LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 28, 2021

Rajon Rondo

Postgame Press Conference

Los Angeles Clippers 118, Dallas Mavericks 108

Q. Talk about the comeback, and did the chippiness invigorate the team to help propel you guys to this comeback win tonight?

RAJON RONDO: We knew they come out with a hard swing. We took their best punch in the first half. Got going with a shot in the beginning but we stayed with the game plan. Coach made some great adjustments and we kept plugging at it, one quarter, one possession at a time.

Q. You played for this franchise, and it didn't go too well six years ago and this is your first playoff game in this city, and you were greeted with hostility and you responded with one of the most pivotal roles in this turnaround tonight for the Clippers. How did you take that experience preparing for it and how were you able to accept the moment and play your role?

RAJON RONDO: That's what I thrive on. I love playing against all odds. I love playing against people that have doubted me my entire career. Didn't go well when I was here but at the end of the day, I'm still in the game and I'm able to rebound from my position here and still win another championship.

My main focus now is to focus on my teammates here with me, win one game, that's all the focus that matters.

Q. Can you take us through what some of the discussion seniors been like, you've had back-to-back days the first two games. What have the discussions been like amongst yourselves? You're one of the leaders of the team. What have the conversations been like going to Dallas for Game 3?

RAJON RONDO: There's been a lot of conversations. Ever since we lost Game 2, even Game 1, there's been a lot of dialogue after the games in the locker room trying to figure out how we can be better. Like I say, on the plane yesterday talking about the game, got off the plane and went off-season the scouting reports in more details. It's been a nonstop thing on my mind constantly and understanding what's at stake and the talent that we have and how we can overcome this 0-2 deficit.

Q. Seemed like everybody took more pride in their individual play tonight; is that fair to say?

RAJON RONDO: Absolutely right. We took more pride individually, and as well as collectively as a team. We didn't leave each other on an island tonight, which we did last Game 2 and that was a big emphasis as far as shrinking the floor.

Luka is going to do what he does. He's going to have the ball 102 times out of 108 possessions. We understand he's going to get his shots and he's going to get his looks. I think he shot 28, maybe 35 times tonight including free throw. He's going to be himself. He's a great player. He's tough to contain but as a team collectively we want to understand that we keep chugging away at it and eventually things will go our way.

Q. What did you learn about Kawhi and PG that you could only learn in a fire like this down 0-2?

RAJON RONDO: They played well. Obviously we have been around those guys all year long and when we need it most, the most important game of the season, those two guys led us again on both ends of the floor, they took the challenge and were a lot more aggressive defensively and both had four or five fouls, and but that's what it takes, especially if they are going to play 40 minutes a night to be aggressive defensively and offensively; they make everybody else's job easier.

Kawhi did a hell of a job tonight accepting the double team. He got off the ball, didn't force anything along with PG and they just took open shots.

Q. You maintained the other night that this feels like a championship-calibre -- because of the Dane on the team but also unselfishness. Does tonight exemplify that?

RAJON RONDO: It definitely does. Obviously back's against the wall. Champions respond. We can't crown ourselves too early but understand to have that mindset that when things get wrong, we have to fight and tonight we stuck to the fight, down 19, I think that's one of the biggest obstacles we could overcome in the playoffs. We haven't done anything special though. We want to win games, and we'll watch the film tomorrow and see how we can come out better on Sunday and hopefully have the same type of outcome.

Q. You touched on it, it seemed like down the stretch or in the second half at least, you all had to get Dallas in rotation on the back side, went with you, and the guards as screeners for Kawhi. Was that something that was a point of emphasis to get the ball moving and get Dallas's defense moving?

RAJON RONDO: No, Coach Lue made a good adjustment in the second half, he saw something he wanted to attack defensively and we just kind of went adjustments and went with it, trusted the players on the floor. We went small and were able to pick them apart. It was a great team effort. Senior made a lot of big shots. Jack made shots. Kawhi made the rights. PG made the right rides. It was a collective team effort but we are definitely not satisfied. A lot to learn from tonight's game, go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get better.