half court, more than the first three or four years I was here, when our offense was in the open court, and we struggled in the half court....

This is only his second year, and his personality isn’t one to demand the ball, but we were joking he needed to be a little more vocal, to ask for the ball because he was...

They’ve got a very good team, a great coach. I think it’s just a matter of time before they start clicking. [O’Neal] is always there; he’s a force. They have two of the best players...

He took control. He did what he wanted. He ran the pick-and-roll, he got to wherever he wanted, he found the open guy, he got to the free-throw line.

We fell asleep at the wheel.

We’re clicking. Every team goes through these stretches. You just try your best to keep the flow.