Eddie Jones Mini-Interview
By InsideHoops.com / Nov. 5, 2004
The Miami Heat came away with a win in New Jersey over the Nets this week. Eddie Jones, a key Heat player, has played with Shaq in the past as a Laker and now he's reunited with the big guy once again in Miami. InsideHoops.com and an NBA TV reporter interviewed Jones after the game.
Question: Talk about the Heat tonight in your win against the Nets.
Eddie Jones: We got guys who can score. Everybody knows guys can score. I was happy with the play of Rasual Butler. Udonis (Haslem), great play. Everybody is saying, they can't do this, they can't do that. I was happy for those guys to come out and play well. We're a defensive team. We have to be a defensive teams. The other teams that win games are teams that are in the top, defensively.
Question: You've had Shaq on your team before. How much easier is it with Shaq than without Shaq?
Eddie Jones: We love to have him. He creates so much for us offensively. Defensively, he gives us opportunities to be more aggressive defensively. Offensively, he creates havok, and gets you open shots. If we can keep him healthy for 82 games, that would be great.
Question: Fans in Miami are obviously excited about having Shaq on the team.
Eddie Jones: Shaquille O'Neal, probably the best player on the planet. When you acquire someone of that magnitude, people are going to come. He's larger than life. Anybody can walk in a building, but when he walks in you notice him.
Question: Have you noticed more community support for the team this season?
Eddie Jones: It's huge. We have definitely crossed that bridge of not having many sellings to acquiring Shaq and everybody in the city speaking about him. It all boils down to what Shaq does. He creates the atmosphere. He's larger than life. He's the biggest guy in this league, the best player in this league, and he's going to create that kind of atmosphere.
Question: Compare Shaq of today with Shaq when you played with him years ago.
Eddie Jones: I don't think he has the athletic ability he had back then. When you get older, you're going to lose something. But he still demands the double-team. When a guy continues to demand a double-team, you can't say anything negative.
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