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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORSJune 18, 2016Draymond GreenOakland, California: Practice Day Q. In the absence of Andrew Bogut, do you think you're better off starting with a center? DRAYMOND GREEN: I think we're better off playing hard. I think so much is made of who is starting and who is on the floor. If you don't play hard, it doesn't matter who's on the floor. We just have to compete with an edge. I think we got off to such a slow start that once you let a good team like that get into rhythm -- especially on their home floor, though we battled back a couple times -- it's just too big of a hole. Q. To that point, how important is the start then for you guys? DRAYMOND GREEN: It's very important, especially in a Game 7. You want to impose your will on the game right away. As crazy as this sounds -- we're not viewing it this way; we want to come out and get off to a great start -- you even have a little more room for error at home than you do on the road. On the road, it's almost impossible to get off to a start like that and come back. But we've got to get off to a great start here. We want to get our crowd involved in the game. We do that early, it can pay dividends for us. Q. When you lose two games like you did and you're up three games to one, how much is the confidence of the group affected by two straight losses? DRAYMOND GREEN: It doesn't. At the end of the day, we knew this wouldn't be a walk in the park. It's hard. It's hard to win a championship. But we've never really been a team to lack confidence. We feel like we can do anything. That's going to always be our mindset. Q. Do you think there was a dose of overconfidence, perhaps, at 3-1 when you're up with one game to clinch it? DRAYMOND GREEN: No, I don't think so. I think coming into Game 5 we just expected it to be over. Fans, players, everybody just expected it was over, and it wasn't. But it happens. It's a seven-game series. We have to win one game. We've got one game left to do it, but I like our chances at home. Q. There is a sentiment here that the referees didn't respect Steph enough in Game 6. Would you agree with that? DRAYMOND GREEN: I have nothing to do with that. Q. LeBron has played as well as we've seen him play in a long, long time. What do you do to slow that train? DRAYMOND GREEN: Put a body on him. He has to feel us from the jump. Can't let him get into rhythm. Q. Do you allow yourself any what ifs, pro or con? What if you win and win two straight? what if you lose and you don't follow up 73-9? Do you think about anything like that? DRAYMOND GREEN: No, I stopped thinking about 73-9 when 73-9 was over. That doesn't matter anymore. We're trying to win a championship. At this point, no what-if matters. We've got one game. This is what you live for. I mean, Game 7 in the NBA Finals? That doesn't happen often. It will be fun. Q. How would you characterize the mindset and mood of the team since the last two losses? DRAYMOND GREEN: Same mindset and mood it always is. Mindset that we're going to go out and win. Mood, loose environment like we always have, having fun. Q. The fact that it's a Game 7, a magical Game 7 that you alluded to, how does that impact your psyche? It's do or die. DRAYMOND GREEN: At the end of the day, I think we were just here in the worst predicament two and a half weeks ago. We'll be just fine. It's Game 7, yeah, but that usually lasts for the first five, six minutes, and then it's a game. Obviously, you want to overcome that and come out right from the gate and get after it, but it doesn't always work like that. But at the end of the day, it's just a game. Q. What can you do with LeBron? Has he just been more aggressive the last two games, and do you expect that tomorrow? DRAYMOND GREEN: Sure, he'll be aggressive. Q. If Andre Iguodala isn't 100% for Game 7, what will that mean for you if he is unable to be as effective as he usually is? DRAYMOND GREEN: You kind of just feel the game out and go as it goes. It's hard to always go and say, "Oh, I've got to do this, I've got to do that." I think you end up thinking too much anyway. Just feel the game out and play it as it goes. Q. What would you have done differently if you personally had Game 6 back? DRAYMOND GREEN: I was too tentative. Be more myself. I can't get it back, but I've got a Game 7 to do that. Q. Why would you ever be timid? DRAYMOND GREEN: There are circumstances. It is what it is. But just got to be myself. Q. How did you feel when you thought about it afterward? DRAYMOND GREEN: I didn't sleep. It bothered me. I can't spend my whole summer like that after what I did. We've got one shot. I'm looking forward to it. Q. What can we expect from you tomorrow? DRAYMOND GREEN: All I can promise is that I'm going to play hard. I can't promise anything else. I don't think anyone on the basketball court can promise anything else. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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