Shawn Marion Quotes (50 Quotes)

The guys stepped up over the 82 (games). We finished 54-28 but we could have matched last year's record and probably beat it. Now we have to get focused for the playoffs.

With his style of play and his ability, he fits right in. It's like he's been here all year.

One of the biggest things is, he realizes that we (the players) make the coaches. When we're winning, he's winning.

We just seemed to do whatever we had to do to get this win tonight. I got opportunities to get the ball at the end tonight. Our guys got it to me, and it helped me make something happen then.

The older I get, I'm starting to realize I need that time to rest, ... I'm not going to be doing that stuff (summer games) anymore. That's a wear and tear on your body. I'm still trying to rest my body from the playoffs.

We were draining so much energy on the defensive end trying to stop them, we couldn't score. We got in foul trouble early and guys were going down with injuries, so you can factor in a lot of stuff. But they stopped us.

I'm at a loss for words right now. I'm kind of (expletive) off.

We knew they were going to make a run. They're at home. Their fans started booing them, so they had no choice.

Our defense ain't where it needs to be. I don't know if it's because we're trying to fit new pieces in right now or what but we've got to find a way. It's causing us to not get out and run so it means we're getting less and less possessions on the offensive end.

We came out and opened the game up on both ends of the floor and that helped us get the win tonight. It was kind of rough for us at the start. They were hitting some tough shots and you have to give them credit. We were knocking down shots and winning, but they were shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half.

These are games we are supposed to come in there and take care of business and get out of the way.

We came too far to give up now. We've got to go out and come together as a team. We know what it is, and everybody's got a challenge to play better defensively.

I'm not saying we're going to play the perfect game, but I'm going to go out there and leave it all on the floor.

We're going to represent the team the right way and that's what Jerry wants. I'm going to go out there and do what I've got to do. I'll fit in any system. I'm going to go out there and help this country and help this team win.

We be walking the ball down the court. We don't play like we usually play. This ain't us, honestly. Even when we were winning, we weren't pushing the ball like we're capable of. We say we want to run, but we don't do it. We're getting stops, so I don't see why we don't run. Nobody wants to push the ball.

We proved we could play in a physical game too.

In the first quarter, they were hitting shots. Sometimes, you can't play any better defense then we did. They were hitting shots with hands in their faces. In the second quarter, we opened up a little more and got a rhythm going.

We ain't gonna do it by playing half-court. We have to keep doing what we do best.

We're scrambling. Our defense is there, but second-chance points killed us tonight.

It hurts. I hate pain. I think I'm going to go anyway. I don't like to sit out. If I can walk, I'm going to play.

I didn't want to go back in. That is not even me. If you have been around for a while, you know I am about the team. As far as doing something individual, I will do it during the course of the game. Having to go back in and try to do it is not me.

We were able to get a lot of stops and get out into our running game and hit some open shots. We wanted to be aggressive and try to get the last two games out of the way.

It says a lot about this team, especially getting in so late. To come out here and play the game we played tonight, it says a lot.

We buckled down at the end when we needed to and got some big stops. They played a great game tonight. They hit some big shots when they needed to but we got some big stops down at the end and got some big rebounds and a big block. And there were some turnovers. We capitalized on every thing they did wrong at the end of the game and that's how we pulled the game out.

We don't have any inside post presence. However you want to look at it, he's a beast in there, so we are going to miss that inside threat. But with Kurt (Thomas) and Brian (Grant), we do have some inside bangers.

Whether they're saying it or not, I'll say it. I was tired. We came off that long (five-game Eastern trip) and I don't know if it was the time change or not practicing or what, but even the coaches told me I didn't look right.

They love basketball in Tucson just like they love it in Phoenix, so it was a great turnout.

Even when we got the early lead, it seemed like we were playing catch-up. Our defense isn't there. Our offense is slow, we're not running and we're not getting as many possessions. I don't know if it's because we're trying to put new pieces (Tim Thomas) in right now or what, but we have to find a way.

That's the system we have. We've got equal opportunity out here. It's just a matter of who gets it going.

It wasn't his fault, but when he came back he did shake up things a little bit because everybody had to make adjustments. It was much harder for everyone to get a feel for him.

We just had fun. This was for fans. We gave them a good show. Everybody played defense and everybody was shooting well.

I'm moving around on the perimeter a lot more. I can take some people off the dribble a little bit more. When I'm playing power forward, I'm under the basket all the time.

In the first half, they were knocking down some good shots. We were missing our shots but we were right there. We focused in the second half and buckled down and got some good stops when we needed to.

He gives us another weapon on the floor. They can't match up with us. They can't have a big man on the floor and then guard him. Today, that's what opened up the game.

Sometimes we have a team down 20 points and then start missing some shots. That's when we need to clamp down on defense. It's not easy, but at the same time we've got to do it.

Like coach said, that was rock bottom last night. I think everybody was a little winded last night, whether they're saying it or not. I'm going to say it I was tired.

It's still a seven-game series. We're going home. We're going to our home court. We got to go there and win that game.

I was trying to make him shoot over the top and take away any easy baskets.

We aren't playing any defense at all right now. It seems like we exert all our energy on offense and exert no energy on defense.

Y'all need to start booing everybody. I hate when they're applauding the other team. They need to boo everybody.

We get lackadaisical out there thinking we can outscore everybody. We have to play some defense.

We just have to regroup and try and make a statement on the road over the next five games.

We know who we've got coming and we know what we have to go out and do. We left everything on the floor this year and I think we are ready. We are clicking on all cylinders and it's time for us to go out there and make a run at this championship.

I think we were really trying to get out there and run. Don't think I wasn't running out. I was really trying to make the effort.

In the second half, we started putting the clamp down on defense. Teams can hang with us for two or three quarters, but when that fourth quarter kicks in, we run away with it.

That's what happens. We didn't give up shots, we gave up rebounds tonight. Teams are trying to go big on us, crash the boards on us. That's our biggest weakness. Our defense has got to pick us up.

I'm not doing anything I haven't been doing for seven years. This is what I do.

Amare is a beast in there. We're going to miss that inside threat.

Lately I have been getting into a rhythm and feeling it. My teammates have been looking for me and making the extra pass and I have been the beneficiary of getting a lot of late passes after teams commit and I have been able to knock them down.

He (Thomas) is our best post-up player and now we will have to be more active in the paint. I think we can hold it down, but we will miss him though.