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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORSJune 13, 2015David LeeOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day DAVID LEE: Yeah, some of the key points going small, you've got to scramble a lot defensively. Everybody's got to rebound, like you mentioned. It can't just be the bigs, it also has to be the guards on the floor. Then offensively we need to have a lot of movement, a lot of cutting, and just the ball has to keep moving. Because if that ball sticks, then we're not as good just going one‑on‑one with the smaller lineup. Instead we've got to create a lot of chaos on both ends. Q. Early in your career the knock on you was puts up a lot of numbers but he doesn't win games. What's it mean to you now that your team's trying to win a championship? One of the big moves they made was to put you in the game? DAVID LEE: Well, it's been an interesting season for me personally. But my main thing is I've been about the team all season long, and now it seems the last couple games have been my turn, and trying to make the most of those minutes and continue to do what I've done my whole career, and that is go out and compete and try to help the team. But, yeah, you're right. It's been kind of an interesting turn around here in these last few days, but just trying, like I said, make the most of it, stay focused on the task at hand and keep doing what I'm doing. Q. Are you surprised at the fact that you didn't get almost any minutes and now everyone's talking about you as maybe the key element for the change in the series? DAVID LEE: Well, I appreciate that. The minutes have been up and down all season long. Coach has been very clear that he plays a lot of the games based upon match‑ups. And we've been a great team all year, and a lot of the adjustments he's made have worked out. So you've just got to wait your turn. I think you saw an opportunity to go small with myself and Draymond playing at the center spot, and the adjustment worked last game. We'll see what Cleveland does to counter that. But we're just trying to do our best to find a way, any way possible, of the 15 guys used together in our locker room can beat the 15 guys in their locker room. That is the biggest thing overall. Q. Do you think that Game 5 will perhaps be a series clincher? DAVID LEE: I think it's going to be a big momentum swing, whoever wins Game 5. That is pretty obvious with the series being 2‑2. But we're not really worried about the result as much as we've got to come out and play the way we played in Game 4, and that is play Warriors basketball. We've got to be aggressive and play with the kind of effort we did. I think if we do that, being back at home or wherever we play, I think that good things will happen. Q. Do you think that the Cavs can get the same from their veterans like Shawn Marion? DAVID LEE: Well, we'll just see. That's what the NBA Finals are about is making adjustments. I know playing a guy like Shawn Marion who has a lot of experience, I know that's been talked about. And we'll just see what they decide to do. But the biggest thing for us is not really worrying about that, but instead worrying about what we have to take care of, and that's to continue our defense and defensive presence and win‑‑ find a way to get rebounds as a team. On offense, we continue to attack. Q. Do you get the feeling that tiredness was the most important element of the last game in Cleveland? DAVID LEE: I mean, I know that it's because of our depth being one of our strengths in the series. I know that it's starting to have a little bit more of an impact. But at this time of the year I don't think we're going to win the series because they're tired. I think that both teams right now are motivated to win this series and both teams are giving it everything they have. So I think our depth is an advantage to us, but we'll just see how that happens and how it plays out as the series goes on. Q. (Indiscernible) did you change anything in the way you prepared? DAVID LEE: Our bench guys have done a good job all season long, kind of playing one‑on‑one after practice and continuing to get sprints in. Of course our weight‑training staff has us getting extra work in and staying in shape. For me, I thought we had a chance to kind of get to this point. I didn't know if it would be in The Finals. I didn't know how deep in the playoffs. But I had a feeling in the back of my mind, I'd seen it happen on so many other guys, that my number might be called. It was kind of like an OCD thing. I didn't want to get out of shape and not be ready for that moment. So I just wanted to stay in shape and, more importantly, mentally stay ready and tell myself when I get the opportunity, that I was going to be ready to roll. And that opportunity came first in the Memphis series when we were down 2‑1, and I was able to help us win some games there. And didn't know if I'd get another opportunity, but here it came up again. I think I've been ready and need to continue to be ready moving forward. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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