Earl Watson Quotations

There are no excuses for getting blown out like that. Your competitiveness makes you try to find a way to play and to try and get back into the game. You take a game like that personally. I never expect to get beat by 30.

No one has come up to me and said the rumors was false. I feel like since that hasn't happened it has to be the obvious.

I wouldn't want to come to work with handprints all over my cheeks.

I didn't really spend enough time there to get attached to any one thing or anyone. So for me, it's another game, another trip.

I don't even expect to lose by 30. When you get down like that, it has to become personal. At least it does for me.

I didn't ask too many questions. Whatever (West) told me to do, I just did it. It's benefiting me right now. This summer, I knew it would be good.

(King) changed the world. He sacrificed his life. Being in Memphis, that's huge. We played on that day. Just taking the tour of the hotel and everything, I don't think most of us (black players in the NBA) would be here if it wasn't for him sacrificing.

I thought we did a good job. We have come in here and helped the team and elevating the team to a more athletic team and a quicker team in transition. We want to be competitive and I think we are.

My relationship with Hubie was almost like father-son. It's a guy hooking up to a guy, talking about basketball, talking a lot about life. When he left, that hurt a lot of people on the team.

Two weeks ago we were being talked about as one of the best teams in the NBA. It's amazing what a few games can do. At the same time, we know what our potential is, and we just have to turn it around and head back in that direction.

We were just blown out. They controlled the game from the start and all the way through.

This whole week has been great. They really know how to make us feel special.

The passion for winning in this locker room is so strong. The transition game is fun with this team, because everyone runs. Every play in transition, I've got like two or three options. ... You have so many options, you get to pick how you want to get the crowd going.

This team is still growing. Now we're coming back by huge deficits and that's the kind of team we want to be.

You hit one and it opens a lot of gaps.

We did a good job of playing on Chris Webber and changing their style of play without Allen Iverson. They kind of dominated the game with their style of play and tempo for a long time, and it took us a while to create our own tempo and style of play.

I've always been known for defense, but I wanted to add something new to my game, a whole new dimension.

A little different. Just trying to get my energy together. I've been fighting the flu for a while. I got to get some medicine. I just tried to stay physically strong and not run out of gas.

You're going to miss them and you're going to make them. You can't make every game winner. You might not even make 50 percent of your game-winners, but the ones you make are the ones everyone will remember.

You play so many teams so many times, I don't think there are any secrets about what teams do.

They play so well together and they are gearing up for the playoffs. They have played together for a long time, and you can see they are on the same page both offensively and defensively. That's where we are trying to get.

At first they told me I'd be out the rest of the season.

It's always good memories coming back here. Being part of the 50-win season with Hubie (Brown), the change from being one of the worst teams in the NBA to helping them make the playoffs ... I think the playoffs are expected here now.

I walked back down the court. I had my hands up. I knew it was good. You could just tell in that type of situation that the shot was going in.

Their whole style of play dictated the second half.

I'm not one to judge anybody. Who am I to judge? I'm not perfect . I don't know what he said exactly, and I don't know what he meant by it. But I'm not one to judge anyone by their words or actions. I can only control what I can control.

I'm very close with him. His grandmother is like my grandmother. They took me in. It's always competitive during the game. We save the fun for after.

I'm getting a lot more comfortable. I'm just feeling out my niche and it's a different style of play and a different mentality.

I'm taking advantage of the time I get, whether I'm starting or coming off the bench.

I'll play no matter what, but at the same time, I need a peace of mind of what's really wrong. This is serious.

Hopefully, we won't let anyone down. (The previous meeting) was one of the best games I've ever played in. One of the best games I've ever seen.

I don't think I'm really going to be here. Whatever happens, you hope it happens quickly, so that way you can get it going and not have to worry about what's going to happen tomorrow, so you can move on, so there can be some closure.

He's hungry. If he misses a shot, he'll follow up his shot two, three times until he scores. As a coach, you can draw up any scheme you want, but you can't stop a player who is driven. He's hitting the boards like a power forward.