Sixers vs. Nets Game 2 Postgame Quotes

Brett Brown, PHI

On Ben Simmons’ offensive performance…

I think in the light of day, when you have a team performance that wasn’t what we all wanted [in Game 1] and he had an individual performance that was what—I know wasn’t what he would have wanted and I think for him to respond to that the way that he did, he was extremely aggressive. I thought that the way he defended D’Angelo [Russell], in the third period especially, D’Angelo had no points, they had no threes in that period and so much of their firepower is the three point shot. But going back to Ben, he was our bell ringer tonight in the fact that he had 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 23 points; was fantastic, but I thought his defensive effort on D’Angelo was spectacular, his aggression especially.

On the change in the third quarter…

We did what we tried to do in the first half, just kind of harder, better, longer type stuff. We didn’t really change stuff schematically, we just did what we wanted to do, better. And the margin for error when you’re playing against D’Angelo and [Spencer] Dinwiddie, as an example, where they can create separation and find enough daylight to get a shot off is marginal, but that fragility that little tiny half-a-second you could have, should have, didn’t, environment is punishing. And I thought that in the third period we did a good—better job of taking away some space getting to their feet being 6’10”, 6’9” whatever, showing our length and I thought everything that we’re talking about now was successful as far as the win goes for me was driven through our defense in the second half.

On Jimmy [Butler] and Ben’s performances and their dynamic…

Jimmy has such an infectious sort of spirit and physicality and chemistry with our group. He doesn’t have to pepper a stat sheet like he did the last game to really have a significant impact. And tonight, like you started seeing some of the just basic – somebody goes to help, somebody cracks back, you know there’s a strength there’s a physicality that he can do and get hands on balls that doesn’t show up on this piece of paper. And I think the leadership, the physicality, the toughness type stuff with Jimmy, was outstanding tonight. Ben’s ability, driven through just a really aggressive mentality, connected a lot of the dots to defense and then the 50-whatever—the 51 points that we get, it was significant. I bet when I go back and start accumulating how did we either get that many points or reduce them to this many points? Driven by, they had zero three-point shots, you’re going to see those two featured a lot.

Joel Embiid, PHI

On if taking it down low from the perimeter was his game plan…

I was just taking what the defense was giving me. I mean if you’re going to give me that much space, I feel like I can do a lot of things with it and tonight I just decided to be aggressive and drive the ball. Some nights I’m going to shoot it, but tonight I was just trying to be aggressive.

On scoring the first eight points of the second half…

Tonight we made a big point of finding me in the post. I feel like my teammates did a great job of finding me and we moved the ball, we shared the ball and we were just aggressive.

On how Ben Simmons’ performance impacted his own game overall…

I mean, he’s the point guard. When you see him play with that type of energy, it picks you up, it lifts you up and it makes you want to play the same way. I thought tonight [his energy] was fantastic, and that’s the energy we need for the rest of this series and the playoffs.

Ben Simmons, PHI

On his mindset going into tonight’s game…

Yeah, just try to be me. Be aggressive. Find my guys and just play the game the right way.

On if he felt an extra responsibility to get Tobias [Harris] and JJ [Redick] the ball after Saturday’s game…

Just trying to do my job. Try to find guys when they’re open. Mismatches, see who’s open, if it’s Jo [Embiid], if it’s Tobias, Jimmy [Butler], whoever it is, JJ. Just try to make the right play.

On what he was feeling in the second half when he put his hand to his ear like Allen Iverson…

I got a lot of love for this city and the fans here. Every time I step on the floor I try and play as hard as I can. I was just showing that. The hustle I try and give each and every game is not only for my teammates, my family, it’s for the city.

On if he felt like he delivered on the aggressiveness and defensive attention on D’Angelo Russell…

I think I had too many turnovers. I was aggressive. Just try to play the game the right way. I think I delivered, but, you know, at the same time, we still got a few more games. It was only one game.

Kenny Atkinson, BKN

On where the game changed in the second half…

They picked up their intensity defensively. I thought they did a fantastic job. They got into us. I would classify it as extreme physicality. [They] denied us, held us, pushed us. I thought we did a good job of kind of holding the fort in the first half because that was their mentality. We responded okay. Third quarter—we didn’t respond. That was really the story of the game, that third quarter.

On the overall assessment of the past two games with the series tied 1-1…

Look on the positive side. They came back, they played a heck of a game—it’s 1-1. We go back to Brooklyn. The old story, if you would’ve told us before we’re splitting here in Philly, I think we’d be happy. But [I’m] not pleased with the way we presented ourselves tonight. We were below average, quite honestly. But I do think the first half really gives me hope. We can go toe-to-toe with these guys. One bad quarter—we’re going to have to flush it. One thing about the Brooklyn Nets, they’ve always bounced back and always responded after a game like this. I expect our guys to respond.

On the defensive matchup between Ben Simmons and D’Angelo Russell…

I thought Ben was excellent. He really picked it up. And it was really in that third quarter. They picked [Russell] up full court, they denied him. I think that got us out of our rhythm. Obviously [Simmons’] athleticism and size and his activity was very good tonight. It caused us a lot of problems.

D’Angelo Russell, BKN

On the difference between Game 1 and tonight…

Defensively, they did a good job of just rallying up those stops. They got multiple stops in a row, then we couldn’t stop the bleeding, so that just snowball effect and we looked up and it was kind of out of reach. But I give credit to them they played hard, their intensity was a little higher just got to come back and match it at home.

On what they need to do next game…

Yeah, credit to them. They did a great job of kinds of denying Joe [Harris]. We definitely need him to go for us to go, but we’ll look at the film and see what we can do.

On if they underestimated their opponent…

No, I wouldn’t say that. They’re a physically gifted team, but I feel like there way we can still stop the bleeding it’s a lot of bodies being thrown around and flying around. Just got to stop the bleeding whenever it gets like that. We’ve got to protect ourselves out there.

Caris LeVert, BKN

On Joel Embiid’s flagrant foul and the physicality…

I didn’t really see the play, I have to watch it, but they were definitely more physical tonight, we knew that coming in. They were going to be more physical. We’ve got to make the adjustments in Game 3.

On rebounding…

I think it’s huge for us. That was a point of emphasis coming into the series. Coach told us that and transition defense were the two biggest things coming in and I mean the whole series.