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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORSJune 9, 2015Tristan ThompsonCLEVELAND, OHIO: Game Three Cavaliers – 96 Q. You and Delly are the type of players that play really hard on court. What kind of impact has Delly's energy played in the game? TRISTAN THOMPSON: It's been remarkable. One thing about Delly, every night he's going to come out and bust his tail. He's going to play hard every possession, and it starts with the defense. He picks up 94 feet. He really tries to make whoever he's guarding uncomfortable, and those are the little things that changes the game, changes the series. Q. In three games in the NBA Finals on the biggest stage with an undermanned team, LeBron's averaging 41 points, 12 rebounds, 8.3 assists. Are you even amazed at what he's done in the first three games? TRISTAN THOMPSON: No, because every time the media or anyone thinks that he can't accomplish something or do something remarkable, he always answers the call. He's playing great basketball for us, and we're just getting on his shoulders and just riding him through the game. As him being our leader, he's been phenomenal, and the other guys got to keep stepping up. Q. If my math is correct, next game will be your hundredth of the season. You're playing an incredible amount of minutes through the playoffs. How is the body feeling, and do you feel that kind of energy, is that sustainable at this point? TRISTAN THOMPSON: I feel good. I'm 24, so there is no excuse to be tired. I'm doing a lot of treatment. You've got to give our strength and conditioning staff a lot of credit for making sure guys are getting massages, getting in the cold tub, cryo chamber and really taking care of the body, because it is a long season. But at this point, you've got to give it everything you've got. This is it. This is all. There is no basketball after this, so you've got to give everything that's left in the tank, and you can rest when it's all said and done. Q. During the regular season you didn't see stretches of games where LeBron would be taking 30‑plus shots on multiple occasions consecutively. What's that been like in an adjustment for you guys and do you guys encourage him to carry that much load considering where you're at with the rest of the roster? TRISTAN THOMPSON: During the season we had Kevin and Kyrie who were able to take a little bit of the load off LeBron in terms of how many shots or what he had to do. But right now in the playoffs he's getting it in good spots. He's getting in on the block and in terms of the match‑ups, who is guarding him, he's take advantage of it. So he has a lot of good looks. But we've just got to try to find ways to help make it easy for him. Set a good screen. Delly bringing the ball to the court. Just find little areas where we can help him get a little rest and get a little breather. But he's special. He's got to do what he's got to do, and if that means taking 30 shots for us to win, that's our best bet. Q. Tristan, Delly made a circus shot with you guys only up by one point. I mean, he was stumbling, he was falling down. Curry was right on him. How do you explain him making that basket? TRISTAN THOMPSON: At this point, it's Delly. He's done everything you guys think he can't do. I'm not surprised at all. It was one hell of a and‑one finish, and he also made the free throw, too, which was the icing on the cake. But he's playing unbelievable basketball right now. I'm just so happy for him. If you get to know Delly, he's the type of kid that works his tail off every day. He's in the gym busting his tail, watching film, helping us get better even though it's only his second year in the league. He's talking to the older guys and trying to help them too. So you've got to be so happy for a guy like this. Q. And you say he makes guys uncomfortable? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Yeah. Q. He's making the Most Valuable Player in the league uncomfortable, right? TRISTAN THOMPSON: He's just doing his job. Picking him up full court. It starts with our point guard. He's our floor general, and he wants to pick up full court, and our game plan is to make all the guys feel uncomfortable. Not just Steph, Klay, Draymond, we've got to get them out of their comfort zone and be physical. Q. As a hustle‑energy guy yourself, so many guys on the floor after loose balls tonight, from Shump all the way to Mike Miller. How much of a lift are those winning plays giving you guys right now? TRISTAN THOMPSON: That's what helps you win the game. Those little plays, diving on the floor, getting those 50‑50 balls, that's what separates a win from a loss. It's great, Shump checking out of the game and going to the back and able to come back, fight, and do his job and play hard. Says a lot about his character, and it says a lot about the type of guys we have on our team. We've got Warriors that come here to play hard and battle every night. Q. You've done an amazing job guarding Steph Curry at least throughout the first three quarters. Can you tell us what's on your mindset and which kind of adjustments that Coach Blatt did with you guarding Steph Curry and looking him straight in the eyes? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Are you saying for me on the switch and pick‑and‑rolls? Q. Yeah. TRISTAN THOMPSON: That's just part of our defense. Coach Blatt and the coaching staff has a lot of confidence in me in terms of being able to try to keep Steph Curry in front. Obviously I'm not going to go in here and say I'll be able to stop him. My job is to just have him take tough shots, use my length, and watch film and see which areas and what moves he likes to do. Make him take a tough two and not let him shoot threes. Q. From a confidence standpoint, is it growing within this match‑up game by game by game, to be on the road and almost win but not find the way to do so, then to do so in overtime and now today not in overtime? Are you gaining confidence with this match‑up, like we can handle this? TRISTAN THOMPSON: We've been able to handle any team that you guys put in front of us. We've had confidence since day one. I don't think it's after a game we feel like, hey, we can beat this team. We feel like any team we play against we've got what it takes to put ourselves in position to win. So I don't think it's a confidence growing game by game. We just know that if we do and play Cavaliers‑style basketball, which may not be the prettiest, which may not be as flashy as everyone wants to see, if we stick to our game plan, we can put ourselves in position to win a ballgame. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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