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Shaquille
O'Neal: "When you are 60, hang out with 60-year-olds, not 20-year-olds.
That is all I got to say about Jerry Buss."
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HoopsHype.com Interviews Byron
Scott: "We've done heck of a job"
Did you ever think you would be so successful at this point in the season? Byron Scott: We knew we would be successful. We just didn't know to what magnitude it would be. But we knew we were going to be much better this year than we were last year. If everything clicked and went well, by February or March , we would be playing pretty good basketball. But It clicked a loot sooner than we excepted and we've been playing well from almost day one. Jason Kidd is obviously the main reason for turning the franchise around but do you feel Kerry Kittles has had also a lot to do with it too? BS: Kerry has a whole lot to do with it. I don't think anybody excepted him to come back and played the way he's played. We talk about Jason Kidd, rightfully so. I mean he's the biggest piece of this puzzle. But the return of Kerry was like getting another lottery pick. He's been tremendous all year long. What did you think about your bench at the beginning of the season? BS: Day one, I looked at my bench and said "we would be pretty OK". We had Aaron Williams, who's a veteran, Lucious Harris, who is a vet. We saw Richard Jefferson in the Summer League who I thought would be pretty good coming off the bench. At that point, I knew we had an eight guys rotation that would be pretty good. Speaking of Richard Jefferson. What have you seen in him? BS: What haven't I seen in Richard Jefferson should be the question. If you look at out team right now and look at what Jefferson has done, there could be an argument for him being rookie of the year. I know Pau Gasol has done a heck of a job down there in Memphis. But there could be an argument for Jefferson being the best sixth man of the year. That's how good he's been. He's been able to do some great things for us on both ends of the court. Really a very big part for why we'be been so successful this season. Why is Lucious Harris shooting so much better this year? BS: He's getting a lot more open shots. He's running the floor extremely well. The offense is very good for him. He's just having one of those years where everything is going well. Has February met your expectations? BS: We've done a heck of a job. After the All-Star Game, we got to a rough start but since then, we've played extremely well. So I'm pretty happy with February. The upcoming schedule is pretty tough for your team, do you see it as a test? BS: Every game is a test but this is a a bit more than the other games that we've players this season because it is against teams that are in the playoffs, fighting for the playoffs or fighting for a different position to be in the playoffs. It's going to be interesting to see what happens. On the road, as much as possible, you want to get splits. We'll have a chance to see what we're made of. Are other teams still underestimating the Nets? BS: I don't think they are underestimating us. But I think there are teams that are still a little skeptical about us. Listening to coach Phil Jackson saying a couple of weeks ago that Milwaukee will still win the East. That's showing a little disrespect to our team and to what we've done so far this season. Does it bother you to hear that type of comments? BS: I don't really let people bother me when they say things like that. He has a great team. They've won championships. But we have a pretty good team and we know it. It just gives an added motivation to get out there and prove people wrong. Obviously, the playoffs are looming. Is it something you're beginning to think about? BS: I try not too. But I'm sure for some players, it's in the back of their minds. As a coach , you can't think that far ahead. There's a month and a half to go. This team is not settled . This team has still a lot of games to play. Araz Gulekjian is the correspondent of "L'Equipe" in New York and a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com Tell us what you think about this interview. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com _____________________ |
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