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Part of the pregame Tuesday before Game 5, as it will be until the fate of coach Vinny Del Negro is decided for next season, was a session on Vinny Reflects.

“I liked the competitiveness of our guys,” Del Negro said about this season (so far) and what he’s appreciated most. “Our guys have handled a lot of adversity and injury and distractions. I’m proud of the guys. They’ve had a solid season. They’ve developed in a lot of areas. That’s always rewarding and fulfilling as a coach.

“On a consistent basis they’ve played hard,” said Del Negro. “They haven’t made excuses. The guys care. All seasons are different. Every year, every team is different. I’m always positive and try to learn from things and grow and get better. Playing or coaching what matters is trying to help the guys get better.

“From when I took over a couple of years ago to now, a lot of strides have been made and I’m proud of that,” said Del Negro. “The assistants have done a fantastic job. Mostly, it’s basketball. I love the competition. People say there’s pressure, but there’s no pressure. That is what makes it great. I like to say if it’s easy, everyone would do it.

“Some parts can be difficult at times,” said Del Negro. “It’s a franchise with a rich tradition and you take the good with the bad and move forward and work and stay positive by helping these guys. You always think about how you could do better. It never is a perfect script. I’m proud of the way the team has handled things. You learn from things and grow and appreciate the opportunity and know how fortunate you are to be in this position. You try to be more optimistic than pessimistic and understand where you are at as a team and organization and try to find ways to improve. That’s how you get better. Everyone needs to get better.”