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NBA FINALS PREVIEWJune 1, 2015David BlattCOACH BLATT: We had a good practice today. Guys moved well and we had a good practice. Q. How do you balance it at this point in the season when guys have been through so much already, and you want to somewhat keep them sharp? COACH BLATT: We're very conscientious about working together with our strength and performance people and our medical staff, and making sure that we're getting the right amount of work in without overdoing it, and at the same time keeping our eyes on the guys that are hurt or at risk all at the same time preparing ourselves for the NBA Finals. So there is a lot of work to do. Q. LeBron is in a pronounced slump from the three‑point arc. He's shooting barely over 1 and 6. Does he have to keep trying because they'll just zone him up or what? COACH BLATT: Well, you know, I'm aware of the percentage, but I'm more aware of the performance and the great things that he's been doing. He needs to take his shots. All right. He needs to continue to be aggressive and he needs to play his game. That's what's made him and us successful all year. Q. So it's sort of a blessing to have him down on the post more? COACH BLATT: No, we're playing the way we think we need to play to win. Where we put him and how we play him, sometimes it's situational, and sometimes it's just a function of how the game is flowing. But as I said before, most important that he stays aggressive and confident. Q. What is (No Microphone) involved in practice today, coach? COACH BLATT: Again, parts and moderate. We're just trying to see where he can get to. Q. (No Microphone) played 22 minutes in Game 4, and obviously you guys won by 30. Does he need to play more? Griff told Rachel Nichols (No Microphone)? COACH BLATT: I'm having trouble hearing you. Q. Griff told Rachel Nichols in Game 4 (No Microphone) shorter playing time versus a specific minute restriction. What about his minutes going into The Finals? COACH BLATT:  Yeah, I'm going to tell you right now, we've got a few more days until the first game. We're just hoping he can get out there and play, and then we'll address all of those things. Q. Did he have any kind of setback over the last couple days? COACH BLATT: No, I wouldn't say he's had a setback, but progress has been slow. Q. How's he been going through practice? COACH BLATT: Pretty well. He's not out of the woods entirely. Obviously, he played significant minutes in all the games. He's playing through it, and been doing a great job. Q. (No Microphone). Because of his sheer size and obvious skill level most teams have maybe one, if they're lucky, two guys, that can really try to step out on him. Golden State has (No Microphone) when they've got multiple people throwing a talented player like that? COACH BLATT: LeBron only had the opportunity to play against Golden State one time this year. Look at the game. Q. What did Mozgov bring you that you didn't have? COACH BLATT: Well, first of all, he gave us a starting center because we were playing a good bit of time without Andy who had gone down with the Achilles injury. Timo being able to come in and, first of all, fill his shoes was critical, then he added his own particular skillset to our team and to our game. And he's been very, very impactful on our team as a whole, on our defense and our ability to run the floor. Q. (No Microphone)? I know you coached him with the Olympics and all. Were you surprised you were able to just get him? COACH BLATT: I coached him actually in a number of different European competitions. We had talked about Timo already this summer as a staff and as a team. Was I surprised? Well, Griff did a lot of surprising things, so I was happy, let's put it that way. Q. This might be a question more for David Griffin, but had Andy not been hurt, do you think the Cavs would have gone after Mozgov as they did? COACH BLATT: Probably at some point, but better to ask Griff what the master plan was. Q. You've been under so much scrutiny yourself every day this season as a first‑year head coach. Is there any sense at all of personal vindication about getting to The Finals? COACH BLATT: I told somebody recently, I'm not a vindictive person, so I don't feel the need for vindication in any way. Q. Do people in the community talk about what a championship would mean at this region? COACH BLATT: Often. Often (laughing). This is a wonderful sports town and one of the best things about‑‑ for me, about coming to Cleveland, has been the people who have embraced me and been so generous and so warm. Of course, fans have been so loyal to this team, not only in the great season that we're having, but for the last 50 years. So the fact that they're excited about it, the fact that they're talking about it, the fact that they're anxious for us to try to do something special here in Cleveland and for northeast, Ohio, it's a good feeling. It really is. Q. Along those lines, is Cleveland much different than the way you perceived it? I don't know how much background you had with the city before you got here? COACH BLATT: I had only been to Cleveland once in my life when I came to play as a professional player back in 1989. I played (No Microphone). We drove in in vans after a five‑hour trip, got out of the van, walked on to the court, played the game, game was over, got in the van and drove out. But you know what? It was cold, and it was snowing, and I kind of got the picture. Q. Did you win or lose? COACH BLATT: We actually lost the game in the very end, as I remember. It was a good game too. I knew Kevin Mackey from where I grew up. He coached Don Bosco High School in Boston, and he actually coached me in a summer All Star game. Thanks to him I won the MVP too, so he's always been dear to my heart. We've been friends for a number of years. I believe they won the game (No Microphone). It's a good memory, good memory. Q. Have a lot of the Cleveland sports legends or any of those guys reached out to you in the past few days or week? COACH BLATT: Well, over the last few days, no. But I had the opportunity, and I've got to be honest with you, it was one of the thrills of my lifetime. This summer or this Thanksgiving I was at town hall doing the Feed For Need for the unfortunate, and Bobby George introduced me to Jim Brown, who was a legend, of course, and he was a legend of mine. I was a huge football fan when I was a kid, and Jim Brown was one of my idols, and I had the opportunity to meet him. Jim told me then, hey, it's about time we win another one here, so I haven't forgotten that. Q. What did you say back, anything? COACH BLATT: I said nothing I'd like better. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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