513 Quotes by Flip Saunders

In the back of their minds, there's a little bit of a mental letdown. The other team, when they're missing a player they always get a little more juiced up to play because they know they have to play at a higher level.

He's got size, and he's done a nice job. I have been really impressed with him. He's starting to get heat-of-the-battle minutes now and he's been productive. He's not shied away at all.

We got pretty much what we wanted offensively. Defensively, we were like vultures to start games.

That's the only negative ? the guys play so well sometimes it becomes too easy. But it's what I said before ? an obligation of entertaining, knowing that when you go into an arena, for some people that might be the only time they watch you play. As a professional you have an obligation to play at a high level ? it's almost like a rock band going on the road.

If you took a team from the West and made it play in the East on a nightly basis, they would find out how tough it is. It's such a grind. The East is tougher mentally. It's a grind night in and night out. . . . Trust me. The East is not as bad as they make it out to be.

This is the third of our five steps, but this one might be the most important of the first four, because of the 2-2-1-1-1 format in the conference finals.

He's just going to have to be a good boy. Bite his lip. We were thinking of getting Judge Judy, getting it on TV. But I don't think commissioner ( David ) Stern would go for that one. They'd probably get very great ratings.

This is the third of our five steps.

Because what teams, coaches, players try to do is set the tone for referees when they come in.