“What do you think was the turning point of the match?
Two offensive rebounds which allowed them to score two three points in a row (at the very end of the 2nd quarter). From that moment on, everything changed. If we don’t respect basketball like that, we’ll never win. We can comment on a lot of things, but I will tell you something that I had already said in the pre-match: the worst job when you are a basketball coach is to be coach of Monaco the Grand Prix weekend.
Because the heads aren’t there… You have everything under control, and you wonder where you will be placed the next day, what you are going to do, what you are going to eat… But damn then! You are in the play-offs. You must respect all opponents. The question is not about having had a bad match. Our first game of the series wasn’t good either. That’s what pisses me off. When you need to be most focused… We need to get back to an underdog mentality. It’s the only way to get our chance.
“Do you feel like you’re giving it your all? Can you say after this match that you gave everything, that you can’t walk anymore? »
Do you think that in three days your players can return to this mentality?
I would like to tell you that yes. Everyone has to ask themselves if they gave it their all. Did you play like the highest paid player plays? Have you played a match of this level? We’ll see if it’s different, but there are no guarantees. We were bad, very bad even. Our 2nd half was surely our worst this season, with no solution, no defense. How many easy points did they score? How many easy layups did they have? This is how others gain confidence.
Do you think that in Bourg-en-Bresse, in the atmosphere of an overheated room, your players will become themselves again?
I don’t know if Mike (James) will be there or not. But even if it is there, what can we expect? In two matches our season can be over. And this is how we play for our last matches? Do you feel like you’re giving it your all? Can you say after this match that you gave everything, that you can’t walk anymore? It’s a play-off match! I hope we will refocus. Otherwise it won’t be difficult, it will be very difficult. »
