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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS CAVALIERSMay 18, 2017Tristan ThompsonBoston, Massachusetts: Practice Day Q. What challenges do you see coming tomorrow night from a Boston team that's going to be desperate? TRISTAN THOMPSON: I expect that they'll be desperate. I expect Isaiah to come out the first five minutes and get himself going. I think as a team we understand that, and we'll get prepared for them to go small, with a small lineup, or play more with Olynyk and Horford. Q. What did you like about the way you guys played defense last night? What would you say was the key to that defensive effort? TRISTAN THOMPSON: I think it was multiple efforts. There was times on the film we watched, we tried to box, X on the backside, then stack out how they had the box, force contested shots. I think we had multiple efforts, and that's what we need, especially against this team that can shoot the ball really well. We're going to have to be really good on our close-outs and really just follow our scouting report. Q. How disciplined do you have to be tomorrow to not get caught up in maybe some of the chippiness that they kind of throw at you? TRISTAN THOMPSON: You know, it's the playoffs now. People are going to junk during the game, it all plays out. We've just got to keep our composure. We've just got to stay locked in, and we can't fall into the trap. Q. There were a couple plays last night on offense where Kevin (indiscernible) -- TRISTAN THOMPSON: You're talking about when they called the offensive foul on Marcus [Smart]? Q. Yeah. TRISTAN THOMPSON: He's been doing that for a long time. [Andrew] Bogut did a really good job for Golden State doing that, so they're just trying to seal their guys and get opportunities for their teammates. The ref catches it, blows the whistle, makes the calls. Everyone does different things. Q. You guys were in control of the game yesterday for most of it. Is there a part or a piece you think you guys can do better at, or would you like to improve on things in Game 2? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Third quarter could be better. I think they outscored us 36-31 in the third quarter, so we want to -- that's too much. Our goal is for a team to score 24 or less every quarter, so we've got to be better in the third quarter. I think it starts with us as the starters. We've got to come out ready to play, and we've got to start getting stops. Once we do that, we get on a run. Q. The first two series you guys were at home, this one on the road, obviously. You guys have been dominating on the road in the Playoffs. How huge is that in the first half and take the crowd out and setting the tone for the rest of the series? TRISTAN THOMPSON: It's huge for us, especially in Boston. Their crowd is really behind them, and they feed off their crowd, so we know it's going to be the same thing tomorrow. Especially tomorrow is going to be very important because they're going to try to set the tone early. Their stars are going to have to be very aggressive, and we're going to have to withstand their runs. Q. Do you think they're going to look at tomorrow as a must-win? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Definitely. I think every game in the playoffs is a must-win, but definitely tomorrow. It's a must-win for both teams, for us and them, so it's whatever team comes out ready and brings it is going to get the ballgame. Q. You guys went from a nine-day layoff to now just a one-day break. How will that play a factor tomorrow night? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Shoot, we just had nine days off, so we're ready to go. But guys will get some good rest, eat good tonight, get some treatment, and be ready to go tomorrow at 8:30. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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