Coming off a back-to-back, with a big win last night against Indiana, it would have been easy for us to not bring intensity. Early on, our team didn't have intensity. I saw that and I had to pretty much take over matters. I've been able to take my team on my back.

Coming off a back-to-back after a big win against Indiana, it was easy for us not to bring the intensity tonight. You can't win a big game like that and then lose a game like this.

He is one of the best defenders in this league against me.

Guys stepped up tonight. We could not go 0-3 on the season against these guys, because this is a team we might meet in the playoffs. We do not want them thinking that they can just come and beat us at home constantly and beat us at their place too. They are a good team. We are a good team, and we played well to get a win.

It's about having intensity and playing at both ends for as close to 48 minutes as possible. You really can't put in a good game plan against a great team, you just have to go out and play.

We did not want to get blown out against a team in the Eastern Conference.

We are great friends. We love competing against each another.

We are great friends. I told him to keep doing what he was doing for his team, and he said the same to me. We love competing against one another.

This was big for us. The guys stepped up. We couldn't go 0-3 against them. They might be a team we face in the playoffs. So we can't let them think they can come in here and beat us.