Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Rileyis an American professional basketball executive, and a former coach and player in the National Basketball Association. He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995 and head coach in two separate tenures. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams, four with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Heat...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth20 March 1945
CityRome, NY
CountryUnited States of America
As soon as we begin to struggle offensively or get a little bit discouraged, two or three things happen to us and we stop playing defense.
The argument is they know what they're supposed to do. At least they tell you, 'We know what we're supposed to do.' So you back off a little bit on the real big muscle work that could cause them injury.
What we've noticed a little bit about Chauncey and what Flip has done with this team, he has injected a sense of energy into his team early. Chauncey is no longer just a late-game (shooter). Throughout the course of the game, you've got to be very aware of him, and obviously at the end of the game you've got to deal with him and what's he doing.
We were hanging on, and we have to give him credit. He just stepped up. He wasn't that mobile, but he did have an effect once he got a little bit warm. He had a great fourth quarter.
You know, we need a little bit of your offense, too. It was back-to-the-future stuff for Gary.
Last year we understood and found out exactly how lethal injuries at the wrong time can be, so I think we protected ourselves a little bit there. As a matter of fact, I think we protected ourselves big-time in that capacity if we lose a perimeter guy.
Our guys have to stop talking about being what they think they are and they've got to do it. I think we've done it a little bit over the last couple of weeks, but enough is enough now.
It is like a game-to-game thing. Back-to-backs have been a little bit difficult for him. We might look at it differently as to how we do that.
He's had a very consistent year, with the exception of the last couple of weeks, and I think he's getting worn down a little bit. He's got a little bit of an injury, so we're trying to work through that, but it is what it is, because he has to play now with Jason out.
He has a little bit of a slow release on his jumper. He's got to get there quicker, be set a little quicker. ... People are closing on him pretty hard and making him put it on the floor.
He'd average 20 points a game if he was put in that role every night and I'll be damned if I'm not going to try to put him in that role - now. You forget a little bit about how good he can be if he gets good opportunities.
Today is not indicative of who we are. It's a little bit indicative of who Chicago is. I was very conscious of minutes and then at the end, I was very conscious of health.
If he's put in that role every single night, he'd average 20 points per game. You sort of forget a little bit how good he can be when he gets a number of good opportunities.
I don't think he fights it. I really don't. It's a hard thing to do. But I do think everybody that I have coached that have gotten a little bit older, they realize in order to maintain in this league that they have to do something differently.