Bucks 131, Wizards 128
Q. What did you like most?
WES UNSELD JR.: I thought we played with a level of poise from start to finish. I liked our energy and effort throughout the game. It didn't seem to wane. Every time they made a push, we pushed back, so that was great to see.
That's a good team, so the fact that you can go toe-to-toe against a really good team, have an opportunity to win a game, it's a positive.
Q. That three that Landry missed at the end, what was the play call there?
WES UNSELD JR.: There were a couple options on there, but that was certainly one of the options. I won't give it all away, but he was open. I have full confidence next time he'll knock it down.
Q. Going against a team that has Giannis, Dame, Lopez, you talked this morning about the fact that closers is something that you guys are developing, just having that veteran guy. How much did you miss that presence tonight?
WES UNSELD JR.: I thought we did a terrific job. We had four guys who scored 20 plus. We moved the ball well, low turnover night. Obviously paint defense wasn't exactly where it needed to be, but we kept them off the three-point line. Obviously the free throws, 25 I believe in that second half, that was a huge difference for them, but overall I thought well-balanced, well-played. To your point, a lot of positives on both sides.
Q. Second time you've played the Bucks in a short window. What kind of growth did you see from the game there to the game here?
WES UNSELD JR.: Well, just our ability to kind of hold the fort. I think at times you can lose a little bit and you miss shots, and they've got some guys with offensive spurtability that just can get it going. Sometimes it gets you sideways. Those possessions if you lose or possessions where you're not in sync, they start to compound themselves. It didn't happen tonight, so that's certainly a positive to see us weather the storm and keep the game tight.
Q. Looked like pretty good rebounding. To what did you attribute some of that?
WES UNSELD JR.: Just the urgency and effort, the intensity and understanding that this is something that we have to shore up. That's part of your -- at the end of your defensive possession across the board, but certain teams have a knack to really hurt you in that area. It's been a concerted effort, and it's something we're going to harp on all year.
Q. Lopez matched a career high with 39. What did he have working for him?
WES UNSELD JR.: A little bit of everything. He's a load. A guy that big who you feel he's got unlimited range, puts a lot of pressure on you, stretches you out a little bit. He started making threes, and now you've got to close to him, and he's got a way of putting the ball down and plays downhill with force. He's a tough cover.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports