|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND ONE: PELICANS v WARRIORSApril 18, 2015Anthony DavisQuincy PondexterOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA Warriors – 106 Q. You came alive there in the fourth quarter. What were the Warriors able to do early on that maybe took you out of your game, and what were you able to do to find your game late? ANTHONY DAVIS: They were just loading up defensively. We worked hard on the block with one guy at the elbow and one on the same side block waiting left to right. So it was tough. It was tough to figure out ways to give him the ball if they do come and try to double team I can read and get the ball out of my hands faster. That's what we were able to do in the second half, catching it more at the elbow and trying to attack. We know they're going to prepare for it in Game 2. So we've got to try to figure out how to still try to get the ball and be effective. Q. These are your first playoff games, do you feel nervous? ANTHONY DAVIS: No, it was a little butterflies, but at the end of the day, it's just another basketball game. I think we played. I think the whole team was nervous. This is our first time as a unit in the playoffs, and our pace was good. We were moving fast, but our minds were moving fast as well. So we've got to learn how to play fast but have our minds move slow. We did that in the second half. We were able to be effective and get back in the game. Q. How big was Tyreke being out? He's been such a key contributor since he moved over to the point mid‑season. How big an injury was that for you to deal with? ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, it's tough. He's one of our go‑to guys. When he gets hurt, we have guys who can step up. Norris did a great job coming in and filling his shoes. But we don't know what's wrong with him. We hope everything is all right, and he'll be able to play in Game 2. Q. With Tyreke hurt in addition to Drew coming back. How much harder does that make your challenge in this series? ANTHONY DAVIS: It's tough. Like I said, Tyreke is one of our core guys. Anytime you lose a core guy, especially in the playoffs, it's tough. So hopefully it's nothing serious, and he can come back in Game 2. If not, Drew did an excellent job, Norris did an excellent job, and they're going to have to step up and fill the shoes. Q. Are you looking forward to playing multiple games against the same teams and making adjustments and having the experience of a true series in that sense? ANTHONY DAVIS: They're a tough team. Like you said, they're going to make adjustments, we're going to make adjustments. And at the end of the day, it's all about heart and who wants it more. We're going to fight to the end. We showed that today. We were down 20, and we still fought. Guys made big plays. We came back and gave ourselves a chance to win. So it's nothing that we haven't seen before. We've just got to continue to fight and make adjustments. Q. Tough to win in the NBA with a 13‑point quarter. You were way down, and then you made a pretty good‑‑ obviously a good comeback. QUINCY PONDEXTER: Our first quarter didn't turn out the way we wanted it to. We were just really anxious for this game. Guys hadn't been in this position together before. We're on the road. We're going to learn from it. We won't have the same start to the game next time. We're going to adjust. We're going to be fine. Q. Before the game, Monty really emphasized the importance of having a strong start to the game and coming out strong in the first quarter. How much did having that slow start mentally affect the next two quarters, especially? ANTHONY DAVIS: I don't think it affected us mentally. Like Quincy said, we were eager to play, anxious to play. Whether it's short, long, you know, we were doing the things that we need to do. They got in transition on us, and that was one of our biggest keys. It showed in the second or fourth quarter what we can actually do. Just try to settle down and play our style of basketball. And that's how they were able to get become in the game. Q. Anthony, what were they doing extra to keep you off the glass? Especially in the first three quarters, your rebound total was lower than usual. ANTHONY DAVIS: It's tough when I'm guarding a perimeter guy. I can't really go and crash the boards. They had Draymond on the perimeter. And when he shoots, it's tough to run down there. So that's really it. When other guys come in, it's a lot easier for me to go down there and get the rebound. Now Andre can shoot, so I can't help off of him as much as I want to or go try to get a rebound, I have to make sure I stay attached because he didn't knock down that three. Q. Quincy, what is your strategy guarding Curry? You obviously have size on him, but what is your game plan? QUINCY PONDEXTER: You know, just not give him much space. He's one of the best shooters in the history of the game. Any little air space, the shot is going up, and you don't want to look at it because it's going to go in, most likely. You've just got to try to bother him. He's a terrific shooter. We've got to find a way to get a little bit closer, not let him have those wide‑open 1s. Try to limit those home run threes that he hits. He hits some of them that really just get the crowd going. He's a hell of a player. He's one of the top candidates for MVP, and he's tough to guard. Q. Anthony, did you have your fingers taped before the game? How was your comfort level going throughout the game? I know in the first half it seemed like you were fidgeting with it? ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, I had the tape at the beginning of the game. I was thinking you know, get it taped and during the course of the game you get hit, especially me getting him around the rim, it starts to loosen up and starts to fall off. But that didn't affect me at all. I didn't think about it. I just tried to go out there and play. Q. You played your first NBA playoff game. Were there any expectations? Was it any harder, easier once you got the flow of the game? I assume it was just another basketball game, but as you started, were you feeling a little nervous out there? ANTHONY DAVIS: Expectations from who? From you guys? That's on you all. I just go out there and play. I expect to win a game. That's it. No matter what I do individually, I expect to win a game. Like I said, I was nervous the first game. I think the whole team was. This is our first team together as a unit in a playoff, especially in an environment like this. But during the course of the game we kind of slowed down and realized it's just another basketball game. We have to go out there and execute, and do what we've been doing all year to get to this point. It showed, especially in the second half. Q. Anthony, when did you start feeling comfortable? At what point did you feel this is just another game, so to speak? Did it come after halftime? Did it come at the start of the fourth? When did you start feeling like you normally do? ANTHONY DAVIS: Mostly after halftime. The playoffs are so different. You don't get a lot of the calls you normally get. It's a lot more physical. So there is a lot of adjusting that you have to do. Coming out of halftime I just tried to be aggressive. We made adjustments offensively. My teammates made a great job getting me the ball where I needed to score, and it all just looked so fluent out there. It was a lot easier not just for myself but for my teammates as well. I said coming out of halftime we all just settled down and started playing our style of basketball and being confident in each other. Q. It seemed like Draymond Green and Bogut were working against you in tandem. That Bogut had it right around the rim, and Draymond a little farther. How do you beat that if you've got Bogut as a rim protector and Green is up on you everywhere else? ANTHONY DAVIS: Like I said, it's tough. You see Draymond there, and Bogut just waiting for me to come. It's tough. We just try to adjust, start getting it at the elbow, whoever our other big is going to be open under the basket. So you've just got to make adjustments and go back and watch film to see how we can be a better as a unit, try to counter what they do. Q. Quincy, talk about your offensive game. What was working for you out there offensively tonight? QUINCY PONDEXTER: My teammates found me, just played within the offense. The ball finds you. That's what we say around here, and sometimes it happens like that and you have a decent night. Who cares? We lost. It doesn't matter. We've got to find a way to get these wins. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|