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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RAPTORS v CAVALIERSMay 27, 2016Kyrie IrvingLeBron JamesKevin LoveToronto, Ontario: Game Six Cleveland 113, Toronto 87 Q. LeBron, as you know, you've fought against this idea all year that the Cavs were preordained to be in The Finals, that you were supposed to be here. How do you feel right now within that context? LeBRON JAMES: I never got involved in that because we're not entitled to anything. We earned the right to be here and represent the Eastern Conference in The Finals. We work our tails off every single day. We commit to one another and we sacrifice to one another. We're not supposed to be here; we earned our right. We earned our right to be here today. Q. LeBron, you seem to be a little bit in awe right after the game with the fans. Can you just talk about your feelings with both the fans here and what you saw in this building? LeBRON JAMES: It's an unbelievable atmosphere. These fans, they mean a lot to their team, and I think the team gave everything they could throughout this whole season. To go to a place they've never been before, to get to the Eastern Conference Finals, and to win two games on their home floor as well, in front of their fans throughout this Conference Finals, it just showed their appreciation. They were unbelievable all season long to this point, and they definitely showed that toward the end of the game, all the way throughout. Q. LeBron, this is the second straight year you guys made The Finals. Last year obviously last year Kyrie and Kevin, their bodies weren't intact the way they are right now. What's changed between this year and last year? LeBRON JAMES: There's definitely a different feeling. I didn't appreciate last year myself personally on getting to The Finals. Just so much was going on in my mind, knowing that Kev was out for the rest of the season and knowing that Ky was dealing with injuries all the way from the first round. I just didn't appreciate it. It's definitely a different feeling. Having these guys right here at full strength, having our team at full strength, and the way I feel personally, I appreciate this moment, to be able to be a part of it and to be there once again. Q. LeBron, in a game like this, there are times when you can and will do whatever it takes to win a game for your team. In this particular case, you had so much help from the guys on your left and your right. Can you talk about what each of them were able to do and the way you felt watching them do it? LeBRON JAMES: We wouldn't be at this point today going to The Finals without those two. Throughout the first three rounds, they've been the reason why we've played at such a high level. They've accepted the challenge. They wanted to get back to this moment. Ky being out seven months, this guy [Love] doing rehab for three-and-a-half months on his shoulder, they just had so much built up -- anxiety or rage or excitement or whatever the case may be throughout the whole process, just to be back on the floor and to show why we were all put together. For us to be at this moment, I know they have a lot to say about it, so please don't ask me the next question. Ask one of those guys. Q. Kevin and Kyrie, you were not able to be a part of The Finals a year ago. Can you put into words what it means to be going now and be such key contributors to this? KYRIE IRVING: Man, those speeches after the game, coming out, about 3:07 left, checking out of the game, hugging Delly, hugging RJ, and making my way down the bench and hugging everybody. Last year I remember embracing Bron, and he hugs me, and he said, get your hobbling ass over here, and he gave me a hug. I just remember having that knee brace on, and it just didn't feel the same hobbling into the locker room knowing that we were going to The Finals but wasn't at full strength, and Kev was out. Thinking about just the steps it took to get back to where we are now, I really have a true appreciation for these guys and my teammates and just a true appreciation of the journey. This is what it's about, everything that's built up throughout the regular season coming to this point, ups and downs, But we're still not satisfied. We're still not satisfied at all. There's still a goal at hand that we have to accomplish, and I know these guys are going to be ready for it, and so will I. Q. From the outside, it looks like there's something special brewing. It seems like a camaraderie from the first man down to the last man on the roster. Is that the sense you guys get, as well? Can you talk about what you guys are feeling and what's going on with this team? LeBRON JAMES: It doesn't matter what's going on on the outside. It's not our problem. It's not what we're about. We've got 15 guys, we've got a coaching staff, we've got a fan base, we've got an organization and management and everybody on a day-to-day basis that we represent, and that's all that matters. We all preach the same words. We all go about our business the same way every single day. So what goes on in the outside world doesn't really matter to us. It just feels great to go out there and sacrifice and play for guys that truly just have the same goal in mind, truly care for one another both on and off the floor, and that's the results of it. Q. I may be taking too much of this but last year after you guys clinched to go to The Finals I remember some champagne bottles in the locker room and nothing outrageous but a champagne celebration. Tonight there was just water on the floor doesn't look like there was any champagne. I was wondering if there was any significance behind that? LeBRON JAMES: We didn't have champagne, so we took waters. [Laughter] That's it. KEVIN LOVE: I had chocolate milk. Q. LeBron, on the court afterward in the interview with Doris, it seemed like you got a little bit choked up. Can you give us a sense what the emotion was, and when you hear six straight for you, what does that -- how do you process that? LeBRON JAMES: I did. Like I said, I didn't appreciate last year, what we were able to accomplish in our first year. I'm just truly blessed. I mean, the man above has given me an unbelievable ability, and I just try to take full advantage of it and to -- I get to do what I love to do every single night, and that's to play the game of basketball. That's my life. It's everything, and I give everything to the game. To be in a position where I can go out and help a group of guys get to places where either they haven't been before or been but want to accomplish even more in their careers, it just means a lot. So a lot of emotions were just going through my head at that point in time, talking to Doris, and just appreciating what I've personally been able to do throughout my career so far. It means a lot. The game of basketball has given me everything, and I would never cheat the game, no matter how many games I win, no matter how many games I lose, that really doesn't matter to me because I really just give it all. That's why I can sleep well at night. Q. Kevin, as you watch the Thunder and Warriors tomorrow night, will you be making mental notes? Will you watch just as a basketball aficionado? How will you watch tomorrow? KEVIN LOVE: I think naturally with every series, we're getting together, we're watching the games. It's a constant back and forth as teammates. Between the two teams -- we know we're not done. We know we're not satisfied. We're going to enjoy this for tonight and the next couple days. We are going to be watch these next couple games of those two teams and waiting to see who we play. Q. LeBron, city of Cleveland hasn't won a championship in over 50 years. Being from Akron, how does it feel to kind of have a shot to beat the drought? LeBRON JAMES: I don't really get caught up in all of that. We're going to prepare ourselves. Our coaching staff will prepare us, and we're going to go out and give it our all, and we're going to live with the results. I know our city deserves it. Our fans deserve it. But that gives us no sense of entitlement. We've still got to go out and do it. We've still got to go out and prove ourselves and be as great as we can be every single night we hit the floor. We look forward to the challenge. Q. LeBron, during the regular season you said your team is okay, it's not great. Where are you guys right now, and which part did you guys improve the most? LeBRON JAMES: We're still okay. We're not great yet. We've got one more round to become great, so we look forward to it. Q. Can you tell me what you guys thought of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan coming over before the end of the game to congratulate you guys as they walked off the court? What did you think of that move, and do you know what you guys said to them? LeBRON JAMES: Yeah, we know what we said to them, but I don't think it's for everyone. But what those two guys have done for this franchise and this city and this fan base, nothing short of amazing. Being two All-Stars, carrying those guys through a first-round seven-game series, a second-round seven-game series and then a Conference Finals Game 6 in their home building, they were spectacular. They were great. These fans here, I know they know what they have, and they sure appreciate talent like DeMar and Kyle. So it was fun competing against them. They're classy guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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