Nets 129, Wizards 106
Q. How would you sum up the defensive effort from you guys tonight?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I think at halftime, we said at the beginning of the second, they went like 18 points in like four minutes. I think we had too many stretches where we're not focused, we're not together. We have stretches where we do what we need to do, get deflections. Had like four turnovers in the first three minutes of the game. It's always the same thing; just making sure we have to be able to play 48 minutes of solid defense.
Q. What do you think was the issue with rebounding tonight?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Same as with Houston. Ball is in the air, no one has possession of it. Just got to go grab it.
Q. What was BK's message to you after the game? He came in here and talked about how he was disappointed by the group's inability to respond to adversity.
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Have an off day tomorrow. You've got to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself the deeper questions. It's more than basketball, what you want in life, what we want to build, what we want to do as an organization. Just make sure you answer the question correctly and come with a correct mindset the next day.
Q. What's the correct answer to the question?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Next question.
Q. Do you feel like the team's defense has regressed from where it was late last season?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I don't know if regressed is the right word. It's more inconsistent for sure. But again, I think we've shown stints where we play very good defense and stints where we play the worst defense in the league. I don't know, more inconsistent I think is the best word.
Q. After a game like that, do the players speak as much in the locker room to each other as Brian speaks to you guys?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: We had a player-only meeting after the coach's speech. Just make sure we put together at zero, say what has to be said, and come back with the right mindset the next day.
Q. How does it feel looking at the stat sheet, you contributed yourself, your growth as a player? How do you feel about that?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I mean, I guess there's 1 percent of positive in that, but at the end of the day, it's what we put out there as a team. It's cool to go put 30 points on a losing team, but that's not going to bring anybody anywhere. What we're focusing on is that; it's not about what we do individually, it's what we do as a team, and right now we're not doing what is needed to be done as a team to go out there and compete and win.
Q. You mentioned a players-only meeting. How important is it for you guys to get together as players and have those tough conversations?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: It's just in order to come the next day with the right mindset and be able to build something and move forward. I think we was just being stagnant for the past couple games, and our goal was to actually get better and build something. Just being able to speak to each other with no filter, and I think that will eventually help us go in the right direction.
Q. What do you think can get you out of the stagnation as a team?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: We've just got to go out there and compete. Like there's no other way to put it. Got to put energy out and do what we've got to do on the court.
Q. With the veterans that you have on your team right now that have already been through the adversity that you're trying to go through right now, what things are they telling you to get you through?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Just got to stop taking the game for granted and go out there and actually play. It's my first team. A lot of the guys in the locker room have been through different teams. It's not everywhere that you have a brand new arena, get a chance to play -- as a rookie I've played a lot of minutes, and just making sure we don't take that for granted. You've got to make sure that you go out there with a dominating mindset, competing mindset every single day. You can't take the game for granted.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports