	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND ONE: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 16, 2016

Shaun Livingston

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors - 104, Rockets 78

Q. Hey, Shaun, especially with Steph down, how much pressure or responsibility do you feel the back-ups will feel tonight and how do you think you guys responded?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, any time a player like Steph goes down, I think it's human nature to feel the need to try to do everything yourself. But I think our slogan is "Strength in Numbers" and we have to rely on our whole team. It's not just one guy. I come in and my job and my role is to be solid and to get good shots for our team while I'm out there.

Q. How do you go all game and hold James Harden without a free throw attempt?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, I'm just saying that I think you've got to give credit to the coaching staff and then the discipline starting with Klay and Andre. They spend the most time on him, and everybody else to a man turned on with Bogut when he was coming through the lane, it's hard. He's showing you the candy, showing you the ball and it's easy to want to reach in. He's the best we have in our league against the free-throw line.

So just trying to stick to the game plan, remain disciplined, make a good, tough shots. That's all we can do.

Q. Shaun, so much focus the last few weeks have been on the 73 and what it may or may not take out of this team, what it may or may not do to the playoffs. Did you feel sharp out there? Did you feel any sense of weariness or did you feel refreshed? How do you think you felt and how do you think your team played?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: I think it's normal to feel those jitters in the playoffs. It's a different season. This is what we've been waiting on all season. We had a grueling season this year just with all the hype surrounding the wins and the record and everything, but now this is it. This is I think the excitement is the word that everybody -- this is what everybody felt coming into this game. Once we settled in, it's about the game of basketball and attention to detail.

Q. You guys had I think the lead was 29 at some point and then they kind of cut into it. There were a couple times Steve called a timeout. What was going on, just wanted to reassess and reaffirm to you guys in those timeouts?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Just remain poised, keep our composure. They're a talented team. They can go on runs. They've got guys that can get hot. Sometimes we can get beside ourselves. Also when they go on a run, again, it's human nature to just kind of think, wow, it's all coming down. Then you look up and we still have a big lead, but we've just got to remain poised and calm under pressure, and that's putting the pressure on.

If they're trying to come back, trying to build momentum and ride that wave, especially with how the starters opened the game up and the way Steph was playing in the first half. But to a man, we all have to remain calm, keep our composure, and continue to focus on the game plan.

Q. You guys always know that in any series teams are going to want to try to get into Steph and be physical with him. We saw Beverley do it tonight. What do you think your response needs to be? Did you like the response you guys had tonight, today in the game?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, that's not the first time that's happened, probably won't be the last. They're out there competing as well. So I think we should expect that, and I'm sure Steph does. But, you know, he's our leader. He knows. He's been in many situations like that before. He's not letting that get to him, and if anything, he rises to the challenge in the heat of the moment.

It's up to us as well. I teach them the same thing, but it's true. We have to keep our composure while we're out there. Can't let the refs, can't let the crowd, can't let the other team dictate our emotions and what we're thinking about when we're trying to run plays and cover.

Q. When you're around the NBA for years, you know playoff basketball is going to be physical. Yet, when you finally get there, even though you've been here before, does it shake you up a little bit and say what's going on here? Or do you say, okay, here comes the punches or the pushing as it has been in the past?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, good question. I think it's with more experience you learn to adapt. We have to adapt to how the refs are calling the game, whether it's they're calling it tight or they're not calling calls at all. Me myself I like to know who is reffing out there because then you kind of get a feel for the way they like to call games and whether it's a physical game or whether you have to watch the amount of physicality out there. But it's playoff basketball. You just have to play through it and play the game.

Q. Shaun, when did you know Steph wasn't going to come back in the game? Do you have to start thinking differently when you know most of the second half is going to be minus a point guard?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: Yeah, for me personally at the end I try to just focus on what I can control, and my job is to be ready. If he calls my number, it's my job to check in and be ready. Steph's a Warrior. He's going to do what he can to be out there for his team. But it looked like they didn't want to risk it tonight. I'm sure he might have been able to play. But, again, all I could do is focus on my job, and if coach says, look, you're going in, it's just time to roll.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297