Nice win for the Rockets last night over the Lakers in Game 1. Here are some quotes from the game.
Said Yao Ming:
"Besides Tracy McGrady on this team, we don't have a guy you can call a 'talent player,' like a Kobe, McGrady, LeBron, that type. We have to trust everybody, play together, play tough and unite together."
Coach Rick Adelman:
"We found out we had a group that played their tails off every day. They came together as a group. We had a regular rotation we didn't have before and we had young guys step up."
And it's not just Adelman, a veteran coach of 18 seasons, that sees something special in this team.
Ron Artest:
"It's weird because every other team I've played for in the Playoffs, players or coaches or whatever change their whole attitude or maybe become even more focused or more edgy. But this team, we played hard during the regular season and we want to play the same during the Playoffs."
Shane Battier:
"Honestly, the first thing we said when we came into the locker room was OK, good job guys. Now, let’s get a good Game 2, too."
Also, I found that Battier had this to say before the season:
Well, it starts with the coach and we have an outstanding coach. If there's one strong suit of coach Adelman, it's developing chemistry. We had amazing chemistry last year that was evidenced in the 22-game winning streak. And we have good guys who want to win. And as long as you have those things, the chemistry will come. Now if you win a few games, chemistry seems to come a bit easier. So it's on us to win a few games and find our identity as a team. But I'm confident that we have the coaching staff in place that will develop us and bring us closer together as a team.
