	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORS

June 9, 2016

Tristan Thompson

Cleveland, Ohio: Practice Day

Q. As you guys watched the video, what jumped out and pleased you the most about the effort and physicality and attention to detail?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: You hit it right on the head. We were physical. They felt us from the opening tip. We got a lot of stops and we pushed the tempo. Like what Coach Lue said, he wants to push the pace. Like I've been saying all season, the athletes we've got, if we get stops on the defensive end, we're pretty dangerous in transition. It definitely starts on defense for us. I think that's the key. Our defense will create our offense.

Q. What is the challenge of replicating that?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Come with the same fight and grit. They're still up 2-1. The most important game for us is Game 4. It's a game that we want to win. We view it as a must-win. We're going to come with that approach and give it all.

Q. You've talked a little bit about that attitude and perhaps it doesn't matter who you're guarding as long as you have that physicality. One of the big highlights was you taking the challenge of guarding Steph. It seems like you guys as a team are making sure he's working for every inch he can get on the court. Is that fair to say?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: The way that this team plays, they've got great guys that are screeners -- Bogut, Draymond, they get their guys open. So we're in position as bigs where we're going to have to switch out and guard Steph and Klay. That's where you've got to watch the film and know the tendencies and know what they're great at and what things they're not so great at. For me, if I'm switching on Steph, I definitely want to make it tough on him, or Klay, force him to take contested shots. After they get the offensive rebound, find them early, because their best offense is offensive rebound and kick-out for a three.

Q. Last year in The Finals Bogut played three combined minutes in Games 4, 5 and 6. What are you expecting from them in terms of that? How does that affect your preparation?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Whoever they throw out there, we've got to be ready to play. That was last year. They had David Lee last year, so that definitely helped them in terms of a big-time player on the block just because in his career he has been a double-double guy. But Bogut has played well for them in Games 1 and 2. He's blocking shots, controlling the glass. It's just one of those nights where he's going to come out very aggressive tomorrow, and he's going to try to make sure he has an impact on the game.

Q. You mentioned knowing the tendencies, watching the film on Steph and Klay. What is the level of concentration that you guys have to execute? You let them go in the last few seconds and they'll pop a shot.
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Exactly. Like you said, you've got to be so locked in where you're almost in a matrix, locked in a zone, because, really, if you relax for one second, Steph's on the other side of the court and he's getting the open three in the corner and it's almost cash.

For me, when I'm guarding him, I'm trying to deny him from getting the ball and really make it tough for him. I'd rather him try to go to the rim and I meet him there than him taking threes.

Q. Was it good to see Kevin out there? I know he wasn't at game speed, but worked up a little bit of a lather.
TRISTAN THOMPSON: It was great to see Kevin out there. Like you said, get a good lather in, get a good sweat in. He looks great. Whatever the protocols are, that's not for me. That's for T-Lue or the doctors or whoever you talk to for that. But we're ready for whoever is going to play in Game 4.

We'd love to have Kevin out there. He's a big part of our team and a big part of what we're trying to accomplish. So whether it's him or not, the next guy's ready to step up, whether it's Channing, RJ [Richard Jefferson], whoever it is, it's next man up.

Q. Being 2-0 down, is what you did yesterday a matter of desire?
TRISTAN THOMPSON: Yeah, it comes down to effort and taking the personal matchup and looking at the guy in front of you and saying, I'm going to make it tough for him. He's not going to come in and kick my tail. I'm going to take pride and guard him and make it tough for him. At the end of the day, it's the NBA and guys are going to get points on you. But if you just play hard and compete and make him earn every point that he gets, you can live with that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297