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NBA FINALS: CLEVELAND VS GOLDEN STATE

June 8, 2017

Klay Thompson

Cleveland, Ohio: Practice Day

Q. On Game 4:
KLAY THOMPSON: Close-out games are always the hardest. We have been on both sides of that. We know Cleveland is not the type of team that's just going to lie down just because they're down 3-0. They didn't lie down last year. We don't expect them to do it this year.

We have to come out and enforce our will. We can't think that Game 4 is going to be given to us just because we're up 3-0. Naturally it's easy to relax, thinking you have four chances to win a championship.

But that's not our mindset tomorrow. It's win or go home, really, and try and finish it out tomorrow, because we don't want to give them any life.

They were down 3-1 last year. That's still fresh in our minds that, when you have an opportunity to close, you close.

Q. How much of what happened last year has helped you guys be more focused on this year?
KLAY THOMPSON: It's definitely helped us. I mean, it was a terrible thing to go through, but you get stronger from it. Last year we might have gotten excited thinking about, oh, we have a chance to get a parade; or, 3-1, no one's ever come back from that. So we probably got a little complacent.

But this year we're still hungry to get this fourth win and we know they're not out of it until it's over. It definitely helps, and it's still fresh in our minds.

Q. You guys have already made NBA history to win 15 in a row, and we all know what happens if you win 16. Is that in your thought process at all?
KLAY THOMPSON: A little bit, just because 16-0 means we're champs. So it all comes down to this one game. It would be a great piece of history. It wasn't a goal of ours to start the postseason, but now that's it's attainable, we have our eyes set on it and all we have to do is come out with great focus and play as hard as we can and we should be in a position to win.

Q. Talking about that streak. Can you take a step back and see that you guys have won 15 in a row in the postseason?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yes, it's impressive, but it doesn't matter until we get that 16th one. It's very impressive, though. It's something that we pride ourselves on, just our consistency this postseason and not getting down on ourselves or not feeling ourselves too much when we have been winning, but still staying hungry and on course.

Q. How is your mindset going into Game 4?
KLAY THOMPSON: Well, obviously, I shot the ball better these past two games than I have throughout the whole Playoffs, so that always feels good. But my mindset always stays the same, even if I was shooting poorly. It's just to get a few good looks early and just play within the flow of the offense and I'll get great shots. I know I will.

But yesterday is over. It was a great feeling and all that, but we have to quickly forget about it. My shooting, I just have to stay focused. If I do that, the ball will go in.

Q. Did your dad already talk to you about tomorrow? Has he tried to say anything?
KLAY THOMPSON: He doesn't really tell me much because he knows I know what I have to do. So he just told me to not give them life, obviously, and that they're not going to quit; they're going to come out with great fire tomorrow, knowing no one ever wants to get swept. So we expect the Cavs' best punch tomorrow and we'll be ready, because we know what's at stake.

Q. You have a chance to do something really special tomorrow. Just from your perspective, after losing last year's Finals, what was the most painful moment when it really hit you the most?
KLAY THOMPSON: Last year's Finals?

Q. Yeah, afterward.
KLAY THOMPSON: I don't know. That was a long time ago. Probably, I mean, walking off of Oracle, Game 7, that's a terrible feeling. But I've been on both sides now. So I think it's helped our experience, helped our poise. But probably right when that buzzer sounded on Game 7 is when it obviously hurt the most.

Q. What goes through your mind when Draymond goes into these moments like yesterday where he goes off a little bit? As a teammate, what goes through your mind?
KLAY THOMPSON: Draymond has been doing a better job of controlling his emotions, his poise. We need him out there. He won't get in foul trouble tomorrow. Unfortunately, he has been in foul trouble the last couple games. But when he's on the court, he's so effective on both sides of the ball.

So he knows that and he's one of the best at adjusting in the NBA. He'll make the right adjustments and he'll be out there, and he'll be a great two-way player like he always is.

Q. When you analyze KD's game, do you feel like there's still more that he can unlock in his game?
KLAY THOMPSON: I think so. It's hard to imagine that, because he's so dang good. I mean, he does everything out there. But the sky's the limit for that man. His talent level is almost unmatched in this league, and he has been so phenomenal this postseason.

The great thing about KD is he doesn't care that we won yesterday. He's all about staying in the present. He's really focused on just winning right now.

Q. Can you talk about playing with Draymond and seeing him progress in his NBA career.
KLAY THOMPSON: Draymond is one of the most versatile players in this league. No one saw that coming when he was drafted out of Michigan State. Everyone knew he was a very tough competitor, a very skilled guy, but for him to get to this level where he's doing literally everything on the floor, it's unbelievable.

There are not very many guys like him in this league. He unlocks our offense and our defense and allows us to do so many things. His versatility is what sets him apart from so many other power forwards. He doesn't really have a position; he's just an amazing basketball player.

Q. Have you ever been involved in a situation where the stakes are this high as they were last night when the game took such a dramatic turn in a short period of time?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, there have been a couple that I can think of. But in The Finals, no, that one was huge, at least this year. There have been a few in the past, but that's probably the biggest game of the season, because it could have swayed the whole momentum of the series. It's still not over, but you would rather be up 3-0 than 2-1. So it's a better position to be in.

Q. What's the mentality when the building is erupting, it feels like they're going to get the win and be right back where they were last year at this time, and yet you guys continue on with the game plan. How were you guys able to do that?
KLAY THOMPSON: Just not playing the score. I think instead of trying to get it back all in one play or a couple threes, we just methodically ran through our offense, were patient, played really good defense, communicated really well on both sides of the ball and most importantly trusted each other.

We knew with four minutes left we were down six or something and we didn't panic. We stayed patient and trusted each other and, obviously, big-time players make big-time plays.

Q. Steve was talking about how all these experiences you've been through the last couple years, down 2-1, up 2-1, that's all come to play. In your mind how does that affect you? How has that changed your mentality?
KLAY THOMPSON: I just draw on those experiences to stay even-keeled. I've been on both sides. We were down 2-1 and you feel like you can't get anything going. The media was talking about, are they overrated or not. Then on the other side, where you're up 2-1 or you're up 3-0, everyone is just praising you and you're on your high horse then.

So for me it's just -- and the whole team -- you have to stay even-keeled, not read that stuff. And stay hungry. Because it's easy to fall in love with yourself, or to think you need improvements. But we got here for a reason, playing our brand of basketball. Just stay level-headed, don't get too high or low on yourself, because it's a long series.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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