Saras Jasikevicius, Barcelona: 'This is what playoff basketball is all about'

Playoffs

Game 1

game Zalgiris Kaunas vs FC Barcelona

Playoffs

playofflar d

FC BarcelonaBAR

9169

Zalgiris KaunasZAL

playofflar d

Overview

Saras Jasikevicius, FC Barcelona head coach

"It's the playoffs, it's going to be demanding. I think we were playing good basketball, and every time that we relaxed or we didn’t play 100%, Zalgiris immediately came back into the game and was within the distance. This is what playoff basketball is all about – to keep pushing, not to lose concentration. We're playing against a very good team and we must expect a reaction. Today, I thought we hit the shots in the key moments, I thought we found good decisions, I think we controlled the turnovers, which is always very important. It's just starting, it's very important now to get some rest.

"Congratulations to all of our fans and the players for the job well done. I thought we had a very good half, we were playing very solid basketball. In general, over 40 minutes, I thought the third quarter was not so good, but for the biggest, longest periods of the game, we were playing good basketball. It was very obvious what we spoke about at halftime: every time we relaxed a little bit, we were not preventing Zalgiris from scoring easy points immediately. Zalgiris was coming back within the distance in the game, and I think this is what we need to think about and try to forget this game as quickly as possible, because in 48 hours it's one of the most crucial games of the season.

"I think that the team has been on the right track since the middle of January, the start of February. I think everyone understands the idea of what we want to do [this season]. Of course, the guys are very motivated for these types of nights, and the worst thing is that we won quite comfortably. I hope we don't think that it's always going to be like this; winning rather comfortably. [Zalgiris] didn’t have their best day, with 2 or 3 makes from three, some other things that we did well. Again, we are playing against a team with a lot of character. Surely they are going to have a reaction. We've seen all types of things in the playoffs in the last few years; a team winning a series after losing Game 1 by 20 [points], some cases of being down by 40. We need to be very intelligent and very professional."

Kazys Maksvytis, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach

"They were more physical, more in the game, maybe down to their experience. Today, we had a bad game, but it's only one game. We'll try to win the next game.

"Congratulations to Barcelona. They started the game very well – they were physical, they were motivated, they got the advantage. In the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter, it was better from our side, but it was not enough for a playoff game. We lost one fight, but we didn't lose the war. The next game, we'll try to win.

"At the start of the game, we started with a defensive five, but we still lost the [battle for the] rebounds, something we didn't expect. Barcelona was simply more physical; they scored, they grabbed the rebounds and they had the advantage from the start of the game because of the rebounds. Our guards… [Isaiah] Taylor just came back from injury, he was out of his rhythm and it was my decision to save him a bit more when I saw that we are losing, so for the next game I think he will be in better rhythm and better shape. And, of course, three-pointers. Barca collapsed more because we started missing. I think today was two main keys: Barca's three-pointers, [also] our three-pointers and then rebounds, especially in the first half.

"They controlled almost all the game. They have more experience – as a team and as players – and they used this experience, this physicality. First of all, I think we lost physicality-wise and secondly, we lost mentally. But it was just one game."

Sertac Sanli, FC Barcelona center

"The score looks good, but it was a really tough game because it was a playoff game. We prepared for it and we put the hustle on the court – from the jump ball until the end. That's how we won the game. We need to keep playing like this. We need to keep hustling on the court, and we can get the next game. I try to help my teammates. Today it's me, tomorrow it's someone else. It doesn’t matter. We just try to win the game, we won the game and we'll try to get the next one."

Kyle Kuric, FC Barcelona forward

"I thought we controlled the game very well and we played pretty well according to our game plan: not too many turnovers and we played good defense. Altogether, a good team win. Great first start and way to start the playoffs, and we have to continue because we have another game quickly."