NBA quotes: Lakers’ Mike D’Antoni talks about Nick Young

Now he gets it

Lakers Coach Mike D’Antoni, on what it’s like to be around swingman Nick Young: “He has a great personality, he’s fun and he’s always laughing, he’s always up. Plus he’s playing defense, which even makes his jokes a little funnier.”

A vintage whine

Dallas veteran guard Vince Carter, on his exchanges with Houston’s Dwight Howard about complaining to referees during the Mavericks’ comeback victory over the Rockets: “He always talks about how I’m a crybaby. I was like, ‘Yo, you’re the biggest crybaby I know.’ … I mean, he takes a lot of punishment, but I’m like, ‘Yo, c’mon, Dwight, c’mon. You elbowed, you’re sitting in the paint the entire time. What are you whining about?’”

Disapproval ratings

Brooklyn’s rookie Coach Jason Kidd, on handling the negative attention that has accompanied the Nets’ slow start: “That’s the small print when you join the NBA as a player or a coach or administrator. You are going to be criticized.”

Head games

Golden State forward David Lee, tweeting after teammate Stephen Curry was sidelined for a game at Oracle Arena because of a concussion: “Is that ironic that @StephenCurry30 is missing his own bobble head night because of head trauma???”

— Ben Bolch