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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORS

June 7, 2016

Steve Kerr

Cleveland, Ohio: Practice Day

Q. Steve, what has it been about Game 3s for you guys? There have been some different circumstances in each, but you guys have struggled more in Game 3 than any other game.
STEVE KERR: Yeah, I wish I knew. I would just tell the guys not to do that, whatever it was, but every series is different. In Oklahoma City we were out of sorts. I think we've had a couple of Game 3s where maybe we let our guard down, up 2-0 type thing. Last year we lost here in Game 3. I remember that.

I don't think there is a common denominator. We've just got to come out and play better.

Q. Two games in a row you guys took care of business quite well without too much play from Steph and Klay. As a coach, how pleased are you when you see your team play so well and win games in such a fashion?
STEVE KERR: Well, we just want to win. It doesn't matter who scores the points or who gets the credit. We do feel like the strength of our team is our depth, and we're not overly reliant on one player, even the MVP. So our depth has shown so far, and I'm sure we'll have different players continue to step up as the series goes on.

Q. Would you expect to see a different Kyrie Irving, especially if they don't have Kevin Love able to go?
STEVE KERR: Well, we just expect Cleveland to play well regardless of which individual players we're talking about. They're at home. Everybody plays better at home in the Playoffs. So I think they'll come out and they'll be more aggressive and play better. It's up to us to deal with that and deal with the crowd and the emotion and all that stuff, and be able to keep the game under control and play well ourselves.

Q. I guess you kind of addressed this, but on the road in the Playoffs you guys have played some great games. Obviously, Game 6 in Oklahoma City, the overtime game in Portland, and also some games where you've gotten blown out very uncharacteristically. Why do you think there is been such a wide range of performance on the road in the Playoffs?
STEVE KERR: This year's been a little different with Steph's injury. I think, if I remember correctly he sat out the Game 3 in Portland and then came back Game 4. Houston he was, I guess injured in the first half of Game 3. Was that Game 4? So he missed Game 3.

Yeah, this year has been different. Last year we had a pretty smooth run health-wise. I think Mo got hurt a little bit in the Conference Finals, but for the most part we stayed healthy. This year has been a little jumbled, and we've obviously been challenged. Portland was a great series. Every game was close other than the first one, I think. Then Oklahoma City had us on the ropes. So we've probably dealt with more adversity this year and had to kind of bounce back from losses and from injuries and that kind of stuff.

But like I said, I don't think there's anything we can point to in terms of why we're struggling in Game 3s or the difference between wins and losses. It's usually the same stuff. You know, you either play well or you don't.

Q. What do you think about Steph's decision to pull out of the Olympics? Were you consulted in the process?
STEVE KERR: I was not consulted. That's Steph's decision. As his coach I'm pleased. He needs rest. Two straight years going to The Finals, he's had injuries not only this year but in the past. I think rest will serve him really well, but it's up to each individual player if he wants the experience or not.

That's a tough choice because being in the Olympics is a great honor, but I think for Steph, I think he weighed all the dynamics and realized that a summer of rest would be the best thing for him long-term. And I think that's the wise choice.

Q. Typically bench guys are better at home than on the road, but you've got a couple of veteran guys in Shaun and Andre in particular. Would the home-road split thing do you think be much different for those guys?
STEVE KERR: It wasn't last year when we were here. Andre became the series MVP. Obviously played extremely well here. Shaun had a huge Game 6 when we were able to close that series out. I kind of look at those guys as starters anyway, really. Andre is playing 35 minutes and Shaun has been through everything in his life and his career. So I don't think the road bothers him much.

But it is true, I mean, it's harder to play longer minutes with your bench on the road for whatever reason, momentum, crowd noise. It's tough to pinpoint it, but we're confident that our guys can come out and play well on the road anyway.

Q. Steve, a couple weeks ago the whole world was reminding you guys how mathematically improbable your situation was down 1-3. Do you kind of remind your guys that Cleveland's hearing exactly the same thing right now? And in the same way I'm sure it's motivated you guys in some respects, it's probably holding true in their locker room as well?
STEVE KERR: Yeah, that's a great analogy. One that we've already used. It doesn't matter what the scores are. Doesn't matter if you win by 25 or lose by 25, it's one game in the series, and we got blown out twice in a row in OKC, down 3-1, and we were able to come back. We know we're playing against a great team. They're coming home. They can change the momentum around just with one win, so we've got to be ready.

Q. You mentioned earlier in the series that having a championship with this group lifts a burden. It can lift a burden with the group. How have you seen that manifest itself in focus and confidence? How would you sort of quantify that?
STEVE KERR: It's just a deeper level of confidence. So when you're down 3-1, and you've got the experience of winning a title, I think you have more belief that you can come back. I think there's definitely kind of a stigma in the league for individual players and teams, if you haven't won the big one, and that can weigh on you. That's not a factor for us. We've won one, and we obviously want to win another one. But there is a relief that comes when you've won a title. You get rid of that burden and so we're not dealing with that.

So I think we have, as I said, a really good level of confidence. I think that showed in the last series and how this series has started, and we just want to keep that going.

Q. Steph played fewer minutes in Game 2. There was some foul trouble involved. Was it because of the fouls or can you give us an update on his physical status right now and are you holding him back because of injury?
STEVE KERR: No, it was all based on fouls and then he was able to sit out the last seven minutes or so because we had the comfortable lead. But he picked up silly fouls. He was his own worst enemy in Game 2, and we were fortunate to play well without him and win the game. But he can't reach -- I mean, he had three just crazy reaches and slap-downs on guys' arms and wrists. He's got to be more disciplined than that. We need him on the floor.

Q. Can you give us an update on his physical status?
STEVE KERR: Nobody's ever said anything to me the last week, none of the trainers, Steph. So as far as I'm concerned if they haven't told me anything, then he's 100%.

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