http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/quotes_021030.html Inside the Locker Room: Pacers vs. Rockets Oct. 30, 2002, Conseco Fieldhouse INDIANA PACERS COACH ISIAH THOMAS "It was really good to win this game. It was such an odd game because we were playing without some guards. Francis got 39, Mobley got 22; but I thought we did a pretty good job shutting everyone else out of the game. I thought everyone shared the basketball, moved the basketball and had good balance inside and out. Every night it will be a different guy for us. It won’t be one superstar carrying the load. Defensively, with the challenges Erick Strickland, Ron Artest, Ron Mercer and Al Harrington had, I was surprised the didn’t get out of their offensive rhythm. (On Yao Ming) "You’ve got to remember what this young man has been through the past two, three months. He has played a lot of basketball and he’s only been with Houston about 10 days. Under the circumstances, he handled himself well. Give him time, give him time. I think we need to be patient with him.” RON ARTEST "We really came out prepared tonight. I really feel we played a solid 48 minutes for the first game of the season. I appreciate the team and coach having confidense in me. It took a little time for me to calm down and get relaxed; but once I got into the flow of the game, it really felt good. At that point in the game, I thought we were all on the same page. I thought Ron (Mercer) and Erick really stepped their game up. It was really unfortunate that I didn’t get to play because of a wimpy little pinkie finger; but I kept running and working to keep myself in shape so I’d be ready for tonight. In the first half, I thought we were playing overall together offensively and defensively. We made some adjustments at half time and I think that’s what helped us pull away in the second half. Anything can ahhppen in the NBA whether it’s injuries or someone just having an off night but I felt as a team we really stepped up and I know I appreciate as a player what I can learn from a player like Reggie even though he’s on the sidelines. Picking up what he has to say there and in practices.” JEFF FOSTER "(on Yao Ming) This being his first NBA game, I know he had to be nervous and it was tough on him the pressure of being the first pick and his first game being on the road. We had no main strategy against him; but I think I had him the whole time he was out there. My main concern was to push him off the block and to keep up the defensive pressure on him as a rookie. There wasn’t particularly any strategy discussed but being the number one pick, everyone wanted to challenge him to see what he had.” JERMAINE O'NEAL “It’s been a big difference this last week without Reggie and Jamaal. We really felt that we would be ready for the beginning of the season but I have to say the difference was the character of these guys and how we stepped up together as a team." (on Yao Ming) "He has to learn to adapt to the NBA. In international play, you can relax a little bit by loafing in the lane; but in the NBA you really have to play your man and play solid defense the whole time you’re out there.” HOUSTON ROCKETS COACH RUDY TOMJANOVICH “I’m proud of our guys. They played and battled. We were undermanned tonight. Artest was tremendous. He made some big plays when we needed a stop." (on Yao Ming) "The guy has only been here 10 days. He is just getting acclimated. The intensity level now is above the preseason. It’s hard to make the transition. The situation he’s going through has never happened before. This game is too tough to just come in and play. " (On tonight’s game) "It was an intense game. It was their home opener and we were undermanned. I have no complaints. I thought the game was played with a lot of heart." (On Juaquin Hawkins) "I trusted the judgment of two of my ex-players. He’s special defensively, moves his feet well and made some great plays today. We are a really young team." (On the Pacers) "I think they are right in the ball game (in the East). Artest was great tonight. Their young guys are starting to get to the point of being veterans. They play extremely hard and O’Neal is something special.” STEVE FRANCIS “(on Yao Ming) We are not worried about what the fans think. They are going to have to have patience. He did not play particularly well today. We have 81 more to go. This is a learning tool for him as well as us. He has no choice but to get better, he wasn’t a factor today. He will tell you that himself. But we believe in him and know he will get better." (on the game) "We had a chance to win the game tonight. It’s very frustrating no matter who is out on the floor playing with you. Ron Artest made some unbelievable shots for them. I’ll tell you that right now. He made shots he doesn’t normally make. I thought we contained Jermaine O’Neal pretty much; but their other guys did a good job stepping up. " CUTTINO MOBLEY "I’m not that upset about it (carrying the load with a lot of big men out). Cato played with the flu tonight and still had 17 boards. When our big guys come back, it’s definitely going to help us out and we’ll be that much better. With me playing the three position more, I think we’re going to need to run more and our transition game needs to be more effective." (on their back court matchups) "It doesn’t really cause a problem because we played a lot of zone in the second half. We did give up a lot of rebounds in that zone. They got a lot of second chance points when they missed. You almost have to gang rebound in that situation. We’ll need to get better at that." (on Yao Ming) "It’s like that for any rookie. You tell me what rookie can come in and contribute right away. That’s life. It’s one thing to play basketball, but it’s another thing to not know English and then have to play a fast paced game like this and be able to communicate with him.” YAO MING (on adjusting to the NBA) "I don’t think the defensive speed was tough; but getting back on offense was difficult. The reffing is something I can’t control. I could have played better; but there are some rules I have to get used to. " (On sitting on the bench) "It didn’t feel good and I want to contribute but I have to offer encouragement when I’m not playing." (on the hardest thing to adjust to) "Lots of things. A new country, a different type of game and being interviewed so much." (on what he learned tonight) "I learned I still have a lot to learn and I’m only a rookie." (on defending Jermaine O’Neal) "It was tougher than I thought.”
It's really odd how such different information is available on each teams home web page. Nothing like this is on the Rockets page but there's a lot of apres game action at Indiana's page.
It's probably because it was a Pacers home game. They have more of a staff to get the quotes. I doubt the Rockets sent a web staff to gather the quotes for their web page.
