NBA quotes: Mark Cuban on Lakers, Neil Olshey on Donald Sterling

Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum after scoring three points on one-for-11 shooting during a 106-92 loss to Oklahoma City: “This is the worst shooting night in my life … and when I don’t have my shot, I stop playing. It’s my biggest weakness. I’ve got to work on that. And I have to realize the game is different this year for me. It’s not about my contract — I don’t care about that — it’s about my teammates. If I play good tonight, we win the game. That’s on me.”

Troy Murphy after signing a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks two games into the season: “I haven’t practiced or anything. I’ve been running at the local health club, so I don’t know what that translates to.”

Trail Blazers General Manager Neil Olshey on his former boss, Clippers owner Donald Sterling: “The biggest misconception about Mr. Sterling is that he’s non-supportive in a financial way, and I don’t understand it because in my nine years [with the Clippers], there was never a deal or a time where Mr. Sterling didn’t allow us to make a deal based on the financial ramifications.”

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on the Lakers’ off-season makeover that included the addition of marquee free agents Dwight Howard and Steve Nash: “I don’t care. I just hope they suck.”

Howard, after bending over so that his underwear-clad rear end was pointed in the direction of a cameraman inside the Lakers’ locker room: “I’ve got a wide shot for you.”