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August 15, 2006 • Seoul, Korea
 COACH
KRZYZEWSKI
Opening comment:
The crowd was great. The atmosphere was sensational. I thought
the Korean team played really hard. We played really hard too. We're excited
to be here on this great day for your country. It was an honor for us
to play on this special day. We got a lot out of the game.
On the pressure of coaching the USA and
Duke teams:
Both are exciting. To have the opportunity to work with these guys, it's
not pressure, it's a dream, really. They have been terrific and we're
getting better. So, that makes the whole experience a fascinating one
and I'm honored to be doing it.
On the USA center position:
We have a number of centers. Dwight Howard was sensational today.
Elton Brand is coming into form. Chris Bosh, I thought had two really
good games here. Brad Miller gives you a different type of center. I think
our guys are really confident. I know I am about the center position.
On the Gilbert Arenas injury and is a replacement
player going to be added?
We have to get down to 12 players so there won't be a replacement for
Gilbert. He was 14th and we have to get down one more before we start
the World Championship. That will be a difficult decision. We're sorry
Gilbert got hurt, but we were going to have to get down to 12 anyway.
On comparing China to Korea:
China, if they have all their players, is bigger. I mean, they
have three really big guys. The Korean team shoots it well. We had good
games against both team so it's tough to compare them. China, when they're
healthy, have more big guys.
What was he most happy about in today's game?
I was pleased with a number of
things. Obviously we knew we were going to win. The talent differential
was in our favor by far. But our guys played hard, they were diving for
loose balls, they were unselfish and they just had a good attitude. It
looked like it hurt them when Korea scored against them, there was a pride
on defense. I thought for a five minute period Dwight Howard played as
well as a center could play and Elton (Brand) did the same thing during
his time. Sometime it takes guys a little bit of time to round into shape
and I think Elton is doing that and if Dwight gives us that he gives us
something nobody else can give us so that was encouraging.
Did
you get what you needed to out of your pre-Worlds training and the five
exhibition games?
Well number one we're healthy. We're still going to have to make a difficult
selection to get to our roster to 12 players, but our guys have really
grown together as a team. They're a good group of guys and no ego is bigger
than the team. So this has been a good trip so far and I think we're ready
to take the next step.
 ELTON
BRAND
On the game:
Good overall performance by everybody. This team gave Lithuania
a stiff test. We really wanted to come out and play well. We knew if they
hit some 3's, they could get hot.
On the team:
I feel great about it. Chemistry is coming along great. Everybody is playing
unselfish basketball, sharing the ball. Playing defense. And the ultimate
goal is to win.
O the impact of the Brazil game, a narrow
90-86 victory, on the team:
It had a great impact on us. Squeezing a tight one out. It helped us focus
a lot; we knew what we had to work on.
 DWIGHT
HOWARD
On the game:
We had a great game today. Everybody played hard. We were aggressive
on both ends of the floor and ran the floor well and got a good win. We're
just trying to come out and play hard every night, give 100 percent.
On his performance against Korea:
When I got in, I tried to play as hard as I can to stay on the
floor. And try to do the best I can for my team.
 LeBRON
JAMESOn playing in Korea:
On behalf of myself and my teammates, we were very excited to play
here in Korea. It's an exciting time for us, going to be an experience
we will never forget. We showcased our talent to you guys the best that
we could. We're very excited. We have been having a great time here in
Korea and we'd like to thank you all for welcoming us with open arms.
On the Korea team:
Bang Sung Yoon was pretty impressive, number 52. He played pretty
well tonight, hit a lot of 3's. He showcased his talent to us. He's a
good player for their national team.
On his quick start (19 points in the first
half):
At first, we were a little sluggish. I saw it on the guy's faces that
we were going to be a little sluggish today. I was able to pick up my
energy and the guys just followed me. And we took care of business.
On playing in Korea:
We had two really good games here in Korea. This is the last game
before we start competing for the World Championship. It's exciting the
way we prepared ourselves to get ready for that. It's about taking care
of business now. Our first game is on Saturday so we have to get ready
for Puerto Rico.
On the game:
I think on behalf of myself and the players, we felt we played pretty
well today. We got better and that's our number one goal is to get better
every night we go out on the court. We won pretty big tonight but besides
the score, we feel like we got better and that was the main goal tonight.
Compare the 2002 USA World Chmpionship
and 2004 U.S. Olympic teams to this one:
I'm not sure what the significance was in 2002 because I wasn't
a part of that team, but in 2004, we didn't understand the significance
of how big the Olympics were for the U.S. I think everybody felt like
it wasn't as big as the NBA, which is not true. I think every guy didn't
have the right mindset and as a team, we didn't come together. But, it's
a new day, it's a new age and I feel this team has the right ingredients,
has the right nucleus and guys are really prepared and know what's at
stake, to win the World Championship.
 ANTAWN
JAMISON
On the game:
We know this is the last fine tuning before we get to really play the
real games. We came out focused. We knew this wasn't one of the toughest
teams we were going to face or have faced, but we came out and took care
of work early and made it easy on ourselves.
On the team chemistry:
The chemistry is unbelievable. I think that was the biggest adjustment
or the biggest thing we need to have as far as going into the World Championship
is great team chemistry. Right now, guys are still playing unselfishly
and the most important thing is to win basketball games. The combinations
are working well. Coach Krzyzewski has been changing them up pretty much
every game. But, every combination he's pretty much thrown out there has
been successful.
 CHRIS
PAUL
On the game:
It was a great ending to this exhibition season.
I think everybody played well. Everyone got an opportunity to play and
we really showed that when we play pressure defense and share the ball,
we're definitely one of the best teams in the world.
On the team:
It's been great. Coaches have done a great job of mixing it up
so that it's not just one group playing together and I think that's why
we've been so successful.
 DWYANE
WADE
On the game:
It went great. I thought it was one of our best performances because
we really played from start to finish all the way through, every guy that
came in. Offensively we moved the ball and everyone got an opportunity
to touch it and score.
On the team:
It's a lot better than the last time we got together for the Olympics.
Everyone is on the same page. We got a bunch of great guys that want to
win and want to do whatever they can to win. So, training camp was a success
this year.
On lessons learned in training camp:
We understood we can't show up and win. In the Brazil game, we
were up 16 and we kind of relaxed and they continued to keep playing hard.
We just came here and continued to know that we have to go out there and
do it. And that's what we did.
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