Maurice Cheeks Offensive Quotations

We want him to get offensive opportunities - no question. I think that he can get more opportunities in running the floor, getting early post up which he did. Tonight was a little unusual where he had more than a number of attempts at dunking the basketball going to the rim so I think that's a little bit unusual.

I talked to him about it before the game. He had about 11 charges during camp and he had three today. The fact is, he played an offensive game, he plays a defensive game, he does a lot of things to impress you.

We need one. We're entitled to one, I think. We've been going down to the wire a lot of games. Sometimes it feels good for the players and myself to play a game where you don't have to worry about somebody getting an offensive rebound or making a last-second shot to win a basketball game. For us, we needed that.

When you see Kyle shooting the ball the way he's capable of shooting the ball, and giving Andre more offensive opportunities, and even Sam, I think we're a more dangerous team that way.

We want to funnel the ball to him on defense. And you know what? He's a much better offensive player than people give him credit for. We're going to give him a chance to show it.

We were paying so much attention to Shaq. He ... was cleaning up after we doubled Shaq. He was the one standing there, either making a jump shot or cleaning an offensive rebound up.

Everything we did tonight was energized by Allen not being there. We knew we had to raise our game on the offensive and the defensive end.

That's how we got back in the game. We didn't let them get offensive rebounds and we got some turnovers.

The way they play, most people say you can't win that way, but that's how they play and they have one of the smartest point guards (Nash) in the league. They play aggressive, offensive basketball.

I know he's going to catch lobs, but those should be added bonuses to his game, to being a pretty good defender and opening up his jump shot, slashing a little bit. Just being more of an important offensive player, than just the guy that's just slashing to the basket.

I know he's always going to catch lobs, but those should be added bonuses to his game, ... He can just open up his jump shot, slash a little bit, just be a more perimeter offensive player.

Chris and Allen didn't have great offensive games, but they were passing the ball. I thought the way we defended and rebounded the ball was big for us. I thought one of the keys for us was that we got some easy baskets.

Certainly you have to make adjustments on the offensive end. When you have a player like that in the fourth quarter, you have a tendency to look for him and realize he has that ability to take over a game. On the defensive end, he creates some turnovers for us and easy baskets. And we haven't gotten as many with him out of the lineup.