--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We just couldn't hit shots. We had good…" description: "\"We just couldn't hit shots. We had good looks but they weren't falling and we kept turning the ball over.\" — Luol Deng" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/luol-deng-4848_balls_we-just-couldn-t-hit-shots-we-had-good-l_423968.jpg" --- # We just couldn't hit shots. We had good looks but they… ![“We just couldn't hit shots. We had good looks but they weren't falling and we kept turning the ball over.” quote by Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/luol-deng-4848_balls_we-just-couldn-t-hit-shots-we-had-good-l_423968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/luol-deng-4848_balls_we-just-couldn-t-hit-shots-we-had-good-l_423968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/luol-deng-4848_balls_we-just-couldn-t-hit-shots-we-had-good-l_423968.jpg) > “We just couldn't hit shots. We had good looks but they weren't falling and we kept turning the ball over.” [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The team struggled with execution despite having talent, leading to missed opportunities and turnovers. **In simple terms:** Talent alone didn't translate into success; execution failed. Key Takeaway Focus on fundamentals and decision‑making. Themes sports performance execution Mood frustrated reflective Type motivational analytical When to use this quote - practice drills - game film review - mental focus - communication drills Key Concepts basketball team dynamics skill execution Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve decision‑making under pressure? - What drills reinforce ball security? A Different Perspective Even with skill, poor choices can ruin outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hit Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hit-shots-822352/) [Just Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-couldn/) [Looking good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-good/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Looks Weren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks-weren-3751667/) [Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shots/) [Turning Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turning-ball-660965/) [Weren Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weren-falling-3751666/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever we don't turn the ball over, we're pretty productive. When you're turning the ball over, you're cutting down on offensive opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-snow/whenever-we-don-t-turn-the-ball-over-we-re-pretty-productive-when-you/) [Eric Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-snow/) > [I'm trying to make the right reads, not turning over the ball, trying to make the simple plays, and just trying to be myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-brooks/i-m-trying-to-make-the-right-reads-not-turning-over-the-ball-trying/) [Dillon Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-brooks/) > [Look, I'm my own worst critic. I've made mistakes in areas that I need to improve - most notably, turning the ball over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-rivers/look-i-m-my-own-worst-critic-i-ve-made-mistakes-in-areas-that-i-need/) [Philip Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-rivers/) > [It makes it harder to win when we're turning the ball over, and I can't afford to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/it-makes-it-harder-to-win-when-we-re-turning-the-ball-over-and-i-can/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [Turning the ball over is something you don't want to do as a quarterback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/turning-the-ball-over-is-something-you-don-t-want-to-do-as-a/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) > [When you're playing spot minutes, it's harder to hit those shots. But if you're getting volume shots, now it's a lot easier to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/when-you-re-playing-spot-minutes-it-s-harder-to-hit-those-shots-but/) [Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/) > [I can play a power game, but I also have the ability to step it up to another level and hit shots even further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-can-play-a-power-game-but-i-also-have-the-ability-to-step-it-up-to/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [Golf is fundamentally about being honest. I see people hit eight shots and tell me they shot five. I never say a word. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/golf-is-fundamentally-about-being-honest-i-see-people-hit-eight-shots/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [For years I did take my time, but that was because I hated waiting to hit shots - I adopted a pace where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/for-years-i-did-take-my-time-but-that-was-because-i-hated-waiting-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [Believe it or not, when I get in contention I can still hit the shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig-harrington/believe-it-or-not-when-i-get-in-contention-i-can-still-hit-the-shots/) [Padraig Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig-harrington/) > [Obviously, we're out here to compete and win tournaments, but I really just cherish being able to hit the shots exactly the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/obviously-we-re-out-here-to-compete-and-win-tournaments-but-i-really/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [You could come out and play a flawless game and still lose to a quality team; you could do things right, but they hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-ginobili/you-could-come-out-and-play-a-flawless-game-and-still-lose-to-a/) [Manu Ginobili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-ginobili/) > [I knew that I was gay, I knew it. I just couldn't see myself as a gay woman, even though that's where my heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-knew-that-i-was-gay-i-knew-it-i-just-couldn-t-see-myself-as-a-gay/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [Just because you couldn't do it yesterday doesn't mean you can't do it today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/just-because-you-couldn-t-do-it-yesterday-doesn-t-mean-you-can-t-do/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [In the summer of '84, you just couldn't escape the Born in the USA record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/in-the-summer-of-84-you-just-couldn-t-escape-the-born-in-the-usa/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## More by Luol Deng > [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I really didn't want to play basketball for the longest time, but I just wouldn't stop growing. But I always wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-really-didn-t-want-to-play-basketball-for-the-longest-time-but-i/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I started playing basketball, I hated it because football had always been my sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-started-playing-basketball-i-hated-it-because-football-had/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Egypt was tough without our parents. My brothers and sisters had to work day by day, and every time they collected a pay cheque,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/egypt-was-tough-without-our-parents-my-brothers-and-sisters-had-to/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I wouldn't like to be invisible for a day. But if I was... I'd probably be up to no good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-wouldn-t-like-to-be-invisible-for-a-day-but-if-i-was-i-d-probably/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [South Sudan is my home, and I am humbled to be in a position to help those suffering from lack of access to basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/south-sudan-is-my-home-and-i-am-humbled-to-be-in-a-position-to-help/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [What I try to do is to look ahead of me and not look back. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/what-i-try-to-do-is-to-look-ahead-of-me-and-not-look-back-whether/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [As good as Miami is, we'd rather go to Miami.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-good-as-miami-is-we-d-rather-go-to-miami/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I go out there, I try to do everything I can to win. That doesn't mean I have to score more than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-go-out-there-i-try-to-do-everything-i-can-to-win-that-doesn-t/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [A lot of basketball players have tendinitis. It's known as jumper's knee, and it just comes from all the pounding our knees take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/a-lot-of-basketball-players-have-tendinitis-it-s-known-as-jumper-s/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Chicago is where I have always wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/chicago-is-where-i-have-always-wanted-to-be/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I look back at 19, coming here to Chicago, some of the things that were said, some of the stuff that you deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-look-back-at-19-coming-here-to-chicago-some-of-the-things-that/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [It's not easy not to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/it-s-not-easy-not-to-play/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I always believe every team that wins has to go through some things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-always-believe-every-team-that-wins-has-to-go-through-some-things/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I think everyone in this league should aim to become good enough to shoot for the MVP. Not everyone can do it, but you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-think-everyone-in-this-league-should-aim-to-become-good-enough-to/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) [Explore all 106 Luol Deng quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) [Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We just couldn't hit shots. 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