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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS vs ROCKETSMay 22, 2018Mike D'AntoniOakland, California: Game Four Q. I don't know that 65-win teams face a lot of adversity over the course of the season. But were there moments that you got a sense of the fortitude about your team that stood out to you? MIKE D'ANTONI: I mean, a little bit. We lost five in a row at one point, but guys were injured, so we kind of had a -- we've been pretty secure all year. It's been pretty good. Obviously, we won 65 games. We knew we were good. We know we're good now. This is much better team than we've ever had, and we'll have to respond to it. But I don't have any doubt about the guys in the locker room whether they're up to the task or not. I know they are. But Golden State will be up there too. So is it was a little disappointing the last game. Obviously, we didn't play well, and we didn't shoot the ball well. Didn't do some things that we have to do to be able to win on their home court. Q. After all the talk and the hype for this series, all three games have been decided by more than 10 points, a couple of them blowouts. Any personal theories as to why it's been so uneven this far? MIKE D'ANTONI: I mean, the only thing I've seen is that each -- one team hasn't played with the other one. They see an opening, they can stop you pretty quick. I thought we did the same thing in Houston. Never let them get back in it. We shot the ball so well, and they've done the same thing with us here. If you're not on the top of your game, the other team's going to beat you pretty good. So we'll see how it goes this game. Hopefully it's the other way around, but you never know. Q. Without Andre Iguodala, he's one of their top defenders and playmakers, what do they lose with that? MIKE D'ANTONI: Well, he's important to them. So they only have four All-Stars instead of five. So really put a crimp in their style (laughing). He's like anybody. He's a big part of what they do. They have plenty of others that could pick up the slack, but at the same time it's unfortunate for him. I'm sure he'd rather be out there. But I'm not too worried about them and how they'll respond. Q. You said before during shootaround that you feel the pressure is on the Warriors. MIKE D'ANTONI: Right. That would have worked out well for me, yeah. Q. I mean, why do you think that? Does your team respond better to either having the pressure on it or having the pressure on the other team? MIKE D'ANTONI: I don't know. We've just been together one year. I could tell you more. The sample size is not that big. There haven't been too many pressure games this year. But I don't have any doubt about our character in the locker room. They want to get it done, and they'll respond to big moments. We have guys that have played in big moments all over the place. So, that is not even a doubt. It's just the good competition between two good teams, and you better be careful we don't make layups and we don't make shots, it's hard to beat them. I understand the defense, we've just got to pick up our intensity and stuff. But that was a big factor, I thought, last game. Just the layups at the rim. They just ran out and it was a little bit of back breakers each time we messed up. So hopefully we can do a better job. But pressure, non-pressure, it's on both teams. Every game is like must-win, and it's been that way. Sometimes you're on top of your game. Sometimes you're not. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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