--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it comes to playoff time, the game…" description: "\"When it comes to playoff time, the game slows down, the offense slows down and you've got to be able to get stops.\" — Dwane Casey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/dwane-casey-8531_down_when-it-comes-to-playoff-time-the-game-s_2717656.jpg" --- # When it comes to playoff time, the game slows down, the… ![“When it comes to playoff time, the game slows down, the offense slows down and you've got to be able to get stops.” quote by Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/dwane-casey-8531_down_when-it-comes-to-playoff-time-the-game-s_2717656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/dwane-casey-8531_down_when-it-comes-to-playoff-time-the-game-s_2717656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/dwane-casey-8531_down_when-it-comes-to-playoff-time-the-game-s_2717656.jpg) > “When it comes to playoff time, the game slows down, the offense slows down and you've got to be able to get stops.” [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. During playoffs, the game tempo drops, requiring teams to focus on defensive stops and controlled offense. **In simple terms:** Playoffs slow down; focus on defense and control. Key Takeaway Prioritize defense and composure in high‑pressure games. Themes playoffs strategy defense control Mood strategic analytical Type coaching motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - practice drills - game planning - in‑game adjustments Key Concepts game tempo mental focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance defense with scoring? - What mental cues help maintain focus? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on defense may stifle offensive creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Playoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playoff/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When it comes to playoff time, I pull the energy and the motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pau-gasol/when-it-comes-to-playoff-time-i-pull-the-energy-and-the-motivation/) [Pau Gasol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pau-gasol/) > [When it comes down to playoff basketball, it's attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-williams/when-it-comes-down-to-playoff-basketball-it-s-attention-to-detail/) [Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-williams/) > [Playoff time! Where my Bulls fans at?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/playoff-time-where-my-bulls-fans-at/) [Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/) > [Every game, we're going to go for it, so when we get into playoff time, it's not like, 'You've really got to ratchet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quinn/every-game-we-re-going-to-go-for-it-so-when-we-get-into-playoff-time/) [Dan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quinn/) > [It's about getting hot, playing good football come playoff time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gonzalez/it-s-about-getting-hot-playing-good-football-come-playoff-time/) [Tony Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gonzalez/) > [After a basketball game, you're gonna be physically tired, but more mentally. Playoff time comes around, you have it all in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/after-a-basketball-game-you-re-gonna-be-physically-tired-but-more/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) > [Now you've been in the playoffs once, you know what it tastes like, you know what it feels like. You know, going through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/now-you-ve-been-in-the-playoffs-once-you-know-what-it-tastes-like-you/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [I loved the three years I had in Cleveland, especially that playoff run with Timmy Couch and Kelly Holcomb. And obviously those great years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-arians/i-loved-the-three-years-i-had-in-cleveland-especially-that-playoff/) [Bruce Arians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-arians/) > [It's fun to be in playoff contention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-semien/it-s-fun-to-be-in-playoff-contention/) [Marcus Semien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-semien/) > [Every game is a playoff game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-cauley-stein/every-game-is-a-playoff-game/) [Willie Cauley-Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-cauley-stein/) > [This is definitely a playoff team. There's no question about that. It's just a matter of how much we want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bondra/this-is-definitely-a-playoff-team-there-s-no-question-about-that-it-s/) [Peter Bondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bondra/) > [Everything we talk about is about beating the Packers, the Bears and the Vikings. Obviously there are other teams in the league, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mariucci/everything-we-talk-about-is-about-beating-the-packers-the-bears-and/) [Steve Mariucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mariucci/) > [We're just a fragile team right now. It seems like when we have a little bit of adversity, when something goes wrong, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-walz/we-re-just-a-fragile-team-right-now-it-seems-like-when-we-have-a/) Wes Walz > [I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-said-as-soon-as-we-had-a-playoff-we-were-going-to-minimize-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [You’ll never have a 16-team playoff in college football. The most that could happen would be four teams in the next century. But after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beano-cook/you-ll-never-have-a-16-team-playoff-in-college-football-the-most-that/) [Beano Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beano-cook/) ## More by Dwane Casey > [I knew I was going to have to work my way back to coaching in the States, and I had a job offer here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/i-knew-i-was-going-to-have-to-work-my-way-back-to-coaching-in-the/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [To me, there's no honor to say, 'I'm going to start.' As long as you're getting minutes, you're closing games, that shows more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/to-me-there-s-no-honor-to-say-i-m-going-to-start-as-long-as-you-re/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [I was making $19,000 a year, and I thought I was rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/i-was-making-19-000-a-year-and-i-thought-i-was-rich/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [As you get older, as a father, you hope your kids can make that kind of impression on somebody who will say, 'Hey, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/as-you-get-older-as-a-father-you-hope-your-kids-can-make-that-kind-of/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [I can hold my head high for what we built in Toronto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/i-can-hold-my-head-high-for-what-we-built-in-toronto/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [In fact I only had one sports jacket when I was in high school. It was all sneakers and tees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/in-fact-i-only-had-one-sports-jacket-when-i-was-in-high-school-it-was/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [Watching a guy go from not having ever played an NBA game before to growing up and developing into an All-Star player, that's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/watching-a-guy-go-from-not-having-ever-played-an-nba-game-before-to/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [From a pure basketball standpoint, it's hard to say you wouldn't want Kawhi Leonard on your team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/from-a-pure-basketball-standpoint-it-s-hard-to-say-you-wouldn-t-want/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [Make or miss, you still have to shoot the same shot with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/make-or-miss-you-still-have-to-shoot-the-same-shot-with-confidence/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [I hope I can stand up and be an example that helps change the narrative: 'He understands the game from a technical standpoint. 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