Most teams have one All-Star, whether that guy made it this year or earlier in his career, and some teams have two All-Stars. What theyre showing is that a group of five guys that play together and play hard will always beat a team with two All-Stars and three average players.

Inside the first 20 to 25 games of the season, we were losing these games, getting beat by two and three points. Over the last 10 games, it seems like we're starting to win these games and putting some good things together.

My nature is to keep things inside. In time, I'll be comfortable stepping up when I think the team could use my input.

What brought me back here was my players, ... I know who Rashard (Lewis) is. I know who Nick (Collison) and Luke are, and I don't know what those other guys (on other teams) bring to the table. This is where I've made home and I didn't want anything different and I didn't need anything different.

When the effort is in question, the ball goes in different directions and the ball doesn't always bounce your way. When you're playing in the home of the NBA champions, it isn't going to be easy.

I look at how we got beat and I thought the hustle points and the energy points were all gauged through offensive rebounds. I thought in the second half they got so many second-chance opportunities they could really run. It just seemed like they were going up our guys' backs. When you don't get any offensive rebounds and they start going the other team's way, it's almost like a snowball effect.

A tough woman. That lady has touched more people than I've ever known.