LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 28, 2021

Kawhi Leonard

Postgame Press Conference

Los Angeles Clippers 118, Dallas Mavericks 108

Q. Last postgame, you said get stops about seven, eight, nine times, and you held Dallas to 44 percent today. How do you think you executed defensively?

KAWHI LEONARD: You know, from the field, yeah, I think we did a good job. They still made half their threes tonight. So we still got to work to do. They are shooting the ball great and we've got to give credit, some of those are contested and they are knocking them down.

Q. How are you feeling? Three straight 40-minute games for you. You've been incredible with your efficiency but how are you feel after this workload?

KAWHI LEONARD: It's playoff basketball. You know -- getting going and my mind isn't tired. I'm in good shape. So you know, got to do whatever it takes at this point. But like you said, I think last year, I played some 40-minute games in a row in the playoff, so it's nothing new.

Q. Rondo was telling us about how there were conversations between you guys on the plane going over scouting reports, and there were conversations about what had to happen. Ty Lue talked about the conversations about what needed to change, you and Paul led that. Other than getting stops, what message did you feel like you wanted to get across most the last 48 hours to the rest of the team?

KAWHI LEONARD: I mean that was the number one thing. It was our defense. We got to play better defense. That said, I mean, you know, being down 2-0, still being down, keeping our composure and having faith in ourselves pretty much. But like I said, that was it. We needed to get stops. We need stops.

Q. You've often talked the last two years about this team has to go through the ups and downs and endured adversity. What did you see from the team in the last 48 hours and tonight and what did they show you?

KAWHI LEONARD: Won a basketball game. Came out and kept our composure in that first quarter and we were able to get a win. But we haven't done anything. We haven't done anything, so, you know, won one game.

Q. You said you were happy with the defense today. Was that a matter of simplifying things and tactical adjustments or was it an effort, mental thing or a combination?

KAWHI LEONARD: Basically mental effort, paying attention to detail, that's it. You know, this is playoff basketball and you're playing against some of the greatest talent in the world, and you have to have attention to detail.

Q. It looked like you found success for Marcus when you started attacking switches and having Rondo screen and flash to the middle and create. Is that something you all wanted to do more of in this game to help get Dallas going and moving around?

KAWHI LEONARD: No. Not really. I told you what we wanted to do. I mean, I'm happy that he's able to get a rhythm and make shots. You know, that's big for us. He made some big shots. But I mean, you guys know what I said.

Q. You talked about having energy, playing with energy and getting stops. Will you talk about Terance Mann's effort tonight and what he brought to the team, his scrappiness, his grittiness, his energy. Would you speak on that for a moment?

KAWHI LEONARD: Another guy that, you know, like you said, plays scrappy, brings energy. You know, can attack the paint. Very athletic. Can shoot the ball. He's not afraid of the moment. Not saying anyone else is, but that's what he's bringing for us. He did that tonight. He got in there and rebounded the basketball and played well.