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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORS

June 4, 2016

Tyronn Lue

Oakland, California: Practice Day

Q. Coach, have you seen the clips of Steve Kerr's clipboard smashing, and what sort of reaction do you have to that?
COACH LUE: Oh, when he knocked the clipboard? Yes, I'm sorry, yes.

Q. What is your reaction to that when you see or heard that?
COACH LUE: Oh, just something went wrong that he was unhappy about. But that's what coaching's all about, being intense and being engaged and being into the game. It must have been something he didn't like for him to break a clipboard like that. Pretty strong guy.

Q. How have you guys used the couple of days off here in between games? Do you feel like it's been productive?
COACH LUE: It's been very productive. Just watching film. Just going over things we need to get better at. We did some good things last game. There are some things we need to clean up to get better at and try to take away their easy baskets. They're going to score points. They're a great team, but we can't gift them baskets.

Q. Kyrie had an aggressive Game 1, but at some point did you feel like he got into a bit of a one-on-one game with Steph Curry and how do you balance wanting him to be aggressive, but also wanting him to stay part of the team?
COACH LUE: Well, we talked about it yesterday, and we want Kyrie to be aggressive, but it has to be sharp, quick attacks. You can't dribble for eight or nine seconds. We had that discussion, and he understands that.

But we need him to score the basketball. We need him to be aggressive. If there's one guy that can go one-on-one on the perimeter, it is Kyrie, because he's very special. Outside, taking advantage of mismatches in the post with Kevin and LeBron, Kyrie is the one guy that we have that can break guys down off the dribble. So it's going to be a fine line, but he has to be quicker on the attack rather than letting him load up and trying to go four, five, six seconds and then they're loading up their defense and he's trying to attack. So it has to be a little faster.

Q. What are you working on this week, today to limit turnovers because it's been such an issue for you in Game 1? Is it the Warriors that are causing too many turnovers, or are you seeing it being more mental lapses for your team?
COACH LUE: I mean, turnovers are part of the game. I like aggressive turnovers when we're trying to go to the basket, and they had about five or six strip-downs that they got, swipe-downs when we went to the basket. So those are aggressive turnovers when you're trying to get to the basket. We just can't have the cross-court silly passes or shot clock violations, things like that.

But throughout the course of the game, they're a good defensive team. They're active, they're long, they're going to get their hands on balls, so I just like the aggressive turnovers rather than the passive ones.

Q. How much of a challenge is it to maintain your team focus on your game plan and trying to not make the mistakes you made in Game 1? Do you need to be more vocal or guys like Kyrie, Kevin and LeBron need to be more vocal on the floor?
COACH LUE: I just think you prepare for a good team like this that has great movement, and until you actually get on the floor and play against them to kind of get a feel for it, it's different.

I think the guys after playing Game 1 have the feel for how they play and the speed of the game and the force which they cut and move the basketball. So after Game 1, I think we'll be very well prepared for Game 2.

Q. I apologize for stepping outside the series real quick. But with Muhammad Ali passing yesterday, is there a quote or a message of his throughout his lifetime that resonated with you, that stood out with you that you hold with you?
COACH LUE: You know, Muhammad Ali in my household meant a lot, especially to my grandfather. That was the first guy that I idolized growing up was Muhammad Ali.

There was a quote that my grandfather taught me a long time ago. It's been a long time ago, so bear with me. Impossible is a big word thrown around by small men who live in the world they've been given rather than explore the power they have to change it. And then he says impossible is not a fact, it's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, it's a dare. Impossible is -- man, it's been so long ago. But it was a quote that's always stuck with me for my life.

And my grandpa, he embedded that in me. Muhammad Ali was everything to him, and I grew up watching Muhammad Ali my whole life. I'm sorry about the quote. It went like that, but I was a young kid, and that's kind of how I lived my life because I've been underrated my whole life and I've been -- saying I couldn't achieve this, couldn't do that.

And Muhammad Ali was a big reason why I was able to achieve so much in my life. Just knowing what he's done for this country and fighting for human rights, not just black rights, but human rights, and making every kid feel they had a chance to be something special. He really meant a lot to me. I was honored and had the privilege to meet him a few times and he just meant the world to me.

I'll get the quote right. I'll get it better for you. I'm pretty sure Jason can look it up for me if I missed anything. But it went something like that. It just always meant a lot to me.

Q. I'm just wondering have you talked to Delly in the past couple days about his aggressive play? Are you happy with how he plays? Should he reel it back in a little bit? Can you just talk about that?
COACH LUE: Well, when Delly plays, they put a big guy on him. They put Iguodala on him, they put Livingston on him to try to speed him up. Told Delly just slow down, run the offense. And I know when bigger guys try to defend you, it is tough. Because I was a smaller guard and they put bigger guys on me, and it was tough.

But Delly's been great. You're going to get fight from Delly. Defensively, he's going to be great. And, you know, with his minutes being 10, 11, 12 minutes, it's really not a lot of time to get into a great flow. But Delly's been great.

Q. He's been tagged as being dirty and overly aggressive?
COACH LUE: Oh, really? Delly?

Q. Yeah.
COACH LUE: I don't believe it. I mean, some other guys have been doing way worse things than Delly has. I just see a guy who plays hard, who's tough, hard-nosed, and that's the way the game should be played.

Q. Would you say Draymond --
COACH LUE: No, I wouldn't say anything. But I wouldn't say Delly was dirty.

Q. You mentioned the other day that you had spoken to Doc [Rivers] before the series. Since you got the job, how often have you leaned on him? What have those conversations been like? Is there something that he said to you that's really helped you get through this year?
COACH LUE: Well, I talk to Doc a lot, probably too much. But he's just always been there for me, just going through tough times this season and going throughout the Playoffs. After Game 1, we've talked a few times. And just being positive and just some things that he was seeing that we could do a little different. I always lean on him to talk basketball to help me with certain situations, and he's been there for me. But I can't give away my secrets (laughing).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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