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
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.
active aggressive bit defense fact helps normally played sets talking zone
We were more aggressive in our defense, and the fact that we played more zone than we normally have. We were active in our zone, we were talking in our zone and we played a little more full-court defense. ... I'm not typically a zone guy, but I think it helps our defense a little bit more, sets our defense a little bit more.
bit floor nba players ready sees themselves watches
I don?t think you try and get him ready for an NBA season. You take it day by day and as that comes along, I think he?ll get a little bit better and a little bit stronger. As he watches and sees other players out on the floor, the things they have to do out on the floor to get themselves ready, I think he?ll be better at it.
attempts basketball bit early number offensive post running tonight unusual
We want him to get offensive opportunities - no question. I think that he can get more opportunities in running the floor, getting early post up which he did. Tonight was a little unusual where he had more than a number of attempts at dunking the basketball going to the rim so I think that's a little bit unusual.
bit certainly defense game gets needs overall team unfolds win
That part of the game is better than the overall game. We'd like our defense to get better for 48 minutes. But I think as the game unfolds and when another team needs a basket, I think our defense gets a little bit better. Certainly if you're going to win games, it has to be better down the stretch.
bit clock continued easy happened looking missed missing next point points quarter remember shots start third time trying
I think after a while, after we start missing the easy shots, I think we start pressing a little bit and trying to make up for the easy shots that we missed and we just continued to miss. At one point I remember looking at the clock when we had 33 points and I don't remember the next time we scored. Then, the same thing happened in the third quarter when we just could not make a shot.
ball bit complete control handling keeping pushing running screen
He's got to control his ball handling a little bit more in being a complete player. He's not used to running screen and rolls. He's not used to rebounding the ball and pushing the ball up the floor, keeping the ball in his hands. He's not used to it.
ball bit discredit effective gets jump people plays rebound skills stronger toughness work
Shavlik is a little bit stronger than people think. He can rebound the ball in traffic. Offensively, he can put the ball down on the floor. Once he gets a 15- or 16-foot jump shot, I think he can be an effective player. I think people discredit his toughness. I think as he plays a little bit more, the toughness will come out, the ball skills will come out. Right now, he?s got to work on that jump shot.
ball bit gets half open second sleep somebody teased turned
The second half they just lured us to sleep and made open shots. Once we turned the ball over, they were into the break, somebody gets a wide-open three, and somebody gets one to the basket. It was like they teased us a little bit and then they go up 16 or 17 points.
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.
basically bit certainly grew lived portland someplace spent time
Certainly when I got the Portland job, there wasn't as much hoopla as there is here, ... I've spent time here. I've lived here. I grew up basically here. There's going to be a little bit more hoopla than there would be someplace else.
ball hands tried
We tried to put the ball in Chris' hands a lot more, especially down the stretch.
against boston brief feels game realize realizing tied win
We just had a very brief meeting, and we realize that we have to win (tonight) against Boston and it?s tied up again and realizing we?re going to Chicago. So ..I think everyone still feels like we?re there. We just have to win the game against Boston.
attention cleaning either jump offensive paying rebound shot standing
We were paying so much attention to Shaq. He ... was cleaning up after we doubled Shaq. He was the one standing there, either making a jump shot or cleaning an offensive rebound up.