Post-game press conferences from game 2

Transcript:

Q. It took Maya 13 minutes to get a basket and the five points at halftime. How much of a concern was that and how much did you need to do to get her going?

COACH REEVE: It was a big concern. She was just awful early, just awful. Shot selection, the way she was playing. It was a case where I think our team was so amped up to play, Maya being probably the one that was the most amped up, and she just had to settle down, settle down. It wasn’t for lack of wanting to do the right thing, but it was just not good.

So I thought she was going to let the game come to her. I thought Syl opened things up for us. Frankly I thought when our defense turned it up a notch, we were able to play with some flow and get some easy shots. Maya was flying around, getting some transition baskets and she just really got going from there.

Q. You talked about going small and that kind of changed the dynamic. Do you think the insertion of Renee Montgomery assisted their perimeter defense and made things more difficult for you?

COACH WHITE: I think Montgomery and Cruz both. Anna Cruz reminds me of Debbie Black for all the people that were covering the league back then. She’s just like a little gnat that’s all over you. It’s exhausting and it’s irritating, and you just want to slap her away.

I mean that with the utmost respect because Debbie Black is one of the all‑time greats that played in this league because of that. So to have Cruz, somebody who just hounds you and hounds you and she never gets tired, and then Montgomery as well, certainly it absolutely makes a difference.

Q. The series now reverts over to Indiana. What can we see out of you guys on Friday?

MAYA MOORE: First two games, so it’s set up to be a very entertaining Game 3. It will be a dog fight just like it has been these first two games. It’s set up to be a very entertaining Game 3 with both teams very hungry. I think after the horn blew both teams were still wanting to go. We’re ready to go for Game 3.

Q. The intensity, you were very animated throughout the game. How much did that intensity help you guys on the defensive end, especially in the second half?

MAYA MOORE: It’s huge. We’re connected. We’re invested. Everyone’s focused, communicating, people coming in off the bench doing the same thing, increasing the level of energy even. Playing hard and sticking together and end up making our own breaks. You see that emotion from us. Yeah, you probably have some pretty entertaining pictures from tonight because we were pretty animated.

Q. The series is going to revert back to Indiana on Friday. What can we expect to see with you playing in front of your home crowd?

TAMIKA CATCHINGS: The best fans in the WNBA are going to be in the house.

BRIANN JANUARY: That’s right.

TAMIKA CATCHINGS: And we’re going to come and we’re going to be ready. I told our team and we told our team, we are going to bottle up every sense of frustration, every sense of anger, every sense of knowing what we didn’t do and what we didn’t accomplish tonight, put that in a bottle and let it explode when we get back home.