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
I spent four days in New York with my family, with my mother, and during the process of being there also I was able to do some things. I was getting ready while I was up there.
There's a fine line here, and that fine line is that we are operating in a corporate world and pro basketball is part of that world,
We are very fortunate to have been able to acquire a player of Gary Payton's stature, ... He is a proven veteran and will be a big addition to this team.
We are very fortunate to have been able to acquire a player of Gary Payton 's stature. He is a proven veteran and will be a big addition to this team.
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.
We got a break tonight. Bobby Simmons is a great player - Mo Williams - those two guys would have created a lot of problems for us. The thing about a speed team, if you can see them walking up and down the court, you've done something.
We've got a couple of good games with this lineup. But what this lineup has yet to really prove to me is they haven't brought a whole lot of energy at the beginning of the game. I think that's a mental thing more than anything else.
Offense I don't think is going to be a problem for us. It's sustained defensive intensity.
I thought we played better as far as moving the ball. The one thing that happened the other day in New Jersey and where we get into problems is that we have a bunch of guys that love to attack and sometimes when we attack too much we don't get off the ball.
I think every team has a prodigal son, probably. What he's given to the city as much as what he's given to the team, the fans, has been extraordinary.
He's had that problem in the past. In the second half, I would have loved to give him a rest. But when I wanted to, the game was tied and we went down.
He had a problem with it the first year he was here. He sweats a lot and, like most players, doesn't drink enough liquids.
He wants to play, he wants to be out there. We're not being overly cautious, he's got a problem and we just want to treat it. We want to get it right.
Being ready isn't enough; you have to be prepared for a promotion or any other significant change.