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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CAVALIERS v HAWKSMay 26, 2015David BlattCLEVELAND, OHIO: Game Four Q.  Any update on Kyrie Irving for tonight's game? COACH BLATT: He's going to go through the warmup, and then we're going to evaluate him. So he's questionable. Q.  Coach, what's been the biggest difference between playoff defense for you guys and defense in the regular season? COACH BLATT: I think we've seen a steady improvement in our defense, particularly since January, when we had our personnel changes. Playoffs being what they are, obviously, the importance of every possession is greater and the intensity level is higher consistently throughout the game. We've been faced with some calamities in terms of roster and injuries‑‑ well, in terms of injuries and personnel, and we just laid our hat on what helps us win. Defensively, obviously, we've done a great job, and it's helped us to win the games that we've won. Q. What about this effort through a possession as far as multiple efforts and multiple rotations? Have you seen a distinct difference there? COACH BLATT: Look, we've been playing pretty good defense for a long time. Statistically, you do see an improvement numbers‑wise in what we've been doing, but we've been playing hard. We've been making efforts. Obviously, again, playoff basketball and the multiple efforts that you're talking about and the intensity level, it goes up. It goes up for everyone. With the good defense that we were playing beforehand, it's just magnified. Q. Coming off the 47 minutes in Game 3 and some of the limping he was doing there in overtime, how closely will you watch LeBron tonight to see how he's progressing as the game goes on? COACH BLATT: I think he feels pretty good. I hope to watch him like I always watch him, helping us try to win games. Q. David, you've mentioned already in this series that, if Kyrie tells you he can go, he's going to go. Is it the same for tonight, or is it different? COACH BLATT: As I'm sure you know, I said since that time that the decision now really is in the hands of the medical staff, and we'll go with what they say at this point. Obviously, Kyrie's feeling has a part in that, no question, but we're just hoping he gets the green light from the medical staff. Q. Just wondering, now being one win away from The Finals, how have you been tested through all this with first losing Kevin and then having to navigate the whole Kyrie situation? Obviously, it's not been easy to coach this team. What's it been like for you these last couple of weeks? COACH BLATT: It's been great. That's what the game's all about, facing the elements and finding the answers and fighting together with your team to keep going, to keep achieving, and to keep trying to be the best that we can be. So it's been a great ride. We hope to continue. Q. Coach, it's your third chance at a closeout game in these playoffs. Have you learned anything from the Boston and Chicago series that you'll take into tonight's game? COACH BLATT: The good thing is we won both of those games. What we've learned is we've been consistent in our approach, and we've been very committed to doing certain things at the highest level we can and give ourselves a chance to win. You know, it's not only about you; it's about who you're playing, too, and how they're doing and how they're playing because the other guys are talented and they're motivated and they're capable. But the big thing is that you can't fall short on what is your best or near to your best and what you are, what you're made of. We've been tested all year in so many ways, and I think that's helped strengthen our resolve in facing any kind of different situation, and certainly, if a closeout game is that kind of special situation, then we should be ready for it. Q. David, did you feel like you had to say anything to Dellavedova, or did LeBron speak for everybody with his ringing defense of him after the last game? COACH BLATT: Regarding? Q. Regarding the charges of dirty play. COACH BLATT: Well, I spoke pretty clearly about that, too, and I'll say once again, that kid is a great example of what the game is about‑‑ playing hard, being aggressive, being willful, getting the most out of himself to help his team win. Kid doesn't have an unsportsmanlike bone in his body. He's a guy every guy wants on his team. The rest of that stuff, if you ask me, it's just‑‑ I'm trying to think of a word I can say on TV. It doesn't come to mind right now. So I just‑‑ you know, I'm glad he's on our team, I can tell you that. Q. LeBron said late last round that he'll never be an underdog and probably his teams will never be an underdog, but have you felt at all like an underdog approaching this first postseason and what you've done to this point here in the playoffs? COACH BLATT: I just try not to get involved with what I feel and what I am in all this. What I'm supposed to do is help my team win. What I'm supposed to do is coach this team to the best of my abilities, and the rest of the stuff is just story line. I feel lucky to be working with the great staff that I have and the great players that I have and knowing that, if we do things right, we've got a chance to achieve things, and we have so far. Again, the best thing we can do is think about how and what we need to do to keep going. That's where my mind is at. Q. You talk all year about that you want your team to play downhill. What's your definition of that, and have you guys been doing that against Atlanta? COACH BLATT: Get in the paint, get to the basket, play in attack mode, don't settle, drive it inside, pass it inside, rebound it inside‑‑ that's maybe not getting downhill, but those are the main things. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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