NBA quotes of the week

Sweet nothings

New York Knicks forward Metta World Peace, on what lured him to make Madison Square Garden home: “I honestly didn’t even know who the coach was when I was coming to New York. I just wanted to win a championship; I didn’t even know who was coaching. I didn’t care. It could have been Aunt Jemima. They could have had the syrup coaching. I was coming here regardless.�

Moving quickly

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, on his recovery from a sprained knee ligament: “They try to give me a week [count before returning] — three, four, six. I don’t care what number they say, I told them as soon as I can put my foot down on the floor and I can walk, I’m going to rush it and speed the process.�

Look out below

Denver Nuggets Coach Brian Shaw, on his idea for improving his team’s free-throw shooting: “What I did was I joked with the guys that the safest place in the building to stand when we’re at the free-throw line is right underneath the net. So I gave everybody on the team basically a chance to shoot a free throw with myself standing under the net with my hands down, where if they made it the ball would hit me on top of the head.�

Costly tactic

Golden State forward Andre Iguodala, tweeting about the maneuver used by Brooklyn Nets Coach Jason Kidd, who was fined $50,000 by the league after intentionally spilling a drink with 8.3 seconds left Wednesday night against the Lakers so that he could draw up a play: “If I ever become a coach, I’m using that drink spill trick.�

—Ben Bolch