Read more about this game in the quick reaction and the post-game report.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lsnf3r2Dt8
Shot Performance:
“I loved the way [DeMar DeRozan] picked it up in the second half. He and [Kyle Lowry] carried us both – 41 minutes for Demar, 43 for Kyle. DeMar wanted the ball at the end of the game and that’s what you want your star to do. He got us to that point. I didn’t even talk about that last play, but he wanted the ball, he took us to that point where we had a one point lead and I commend him for that.”
Wesley Matthews on DeRozan:
“He played the right way. He had 12 assists. He’s making the right passes. He’s making the right reads. There wasn’t a tendency that we could put him on. When we under the screen, he made a play. We went over the screen, he made a play. We tried to juke around, through the screen and he made a play. There’s going to be nights like that where you’re able to get the stops we need at the right time.”
Terry Stotts on DeRozan:
“He almost single handedly got them back into it. I know other guys made shots, but he made tough shots. He made some jumpers where he got fouled. He made threes. I think they were 6 for 12 and he made his 2 threes in the second half. He was voted an All Star for a reason. He’s capable of getting hot and carrying a team.”
DeRozan himself after the gruelling loss:
“We understand what we had to do, honestly. We understand we were down big and the only way we would get back in this game was to get stops and that’s what we started doing. That was the main part. We were missing a lot of easy shots that we normally make, but we don’t worry about that. The only thing we worry about is the defensive game and we picked it up in the second half.”
It’s a tough loss, but one that can be termed as character-building.
