Jeff Gundy Game Quotations

If we play great and bring an intangible package that you need, and we play well, then we'll be right in the game. Our respect level for (the Mavericks) is great, yet my respect level for my team is high. Knowing that if we do play really well that we'll be in the game, and if you're in the game you have a chance to win.

He's had many good stretches, it's just that sometimes we get caught up in the numbers. I look at the whole thing, his pick-and-roll coverage, his transition defense. I think he's gotten better from his first game in the NBA through now.

He has become the point guard we needed him to become. He gives us passion. He pushes it up the floor and penetrates. The one thing he has to add to his game is poise. Today, he had poise when they were making their run.

He's going through that natural period where people want to nitpick the very few negatives he may have instead of extolling all his positives, ... And in a little over 31 minutes a game he averages 18 and 8. He comes to work every day. He's totally selfless. Yet some want to badger the guy about whatever perceived shortcomings he has. I find that unfortunate because if they spent half the time looking at all his positives it would be a much better story.

My thing about numbers is that people who write about the game should never look at Yao Ming and reduce what he stands for to numbers. Some other guys will maybe play better in the playoffs at times. But he is the best regular-season center in basketball. And the reason is he comes to play every night.

We played very soft, a non-contact game. We had Wilcox jumping over us the whole game with no block out, drives with nobody putting a body in front, taking soft fouls and unnecessary fouls. I was just very disappointed.

(Yao) did all right, but it's not about individual performance in this league. It's team play and playing collectively. He's still trying to get back in game mode, and we know it will take a while before he's back at full strength. I thought overall, though, he did some good things, but he's still not at 100 percent.

We have to get a team that represents what our standards are. On the road trip and the Boston game prior to that, we represented ourselves well. In the last two games we have given very, very little to the game, to each other and to the organization.

There will be things we'll have to correct. I thought we played a cleaner game as far as being efficient. We're just struggling.

We have enough players, and we've developed a game. Most of it goes to the belief. It's been that way since the practice after the Sacramento game (the Nov. 2 season opener) that he's been in and out so much.

I love his competitive spirit, I love his intensity and I hate the way the game has grown to where you can act your way to calls. In hockey, I like (that) they fine, they fine for dives. And every time the guy exaggerates the contact, the foul would be on him.