"If there was ever a team that needed a new season (playoffs), it's the Houston Comets. We have traveled. We are weary eyed. I thought we got a tremendous break when we were allowed to play on Friday night (to start the playoffs), where we could come home (from a three-game road trip) and get into our own facility (for practice), get into our own beds. I slept 12 hours last night - straight through. I was so tired of a hotel room and the airport. We've been in New York twice, Sacramento, Seattle and LA. I don't mind going on the road now with a little rest."
On working on defense at practice...
"When you don't practice for two weeks (due to travel), the first thing that
suffers is your defense. So we just tried to get it back (today)."
On if it bothers him ending the regular season 1-5...
"It only bothers me because we lost. I don't like to lose. I thought that we
had lost a little something before the LA game (August 25), but we regained
it. That's all I was interested in, just regaining what we had (during 13-2
run). In the LA game, I thought we got it (back)... What you have to do now in the playoffs, you have to have a new start. You
have to forget everything else and put everything behind you and go to
playing."
On winning the regular season series against Sacramento (3-1) and what you plan to see
different in the playoffs...
"I don't think you can count the series record right now because of the
coaching change. They've become an altogether different team. I think
they're one of the three best teams in our league today."
On what John Whisenant has brought to Sacramento...
"Just defense and a new beginning. You can't change 11 players, so you
change a coach. So when the coach changed, he didn't do anything but change
their attitude. They have become a more aggressive team defensively. They're playing nine players. He is (just) playing more players...he gets
them all into the game."
On if the team is where you want it to be going into the playoffs...
"I think that our team at one time was humming. We're (now) about four or
five points away from where we want to be. Our losses indicate we're a long
ways from where we want to be, but we're not. I told our team that this
series would be decided on three possessions...we're not that far off."
