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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORSJune 13, 2015Steve KerrOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day Q. I know you can't manufacture these things, but when you look at the time and the duration of the playoffs, is it about time for Steph and Klay to have a game where they both get rolling at the same time? COACH KERR: Well, we wouldn't mind. It doesn't have to happen. But I think over time the law of averages tend to balance out. Biggest thing for us is just competing like we did in Game 4, playing with that kind of pace and tempo and fighting for every rebound, every loose ball. If we do that, the shots are more likely to go in. It's just kind of the way the game works. Q. What were the ingredients to set the tone and the tempo in tomorrow's game? COACH KERR: What was the‑‑ the ingredients? Q. Yes. COACH KERR: I think effort and focus. We didn't turn the ball over. You know, seven turnovers in a game is a brilliant number, and obviously we played smaller. We had a smaller group on the floor quite a bit, so they were able to get out and run. But, yeah, it was the first time in the series that we were able to control the pace. Q. How will you game plan in the first 45 minutes of the game? COACH KERR: How will I game plan for the first‑‑ Q. How is your game plan for the first 45 minutes in tomorrow's game? COACH KERR: I'm not going to tell you that (laughing). Q. How would you assess the way you guys played at home so far in these Finals? Is there something you can do to just be more efficient at home? COACH KERR: How will I assess the way we've played in The Finals at home? Q. Yeah. COACH KERR: Well, two games, we didn't play particularly well in either one. We could have lost both. We could have won both. I think if you look at the entire playoffs, the first two games at home have been a struggle. Part of that is just trying to adapt to your opponent and get a feel for what they're doing. Easing into the series. Not easing in, but trying to get a grasp on what you're wanting to accomplishment. So I think we should be better tomorrow because we have a feel for our opponent, and I'm looking for a better game at home. Q. This team hasn't lost three in a row all season. I know each one is different. But after each time it's lost two in a row, it's gone on a little tear. Is there something about the make‑up and mentality of this team that when you see them lose a couple in a row, something snaps and that's when you see the best in this team? COACH KERR: They're very competitive. It's a relatively quiet team other than Draymond. But it's a quiet team, and they don't tend to show too much emotion, but they're extremely competitive. They get a little angry when they lose a couple in a row and they've responded, as you said, all season long. Hopefully we can get on a nice little run here too. Q. It seems that in the first three games Steph had some success in iso plays with Dellavedova. Then in Game 4 it looked like there was a concerted effort to get more isolation plays. Is that something you guys talked about in between those games, to get him iso? COACH KERR: I think the biggest thing is we just need to be in attack mode at both ends of the floor. So for everybody that means something different. So if you're doing kind of what you do individually, what makes you the player you are, and you're doing it aggressively, that's good for our team. For Steph, looking to score, looking to be aggressive is a big part of his game. So I thought he was more aggressive in Game 4 than anything else. Q. (Off Microphone) one more in Game 4. Is that something that ‑‑ COACH KERR: I thought he did, too, but it all comes out of the flow of the game and match‑ups. They're doing so much switching, and we tried to keep moving, keep setting screens. But everything comes out of the flow of the game, and Steph is really smart. When he likes a match‑up, he'll go at it. Q. Andre goes to Arizona, as you know, and what did you know at Philly? Did you see him play much at Philly? Is this any sort of surprise? COACH KERR: Did I see him when he was at Philadelphia playing? Q. Yeah. COACH KERR: Well, he was the focal point of their team. It's a different role for him here. But, yeah, I would say this series he looks like the 76er version of Andre because he's taken on a bigger role. He's playing more minutes. He's guarding LeBron. He's also been really good offensively. But I just think Andre is one of those guys who rises to the occasion and embraces the challenge, and he's having a great series. Q. When you got that text from Luke at 3 a.m., were you awake, and then did you, like, stay awake and ponder that? How did that affect your sleeping before the game? COACH KERR: I didn't see the text until the next morning when I woke up, so it did not affect me, no. I actually slept pretty well. Then I woke up and then we met as a staff. That's when we kind of debated that option. We had discussed a lot of different options the day before, things we could do differently, ways we could attack, which is what we do every day. Staff meeting‑type thing. But that particular detail didn't really come up until that morning. Q. Looking back from this vantage point on the whole season, how would you assess the job you did in terms of limiting guys' minutes, keeping them fresh, keeping them, knock on wood, healthy for these last three games of the season? COACH KERR: Well, it was a focal point for us to try to keep guys fresh, but it was made easy by our players' play. I wouldn't have sat Steph out of 17 fourth quarters if we'd had close games in those 17 games. But maybe a couple of them were losses, but the vast majority of them were big wins, and our guys were playing so well that we could afford to sit Steph and Klay and keep their minutes average down to 32 or so. We did make a concerted effort to give Bogut and Andre games off from time to time. Whether it's paid off or not, I guess that's subjective. But I do like our players, the look. They look fast. They look sharp out there. Q. I don't know how many head coaches would have given credit to a 28‑year‑old assistant on the concept of going small. How did Nick get in your circle of trust, one, and what makes that work? COACH KERR: Well, as I told Nick today, he's gotten way too much credit now. It's gone totally overboard (smiling). So enough about Nick. Actually, I told him on the day of the game, I said, If this doesn't work, it's your fault. And if it works, I'm taking the credit (smiling). He's a part of our staff. He's a major part of our staff, and I don't care where an idea comes from. I've taken ideas from our players during the games when they make suggestions, our scouts. Doesn't matter wherever the idea comes from. If it's a good one, then we'll use it. Q. Shaun Livingston's play in Game 4 kind of got lost in the shuffle a little bit? COACH KERR: I agree. Q. Did you anticipate playing him that much and what did you think of him? COACH KERR: Shaun was fantastic. One thing when you play small, you have to have versatility, and Shaun is extremely versatile at both ends. He spent some time guarding LeBron. He spent some time guarding Dellavedova. He rebounded well. He got his hands on a lot of long rebounds. Knocked balls free for his teammates to retrieve. And with all the switching that Cleveland is doing, he's a guy who can make plays and take the ball out of Steph's hands. So it was a good game for him. I thought he was terrific, and hopefully he'll keep rolling like that. Q. You mentioned how much dialogue your coaching staff has. How much are you debating Game 5's starting lineup of sticking with the small unit or going back to your regular starting lineup? COACH KERR: Well, as I established before Game 4, I will lie, so... Q. I was trying to ask in a way you wouldn't have to. COACH KERR: Yeah, unfortunately, the dynamics are pretty tricky. So if I say anything, I'm guessing it might get back to David. So I'll just say that I've established my penchant for lying. So however I answer right now, you shouldn't believe me anyway. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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