David Blatt: “This was an important win for Maccabi. The game was divided into two fairly clear parts: the first 25 minutes, and the last 15 minutes.”
David Blatt: “This was an important win for Maccabi. The game was divided into two fairly clear parts: the first 25 minutes, and the last 15 minutes.”
“In the first part, we played team basketball at a high level, and our game flowed. In the second part, a lot of things didn’t go our way, we turned the ball over a lot and our rebounding wasn’t as good, and those things almost cost us the game. It’s not easy playing here in Vilnius against this terrific crowd and the momentum they developed, but we were up to the challenge and got another important away win, a win that will be helpful to us down the road in this tough group we’re in.”
“I’d also like to say,” the coach added, “that I’m very happy for Tyrese, who made a couple of huge plays at the end of the game that helped us get this victory.”
Devin Smith: “This was a really important road victory for us, one that advances us in our group. We played really well in the first half and part of the second half, but then they had a big run. Their fans really gave them a push, and suddenly all of their shots started to drop. Most important thing is that we didn’t give up, we stayed together as a team, kept fighting and survived their counter-attack.”
About his big baskets in money time, Smith said: “There were some moments when we really struggled, and I just felt like it was time for me to take responsibility. I always try to do my best for the team.”
