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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORSJune 10, 2015David LeeCLEVELAND, OHIO: Practice Day Q. Did you know going into the game you might have your number called pretty early? DAVID LEE: I didn't know how much. Coach talked to me in shootaround and mentioned that I'd be getting a chance. Once again, I didn't know if that was going to be two minutes or 30 minutes. But then I thought it went out the window a little bit after the first quarter and start of the second one it didn't go in. But got a little chance in the second and he liked what he saw and kind of went with me to start the fourth quarter and kind of change things up a little bit. Q. You were so decisive? Was that your intent to make a quick decision? DAVID LEE: I've had a lot of chances to watch these last three games and see what I thought could be effective. As you see, they're putting so much attention to Steph and Klay coming off the pick‑and‑rolls, similar to how the Clippers played us. And Coach Lue, their assistant, was with the Clippers last year. I'm sure there is some connection there. So my biggest thing was when they trap Steph or Klay that means we have a four on three advantage in the back of that, whether it's making a play for somebody else or being aggressive going to the basket. I just tried, like you said, to be decisive and make the right play, whatever that may be. More than anything, just bring energy and aggressiveness when I got in. Because once again, I don't know how long I'm going to be in there. So it was time to go out there and try to make plays and make them fast. Q. Is the fourth quarter something you can build on? Maybe you're getting back to the Warriors that won 67 games? DAVID LEE: That's what I hope. Whether it's me that's in there or somebody else, the most promising thing is that you finally saw us playing the type of ball we're capable of playing there in the fourth. It was the player movement, the ball movement, and the energy. And if we play like that, I think we're the better team in this series. But, once again, we have to play like that consistently. That doesn't work against a team as good as Cleveland, it doesn't work doing it in spurts. So we're going to need to bring that kind of energy the entire game, and hopefully we can start like that in Game 4 and do it throughout the series. Q. How have they been able to control the pace? They've kept you guys well under a hundred points? DAVID LEE: Yeah, if you look at it, our defense has pretty much done its job. It's just offensively for some reason we haven't‑‑ even when we get stops and rebounds we haven't been successful getting a ton of fast breakpoints. I think we've had some good shots that haven't gone in. But like I said, I see some promise in spurts, and I know what kind of basketball team we have. We've been in this same position down 2‑1 at Memphis against a great veteran team in Memphis that attempted to do the same thing Cleveland was doing. That slowed the game down, grind it out, and play to their strengths. That's exactly what Cleveland's trying to do. I have faith that we're going to come out and play the right way tomorrow and even the series right back to square one. Q. The body language in the third quarter seemed like you guys got really down on yourselves because it seemed like things weren't going your way? DAVID LEE: Well, a lot of that is human nature. We have a team that's very, very competitive. When things aren't going your way and you know you're capable of playing better as a team, I think we have every right to be frustrated, especially on this kind of stage. Everybody wants to play well. Everyone wants to win a championship. So I understand exactly what's going on. But I don't think at any point we're giving up. That's not going to happen. Like I said, I expect a much better performance from our whole team in Game 4. Q. After you hurt them a couple times on the pick‑and‑roll, there were a couple of possessions where they switched on Steph. Did you get the sense they were trying to take away your short roll, or did they do that organically improvising? DAVID LEE: No, I said to Steph after Iguodala hit the three and they called the timeout, I said I can see them going to a switch, and if they do, obviously we have counters for that as well. Steph and I have run thousands of pick‑and‑rolls in the past and run every kind of coverage. So it's something we'll see how the adjustments they decide to make. I'm sure they'll make an adjustment, whether it's me setting it or Draymond setting it. They'll have some new things they go to in Game 4. That's what the playoffs or Finals are about, is over a seven‑game series making adjustments. Q. Did it flash to you that this is what you did two years ago? This was the offense with you two guys? DAVID LEE: Yeah, it's something that's very familiar to both of us. We have our reads down and really know where one another are. But like I said last night, the most important thing for me coming into that game is to try to get daylight for Steph and Klay and get them easier shots than they normally would have. My points and my looks and passes were all a result of getting those guys open initially by setting a good screen and by utilizing the spacing. They put two on the ball, then we have that advantage on the back end of it. So we'll see what adjustments they make. They may choose to do something completely different. Like me on the pick‑and‑roll like they decided to switch a few times last night, and we'll have to make an adjustment and come right back. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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