Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Edward "Mo" Cheeksis an American retired professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He was the head coach of the Detroit Pistons from June 10, 2013, to February 9, 2014 and has also served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers...
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth8 September 1956
CityChicago, IL
defensive floor win
We wanted to let them know that's where we're going to win games, is on the defensive end. I think that's where you go. You don't try and put too much on them, but they know the drills that they're doing on the floor is the way we're going to play.
best bit defensive gotten tonight
We've gotten a little bit better on the defensive end. Tonight wasn't one of our best defensive efforts, but if we're going to making a move, we'll have to do it on the defensive end.
improved last played players year
We've got some young players that played well last year and I want to see if they've improved this year,
defense games guys night offense relying teaching three win
We have too many breakdowns. I think that we have to go back to the one, two, three of defense rotations, and getting guys in different positions. The only way that you can win games if you are relying on your offense night in and night out, is you have to outscore teams. We're not going to outscore teams, so our defense has to go back to the fundamentals of teaching positions.
fights-and-fighting
We're working. Everything we do is not going to be perfect. We just have to keep fighting.
beat coming home knew needed playing team
We needed this one badly. We knew coming in here we were just playing a team that beat us on our home court.
allowed ball continue drive eventually game jump shot shots win
We didn't drive the ball like we did in the first half. We shot all jump shots and that allowed them back in the game and eventually win the game because we didn't continue doing the things we were doing.
factor losing obviously offense
Our turnovers obviously were a big factor in losing the game. We had 14 turnovers at halftime, but our offense went astray.
toward
We still have a long way to go and we're still working toward that.
became good guys happening kept people portland talked time trail
We had some good players, we had some good guys on the team, but some things kept happening time after time and that's all people talked about, ... The things that they did, the dysfunctional things that happened, a lot of that became a part of the Portland Trail Blazers, and that was unfortunate.
knows situations veteran
Webber's a veteran who knows how to play. We try to put him in the same situations he had while he was here. He understands how to play this game.
guys mind playing question
Well, there was never a question in my mind about those guys playing (well) together.
bit coming endure familiar
He's familiar with the surroundings, so it's not like he's coming to a new place. You have to endure it, take it in, feel it a little bit and then come back and give us your best.
ball doubt hands playing reason
I don't think I had any doubt about them playing together. The reason you put the ball in their hands is because they make plays.