Hawks 136, Wizards 108
Q. Wes was talking about how turnovers made a big difference tonight. What was your take on those? Was there a common thread?
DANIEL GAFFORD: When teams ramp up their intensity, that kind of happens from time to time when we get flustered. Just really just taking a step to try to be better in that area is something that I feel like everybody feels that we should for sure lock into.
I mean, it was just one of those nights where we kind of got surprised by the intensity of the other team I feel like I could say.
Q. As this losing streak continues, what can you do to snap it and get a victory?
DANIEL GAFFORD: Put this one behind us and really just focus on the things that we've had success with these last past couple of games. We've had opportunities to where we can close out some of these games, and we're learning these lessons time and time again. At the end of the day we just have to kind of stay together as a team and try to put things together, stay stringed together, especially defensively. Just be there for each other and take it one step at a time.
Q. It was mentioned during postgame that Marcin Gortat worked with you on certain aspects of your game. Can you shed a light on that, what you guys went over and what it was like learning from him?
DANIEL GAFFORD: Pretty much just like screening, doing his of course the screen that's named after him, the Gortat screen in the paint, one of those things, and really just hook shots and of course doing a lot of stuff when it came to just like post work, of course. At the end of the day, he helped me with a lot mentally, physically, emotionally, everything, so I'm real grateful for him. He came in and did a lot of stuff and kind of helped me elevate my game I would say.
Q. How do you think Mike Muscala did taking the minutes when you were on the bench?
DANIEL GAFFORD: Oh, of course he came in and he stepped up. We were without Gallo tonight, and he was the next man up, and I felt like he didn't take those minutes for granted. He came out and he did what he needed to do. He for sure understood his assignment. He came out there and he took care of his.
Q. To what do you attribute the solid rebounding last night, and what do you feel like was the difference tonight?
DANIEL GAFFORD: Pretty much just the aggressiveness side. First half I feel like we came out and we got to match the aggression. Of course we didn't have a solid start, but we kind of fixed it going into the second quarter, and then I feel like guys hit a wall. We don't want to use back to backs as an excuse, but playing a championship game and coming and playing the Atlanta Hawks, that's tough at the end of the day. But I don't use that as an excuse because at the end of the day it's the NBA, and nobody is going to feel sorry for us, so we just have to pretty much have to take these punches and learn how to throw our own at the end of the day.
Q. Even when you have games like tonight, being able to go up on the boards like you did last night against Giannis, what does that do for your -- Corey kind of put it as last night you told them yourselves, we can do this. What effect did that have on you?
DANIEL GAFFORD: We showed a lot of good signs last night. That's the main thing. We took a very good team down to the wire and really just kind of piggy-backing off of that game, we just have to find ways to continue to do that and be consistent in those areas that we succeeded in throughout that game, I feel. At the end of the day, it's just all on us to really put those pieces together I would say.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports