Brian Hill Team Quotations

I think this was definitely our worst loss of the season. It's very bitter to me simply for one reason that we couldn't come into the game focused because the other team had their best player out.

I think we were the only team that invited him to training camp. I feel bad that he feels that way. But based on what we saw, we weren't going to be able to get him on the floor.

I thought we played sluggish and tired all night long. I just thought the energy wasn't there. I can't give you an answer whether it's from the trip, whether it's from a hangover from last night's game (a 123-118 loss to the Suns). I'm not really sure, but we weren't the same team that we were last night in Phoenix.

I thought we mentally succumbed to fatigue in the beginning of the game because we played last night and that's what I told the team. We were the more aggressive team in the second half and got ourselves back in the game. We just didn't have enough to pull it off.

Well, we made it interesting. A lot more interesting than we needed to after being up by 20. That's the danger of the Milwaukee team is their three-point shooting ability and tonight we just couldn't keep T.J. Ford in front of us. He just went wherever he wanted to go with the basketball and created all kinds of scoring opportunities for their team. If it wasn't for him, I think it would have been a much easier game.

We couldn't make any shots and we didn't play very good defense in the first half, which got us in a hole. I give them credit - they're a heck of an offensive team. They're a tough team to guard. We shoot 38 percent and the other team shoots 53 percent, it makes it tough.

The team we put out there tonight didn't want to play. We absolutely have to play better.

When you get down 20 points to a team like Houston, it is difficult because of the way they can control the tempo of the game.

I've said all along that the key thing is that we finish up this season on a positive note so that these guys feel good about themselves and feel good about what we can accomplish next year. That's the biggest impetus and with the way we're finishing up, I think everybody feels the same way, that this team has a chance to be a real nice basketball team if we continue to work at it.

It was an embarrassing performance. We didn't come out, we didn't play hard, we didn't give this team any respect and we got our butts kicked in the process. You can't play one half of basketball and expect to win a basketball game.

Personally I derived a lot of satisfaction from the way we finished up, but still it's disappointing to not make the playoffs. Of course, I didn't realize that we'd have to change our team in the middle of the season. What would make this year more satisfying is if we pick up where we left off next year.

This is the fifth year they've been a 50-plus win team. They're a veteran team that just understands how to win, and they're extremely unselfish and playing together very well.

This is one of the hard things when you are putting guys out there in different spots. Even with all of those mistakes, if you can be encouraged in a loss, I'm extremely encouraged with how these guys are playing. They could have easily quit. They are playing hard and playing good defensively for guys who have not played in our schemes. I like the way this team is competing right now.

I think (Nelson) just settles our team down a little bit, gives them some real good direction out there and he's very difficult to guard in pick and roll situations.

Before the game we talked about a total team effort -- getting something from both the starters and reserves -- and I thought we really got that tonight. We had 41 field goals and 24 assists, which is a great percentage and when you're shooting 58 percent, it helps a great deal.

Before the game we talked about just getting a total team effort tonight. From everybody - from both units, our starters and our second unit. I thought we really got that tonight. We didn't come out sluggish like we did last night.

Home wins are huge, no doubt about it. We got excellent contributions from everybody at some point in the game and I was obviously pleased with our defense at the end. Phoenix is a tough team to defend.

He's progressed steadily through the season from the standpoint of running the basketball team, keeping the team organized offensively, making sure that we don't get into a helter-skelter type of game, especially when we're in transition. Obviously he's playing with more confidence with the success he's having, attacking the basket and putting pressure on the defense. He's a very willing passer and always willing to make the extra pass when a teammate is open.

I don't know if I'm amazed by this team or not. But it's certainly a lot more fun. These guys deserve the credit because they enjoy playing with one another. If a guy makes a mistake, we pick each other (up) and move on because they're playing unselfishly and hard.

You can't play one half of basketball and expect to win. You can't spot a team a 20-point lead. I'm going to have to decide whether we want to play the same people. The team we put out there tonight didn't want to play. If they don't want to play, we have to put someone else out there that does.

You can't spot a team a 20-point lead and expect to win. I'm disappointed in our performance and I'm embarrassed and I hope our players are because they should be.

I told the team the season is not over until after game 82. The eighth (playoff) spot to me is still anybody's and still up for grabs. Chicago doesn't think they are out of it, and we don't think we are out of it, either. We are just going to continue to play hard.

This was a big step for us. I think we're becoming a basketball team rather than a collection of individuals. To me it's very rewarding to see how, at this stage of the season, how hard these guys are playing.