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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v WARRIORS

May 17, 2016

Steven Adams

Oakland, California: Practice Day

Q. (No microphone) are you guys okay with those shots [for the Warriors]?
STEVEN ADAMS: As long as they're not corner threes. We definitely don't want corner threes. But if it's a contested shot and they throw it up like outside of the norm where you'd normally shoot a three, then, yeah. If it's contested, we're okay with that.

Q. You didn't play your best game, but you still won, the team and won in a place like that. What's that say about your team?
STEVEN ADAMS: Resiliency, I guess. It's just good that we were able to just stick to it. It all depends. I think our mindset is different. It ain't so much like -- I mean, obviously you've got to make shots to win the game. But even if you're not having a great shooting night, then you've still just got to stick with it and pour it out on the defense.

Q. You've got one now, how do you avoid being satisfied and let that creep into your mentality?
STEVEN ADAMS: To be satisfied?

Q. That you steal one on the road, how do you maintain the aggressiveness to try to get two?
STEVEN ADAMS: I mean, there is nothing to really celebrate. It's not a championship or anything. You haven't won the series or anything. I think it's pretty easy for us to understand that there's nothing to be happy about. Come back in and they're going to come out just as hard.

Q. Was there a turning point for you guys in the playoffs or late in the season that you feel like the defense really took it to another level?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, I think that's just a normal like playoff scouting. I think our scouts did such a good job on them that we just understand their plays and are able to just react quicker to them and force them to take shots that we want them to take. I think that's what it comes down to is the defense.

Q. How do you adjust playing against a smaller man like Draymond Green when they go to that smaller lineup?
STEVEN ADAMS: It's tough, man. You've got to understand what you want to let them have. So they've just got to go on with their game plan. Just because obviously he's a smaller guy, quicker, a lot more skill than like pretty much all the bigs, you just have to kind of give one, take one.

Q. Is it just take the (No microphone)?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, pretty much. Try to contest all the shots and do the best that you can. But if you're going to give up something, it has to be quite a difficult shot. You kind of have to -- especially with those two. If you're going to take away the three, somebody has to be there for that drive, because you have to be right up on these guys.

Q. You've been working hard on your free-throw shooting. How satisfying is it to walk in and hit six straight?
STEVEN ADAMS: It was good. I was just proud of the discipline, because usually I kind of just get frustrated and try to change things up and then I miss pretty much all of them. But I just stuck to it and made one little adjustment and just pretty much found it from there. Found it and stuck to it, it turned out well.

Q. How is your hand? You don't have it covered up today, how is it?
STEVEN ADAMS: It's fine, mate. Bit of a bruise. Just got to be tough. Not very much.

Q. Is all that tape on it not a problem for you at all?
STEVEN ADAMS: No, it's just for looks. Trying to give me some street cred. That's all that is for.

Q. Anything you'd like to clarify from last night just moving forward from anything that might have been taken the wrong way, the postgame remark?
STEVEN ADAMS: Are you talking about my exiting interview off the court? I mean, I've already apologized for it. I mean, I can't apologize enough with another apology. I'm just trying to focus on the playoffs now and trying to just move forward. Obviously, it was a mistake, but just got to live with the consequences of those. Yeah, I know now, so.

Q. In your mind, have you raised your game in these playoffs and if so how?
STEVEN ADAMS: Have I raised my game? In terms of what?

Q. Do you feel like you've taken your game to a different level, a higher level?
STEVEN ADAMS: Kind of. I mean, if you're talking about scoring, then yes. I guess I'm doing a good job of just being open in different areas and finding open spots. They played kind of (Indiscernible) yeah, that's plateaued a bit, and I need to step up and try to make better reads. As you say, guarding Draymond Green, yeah, just got to embrace those challenges and try to get better as soon as possible there.

Q. (No Microphone) guarding you differently than the Spurs did because they're a different team. It looked like early from my vantage point that you guys were reacting almost like habit to the way they did some of the coverages that the Spurs were throwing at you?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah.

Q. Do you have to find a new rhythm against a different kind of defense?
STEVEN ADAMS: Yeah, every team's different, and this one's a good team so you have to kind of change up all the rules, which is hard because we've been doing the same rules, following the same rules all year. It's tough, especially for the guys to throw everything out the window and change up and go against where you've been all year. So it's really tough. But Russ [Westbrook] is doing a heck of a job and embracing that and getting through it.

Q. Do you think the team has made better use of your size this year than last year?
STEVEN ADAMS: Use of my size. What do you mean?

Q. Used more as a center and more involved?
STEVEN ADAMS: Oh, yeah, I mean, I'm just doing the same stuff defensively. I guess just now that they're shutting off Russ and KD [Kevin Durant], our superstars, obviously. That's how I'm getting the ball more. I'm not sure if that's anything to say utilized my size. I think it's just that those guys bring so much attention that I'm found open most of the time. I don't think it has to do with size. Maybe it has.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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