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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CAVALIERS vs CELTICS

May 25, 2018

George Hill

Cleveland, Ohio: Game Six

Cavaliers - 109, Celtics - 99.

Q. Have you ever had a playoff series just from an offensive standpoint where it's been so strong at home and not as strong on the road, and if so, how do you get that going to carry that into Game 7?
GEORGE HILL: I've been in a lot of playoff games so far, and it hasn't been so night and day my whole career. I don't know what it is, but I have to program myself mentally to do better. Take it upon myself and be more aggressive on both ends of the floor in a go-home situation.

Q. Have you talked with Ty Lue or anyone about that or what they've seen with you, some advice or something that your teammates are seeing?
GEORGE HILL: No. I think he trusts me. He kind of lets me go. Other than just saying be aggressive. But I can't blame anybody. I was never at that point to say it's this guy's fault or it's this because I can't do this. I take all the blame for it, and the way I've played on the road is unacceptable. As a player, I've got to be better.

Q. You were aggressive tonight. Did you tell yourself you needed to be even more aggressive when Kevin Love went down with that injury?
GEORGE HILL: No, I think I had the mindset of being aggressive from the start of the game. I don't think Kevin's injury had anything to do with how I was going to play. I took it upon myself to just put myself in situations where I can be aggressive. It's kind of like that moment where you don't want to go home. It's not time to go home. I think the adrenaline kicked in where I had that pressure and I was saying, I'm not going home today.

Q. This series is about home-court advantage. How do you guys as a team, not just as an individual, take what you guys did tonight as a team and win where you haven't won yet this series?
GEORGE HILL: It's going to be tough. No team has won there in these playoffs so far. We've got to try to be the first. We know it's going to be a tough atmosphere and a crazy time, but we've got to focus on just one game. I think if we take that same energy from tip-off that we brought tonight, I think we'll be fine. But we can't go in there and settle. We can't go in there and get back on our heels. We've got to go put the pressure on them.

Q. We've seen you play two elimination games now with the Cavs, Game 7 against the Pacers and then tonight. In both games you seemed to go to the hole. That seemed like that was your game plan. Why when you absolutely have to have it, have to have a game, why then go to the rim?
GEORGE HILL: I don't know. I think it's just overall, like I said, mindset. The thing that they say, if the jump shot is not falling, be aggressive. I felt like the last couple games, Boston, I may have settled a little bit for a couple jump shots or kind of went away and didn't assert myself in the offense.

Just take it upon myself of trying to be there for my teammates, knowing that my play from last game was unacceptable. First thing I did was just try to get to the basket, get some easy looks. I think driving to the basket opens up the feeling of your game with jump shots going in.

But just the mindset of just attacking early.

Q. And then the guys Ty is relying on, you guys -- other than Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, I guess, you're all veterans. You've been there a bunch of times. With that in mind, did LeBron have any special message before tonight? Can you share what he may have said in any huddles or anything like that?
GEORGE HILL: He says what he needs to say. It's nothing out of the ordinary. He said just leave it all out on the floor, be determined, play hard and win this game. Just focus on this game and give ourselves a chance. That's all he said. I think every guy rallied around that and gave ourselves a chance.

Q. I know this is a hard question, but you've waited this long to get to The Finals. What do you think these next 36 hours are going to be like for you, having made the playoffs so many times? I think you've been to a Game 7 in the Conference Finals one other time. What's going through your mind emotionally for this opportunity?
GEORGE HILL: I don't know. I've been in a whirlwind all season, starting out in Sac. I didn't think I would get this opportunity. To get this opportunity I think is a once in a lifetime. You've got to take advantage of it. I have to focus and try to do the same things that I prepared today to take into Sunday.

It sounds funny, but I had to go find my Chipotle barbacoa. That's my pregame meal, so I'm up two games -- well, the three games here, that's what I ate before the game. I'm for sure going to find a Chipotle in Boston, I'll tell you that.

Q. What salsa first on the burrito?
GEORGE HILL: No, I just get regular tacos with barbacoa and guacamole. That's it.

Q. The third quarter tonight, it's been a problem for the Cavs at times in these playoffs and this year. You had 12 points in the third. What was your approach coming out of halftime?
GEORGE HILL: Just mindset. Like I said, being aggressive, trying to get to the rack. I know that's been our Achilles heel so far this playoffs, the third quarter. Guys came out of the locker room early, did two lines, got some layups, got shots going, got loose. We said the first three minutes of the third quarter that we need to make a statement and impact the game. I think the first possession we got the steal for the layup. But all the guys just making plays down the stretch to really put ourselves in a situation where we could get a win.

Q. How would you characterize what LeBron did on the court tonight?
GEORGE HILL: I don't know. That guy amazes me every night, from the amount of minutes, the amount of years he got, the amount of fouls he gets on his body and guys he has hanging off his body. What he does night in, night out is something remarkable. That's why he's one of the best in the world if not the best. But it's very special. I'm very fortunate and blessed to have him on our side this time. I've been in the league for some years and ran across him on the other side and really hated his guts. But to have him on our side, it kind of lets me take a deep breath of fresh air. It's just something that you really can't explain what he's doing night in, night out. It's just something special.

Q. You've had a front-row seat now being a part of this. Is this the best you've seen him play since you've been playing against him?
GEORGE HILL: Yeah, I thought the best was when he always put us out. But to actually see it when he's on your team, I can't even put it into words. Sometimes I just think, How did he make that shot or how did he make that move or when did he see that pass? Just night in, night out, just making big plays and big shots. People always list him as not a shooter, but he's making big shots down the stretch. If it's three-pointers, layups, dunks, passes, he can do it all. That's why I kind of take it upon myself to say he's the best that I've seen ever.

Q. What has to happen Sunday? There's been a talk about you can't rely on hero ball. Maybe LeBron has another 46 in him but maybe not. What do you have to do to have a chance to win Sunday?
GEORGE HILL: We as role guys have to step up and play. It's Game 7, it's an elimination game. We can't focus on what he's doing. He's going to play his game. He's going to do what he does. We have to take it upon ourselves, be ready to play from the jump ball and give it all we've got out there. We can't focus on sitting in the backseat waiting on him to insert us into the offense. We have to go get it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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