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
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.
capable certain chris example guys help hurt leading night perfect situations taking
Chris is very capable of taking our troops, as all our guys are. Chris is our veteran. He's been around certain situations a while, so he understands about guys getting hurt and how to help other players. (Sunday) night was a perfect example of Chris leading us.
best figure help instead player saying star
I can't figure it out. I'm just going to help him be the player that he was in Sacramento. I'm going to try my best to do that instead of saying why this didn't happen, that didn't happen. He's a star player for me.
half helped reason second slow step win won
I thought the second half was the reason why we won the game, because it was just the will that helped us win the game. We were down, we were a step slow in the first half, and I thought our will got us back in the game.
came defense floor game guys helped playing tried turned
They just controlling the game and our defense was not that good. Everyone that we had out on the floor was not playing defense. I tried to insert some guys that were going to give us a little energy, give us a little defense and they turned the game around. Those guys that I put in there helped us get back in the game. Everyone that came in the game had a part in the victory.
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.
advantage example guy guys michael opportunity prime sit steps taken whatever
When a guy has to sit for whatever reason, another guys steps in. Michael Bradley's a prime example. He's been impressive. He has pretty much taken advantage of an opportunity with guys being out.
easy missed shots
We missed easy shots and they got opportunities on the other end.
above consistent rise
We have to find a consistent ground, consistent way to rise above .500.
american-coach basketball certain chris factor fatigue playing point
When it got to a certain point I think the fatigue factor went out the window, because everyone was playing on adrenaline. I know that Chris was exhausted.
certainly defense dribble hurt quite shots zone
The zone hurt us quite a bit. We couldn't get any shots; we couldn't get any dribble penetration. We didn't make any shots and certainly our defense was not up to par.
against execution fourth hurt poor quite shot stayed zone
The zone hurt us quite a bit. It was poor, poor execution against the zone in the fourth quarter. We couldn't make a shot and they never went back to man-to-man. They stayed with the zone and packed it in.