A closing team is so important in the NBA. The last seven minutes is what you are always coaching to get to. Now you have your team set, you have the match-ups you want, you have your time-outs, your chance to finish the game, and that's my job, to get us to that position during the course of the game.

I remember when I went to try out for the Olympic team in 1972, Coach Iba told me he didn't care how many points I could score because if I couldn't guard anybody, I wasn't going to make the team. I knew to make the team I had to become a better defender. If you can play offense, you can defend. It just comes down to competitive will.

The one thing about players today is that they're very sensitive, and very fragile. They didn't grow up with tough coaches.

Work as hard as you can to become as good an individual player as you can to help your team win

You don't want to be down 2-0 in a series. It's always important to try and get one on the opponent's home court. It makes your job at home easier.

When your teammate looks you in the eye and holds you accountable, that's the greatest kind of leadership there is

Aside from an intervention, which I don't think is on anybody's mind, Iraq is going to have defend for itself.