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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS CAVALIERS

May 16, 2017

Jae Crowder

Boston, Massachusetts: Practice Day

Q. How much did the seven-game series take out of you guys for going to the next round?
JAE CROWDER: I don't know, we haven't played the next round yet.

Q. Do you guys feel tired?
JAE CROWDER: I mean, we're playing in the playoffs. Every team is pretty much tired and fatigued, but it's mind over matter. Taking care of your body is something you do every day. It's that time of the year where everybody is a little nicked and bruised and fatigued, but you've got to overcome that.

Q. Talk about the emotional and mental aspect of flipping a switch now, obviously big celebration last night and then all of a sudden immediately getting ready --
JAE CROWDER: Yeah, that's part of it. It's part of being in the playoffs. It's part of going seven games in a series. But we endured it last night, and we came in today and prepared very well. We'll get off our feet later on and get some rest and be ready to go tomorrow.

Q. What's the difference in mindset this year versus when you played the Cavs in the playoffs a couple years ago?
JAE CROWDER: We believe in each other a little more than we did a few years ago. We got this far by believing in one another and preparing ourselves each and every day for that moment. It's a much different mindset of preparation for each and every guy, each and every coach.

Q. How important has it been for this group, the adversity of going down two games to Chicago and then a tough series against Washington?
JAE CROWDER: That helps a lot. It shows a tremendous amount of continuity with everybody. We've been doing a great job of just sticking together through ups and downs all year long. I think it really came to show here in the playoffs. That's definitely what it's about. It's about not hanging your head when you lose a game and not getting too high on yourself when you win a game. Just staying even-keeled.

Q. From what you've seen, what are they doing so well right now?
JAE CROWDER: Of course, transition, make you pay when you make mistakes. They've been doing that all year, just being great in transition, especially when they win games. They've been No. 1 in the league in transition. You've got to take care of the ball and get good shots and move the ball very well and make those guys work because they throw a lot of different curve balls on you.

Q. What can you say from the regular season when you played them?
JAE CROWDER: They're playing much different right now. They have great catch-and-shoot guys on the court. They have a few guys that can get to the rim and hurt you. We've got to take away a lot of tendencies and be aware of a couple play calls and a couple guys that catch-and-shoot and whatnot. They have a good mixture of a lot of things on offense, and defensively I feel like they do a lot of different things to mix it up. So you've got to take advantage of whatever they throw at you.

Q. I know it takes team defense to stop a guy like LeBron James, but is this a matchup that you're looking forward to and that you're taking personally?
JAE CROWDER: I mean, yeah. But at the same time, like you said, it is team defense, and we have a lot of different options that we're going to throw at him as a group. Once he gets comfortable, he makes it tough on you. We'll just try to make him uncomfortable as much as possible. He does make you work, and he's a great competitor.

Q. How much confidence-wise does it help that you guys are starting the series at home?
JAE CROWDER: It helps a lot. We talked about it last night after the win. We basically got the win last night and then didn't have to travel. I think we're reaping the benefits of being a top seed, by keeping the home-court advantage, especially when it's this late when travel is taking a toll on your body. So it helps.

Q. Will you pay attention to the lottery?
JAE CROWDER: Yeah, it'll be out there, right? Something to watch on TV.

Q. What is the mentality going in as underdogs?
JAE CROWDER: The mentality is to win the ballgame by any means necessary. Win the game and take care of our home court. We've been talking about taking care of our home court all year, and we've done a great job during the playoffs. Hopefully we can keep it going and keep putting ourselves in position to keep it going, keep doing what we have to do to move on.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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