Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Rileyis an American professional basketball executive, and a former coach and player in the National Basketball Association. He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995 and head coach in two separate tenures. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams, four with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Heat...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth20 March 1945
CityRome, NY
CountryUnited States of America
We do circle the calendar (for) maybe 10 or 15 games a year that are significant.
When it went from (26) to nine, I wasn't very happy. I was thinking that the worst nightmare was going to be coming our way. We gathered ourselves very quickly.
With me, you're either in or out. I picked them. I'm with them. I'm going to try to keep coaching them. I'm not going let this shake me. I've been around this game too damn long.
When he came to the Lakers, Bob McAdoo told me how much the game meant, how it changed everything, how it opened up the world for black kids in the South. I guess I never really thought of it that way, that we were such a big part of history.
What we've noticed a little bit about Chauncey and what Flip has done with this team, he has injected a sense of energy into his team early. Chauncey is no longer just a late-game (shooter). Throughout the course of the game, you've got to be very aware of him, and obviously at the end of the game you've got to deal with him and what's he doing.
What he does that's so impressive is he sees everybody. He's a lot like (Phoenix guard) Steve Nash. He's so unselfish.
What we need is all in the head for us. When we are so inclined to really, really get after it as a team, we do. I have been around the game long enough, although I hate to admit it, but sometimes you get bored with all the little things you have to do - especially when you are a veteran team. The thing is that if you really want to be respected and you want to take the step to the next level, you can't do what you did the other night and then come out the next night and not be ready.
When we are in the penalty, you have to go to him as much as you can. We kept trying to call his number.
(Walsh) is not going to become a little whip in this thing. He held out and got fair value.
We know he's a big-time tumbler. He goes hard to the basket. He hits the floor a lot. If he could play he'd be out there.
We pounded that ball down in the paint.
When I left, I knew the end was near. I didn't think it was going to be 48 hours. ... Anybody who's been through it, you understand. I've got a job to do and I'm going to do it.
We have to guard the ball a lot better. And he's got to go to the rim a little more with his blocks.
We were trying to survive. The game got to that point. We had a 20-point lead, they cut it to five. We made a couple of plays and we got out of here.