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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND ONE: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 18, 2016

J.B. Bickerstaff

Oakland, California: Game Two

Warriors - 115, Rockets - 106

Q. J.B., you got it to 80-85 in the fourth. Take us through what happened at that point?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: I think they got some stops, obviously. Our attacking of the rim and getting slowed up, tempo slowed up. When you're playing a team that can score the way they can score, you feel like you've got to be in a hurry to catch up. But in those moments we've got to keep our composure, move the ball a little bit more, and then work for our shot. We got a little sped up I thought down the stretch in the fourth quarter.

Q. Coach, when you found out Steph was out, did you realize or did you feel like maybe that's the best chance for you guys to win the game tonight?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: No, I mean, every time we step on the floor we feel like we've got a shot to win, no matter who is on the floor. Those guys over there are champions and they have a locker room full of champions. So regardless of if one guy's out, the rest of the guys are champions too and they've got that spirit. So you can't look at it and say, well, Steph is out.

We understand our opponent. We understand how good they are as a team and the drive they have. So we can't look at it's a night off for us or anything like that. We've got to go out and play twice as hard and try to win.

Q. James Harden got 13 free throws in the first half, but he only got 2 in the second half. What actually changed there?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: I couldn't tell you. He was just as aggressive to the rim. He was putting just as much pressure on the rim. You could see that they've been trained how to defend him a little bit, throwing their hands back, but nothing changed. He was just as aggressive and the contact I thought was the same. He just didn't get the whistle.

Q. A three-point game 3 minutes into the fourth quarter and then a bunch of missed shots in a row. Was there a little give-in on the other end that led to that big run?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: For us, again, the shots that we want to take, we need to take them. I think for us we need to continue to be assertive to the rim. We need to put pressure on people in those situations. Obviously we like to take three-point shots and that hasn't changed. But in moments of the game, the twos are with twos. The pressure on the rim, well, maybe at the end, but I think that's when I think we could have been better is continuing to pressure the rim, continuing to pressure the rim and continue to move them around, play off the checks, check closeouts and look for the three just to tie the game up or get us back in the game.

I talked about it earlier that when this team, because they can score, you almost feel like you have to score now. You have to make this play. But in any situation you want to nick at it, you want to knock at it, you want to chip at it. You don't want to feel like you're desperate. But then maybe you feel that way because you know they can make two threes in a row and the tide could change so quickly. We just have to be a little bit more patient in those situations.

Q. Are you worried about the mindset of your team being down 0-2 right now?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: No. The Warriors did what they were supposed to do. They won at home. We've got to go home and defend our home court.

Q. That run though on the other end, did the offense missing the threes and the things you were talking about effect the defense on the other end during that run?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: I think with the three-point shots they tend to lead to longer rebounds and those types of things. That helps ignite their break. I think the balls retreat further out on the floor, and now they're able to push it in a situation where the floor's not as balanced as you would like. They get some easy buckets and get the crowd involved in the game.

I don't think there was any give in those situations. I just think they put the pressure on you, that's why they're that good. We took some shots and they make you pay for those shots.

Q. Down the stretch you guys got a tech in the fourth. Did you guys lose your composure do you feel?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: I don't think so. We'll fight for our guys if we believe something's wrong, no matter what. I'll take that technical foul. I don't believe -- if we're not defending our guys, who will?

Q. It seemed like Dwight was disinterested. Did you feel like you needed to talk to him about staying in the game and that kind of thing?
J.B. BICKERSTAFF: No, I don't think he was disinterested. I thought he was good on the glass. I thought he was running. Give Bogut some credit, he does a good job with his size. He's physical, uses his length, he pushes, he grabs, he holds, so I wouldn't say he was disinterested. I thought he gave his effort. I thought he played hard. When he got it around the basket, he was efficient. I wouldn't say he was disinterested at all.

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