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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS vs WARRIORS

May 31, 2018

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors - 124, Cavaliers - 114 (OT)

Q. Draymond, you missed some plays from the last series, and even this one the first three-point shots you put up, you missed them. What gave you the confidence to keep shooting? Because you finally got probably the two biggest plays of the game?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Well, I know how much time I put in on my shot. I put a ton of time in. Just trying to stay confident. I've got guys like Steph who after I missed the first one, he's like, listen, you're going to get that shot all night, take it with confidence.

Coach Kerr has been telling me the last couple days, your shot's going to fall, take it with confidence. Even Zaza came up to me before the game, like this whole pep talk about shooting the basketball.

Like when you play with people like that, coaches like that, play for coaches like that, and they keep that confidence in you, it helps you keep that confidence in yourself.

You know, the big moment helps. You like to be in that moment, so I think that helps as well.

Q. Steph, could you elaborate on what happened down the stretch with you and LeBron and Dray, could you follow with what led to the situation with Tristan Thompson?
STEPHEN CURRY: Just words exchanged on a good block, and keep it moving on my end. And it's going to happen. There's going to be chatter. We've gotten very familiar with each other over the last four years. So, I guess it's kind of part of the game. But at the end of the day, it's a bunch of nothing.

DRAYMOND GREEN: Nothing (laughing).

Q. What was your take on some of the turns of events down the stretch, that charge that was then changed and then JR dribbling back after the rebound there? Just it was a wild finish?
STEPHEN CURRY: It was a crazy game. I think all Game 1s are just different in their own right because you're having to adjust to a certain style of play with a different team. But the way it went down the wire, we were scrambling on that last missed free throw, trying to get the rebound. Saw JR running back towards half court, kind of didn't know what was going on at the time because we were all trying to find a man in case they got a shot off. Thankfully the time ran out so we could have new life in overtime.

The Finals, man, anything is liable to happen. All that matters is you get a win and turn the page to Game 2. Just enjoy the moment.

Q. Draymond, could you please elaborate on what happened with that verbal altercation, whatever you want to call it, with Tristan Thompson?
DRAYMOND GREEN: It wasn't really a verbal altercation. It wasn't much verbal. So, yeah, nothing. I really don't know what you want from me. It is what it is. Life goes on. He got a flagrant 2 for the foul, we move forward and get ready for the next game. It is what it is.

Q. Draymond, Steve Kerr said the win, in his opinion, because of the JR play, was lucky, in his words. He said it a couple times. Do you agree with that assessment that the win was lucky because of that?
DRAYMOND GREEN: Sometimes you need a little luck. You know, it's good to be lucky sometimes. So I'll take it. I think when he got the rebound, he probably could have laid it up. But nonetheless, that's a part of the game, being locked in. I mean, you got to know the score. That's just kind of basketball. You got to know if you're winning or losing or tied. Like I said, we'll take it. Sometimes it's good to be a little lucky. So, hey, Steve, cool. It is what it is.

Q. Steph, is there any doubt in your mind that JR Smith, when he got that rebound and did what he did, thought that his team was ahead in the game, and why?
STEPHEN CURRY: You'd have to ask him.

Q. Well, the reason I asked you is because he was in there saying "I knew it was tied" and I was -- so I'm just wondering, knowing it was tied, how would you now observe what you saw in that situation?
STEPHEN CURRY: I don't know.

DRAYMOND GREEN: I guess that further goes along with my theory, I thought he was looking for LeBron. I would have looked for LeBron too. I guess.

Q. LeBron James played pretty good in regulation. He just got two points in overtime. What is the key to the defense?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I think there was a lot of resistance. Not only some of the shots -- like he really got it going there from three in that third quarter. But maybe the fourth quarter a little bit as well. But that was resistance that entire half. So the easy buckets that he was getting in the first half, they weren't as easy in the second half.

And that's over the course of time, you play good defense, with resistance, you'll get a guy to miss some shots. And we were able to do that at times throughout that third and fourth quarter and in overtime as well.

We got to come out next game and have more resistance against him to start the game. But I think in that second half we were much better defensively against him. He's still going to make some shots, that's why he is who he is. But some of them, if you play great defense, you can live with. You can't really live with the ones we gave up in the first half.

Q. When the game is getting chippy and edgy, and you've got Draymond on your side and he's hyped, what is that like to watch him in this lather and doing his emotional dominance thing?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's empowering all the way around. Once again, glad he's on my team.

DRAYMOND GREEN: Appreciate that, man.

Q. What is your opinion of this whole unwritten rule at the end of the game you're not allowed to shoot at certain times? What do you think of that?
STEPHEN CURRY: If there's time on the clock and the shot clock differential, whatever, just play it to the end. I don't think we would get on our feelings if somebody came down and finished out a possession and got a shot up. I mean, obviously, if they're doing some taunting or doing some crazy stuff, that's a little different. But if you're just playing the game of basketball and finishing out a possession instead of taking a turnover, I don't see any problem with that at all. Guys are out there to finish a game and play the right way. So I think that's part of playing the right way.

Q. You guys have played with Klay for so long. He's a guy that basically never gets hurt. What's your thought process when he goes down on what looks like a potentially bad knee injury and he's in the locker room during that first quarter?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's a bad feeling. I think for me I threw him a deflected pass and put him in that position, so I was feeling a little type of way about it. But, obviously you're worried and concerned. When he goes to the locker room, hopefully he's okay and able to come back, and that's what happened.

So definitely caught a break there because it could have been worse. But hopefully he bounces back before Sunday and gets pretty close to 100% and is able to play in the series, for sure.

Q. When McGee had that nice spell and Cleveland called timeout and everybody was kind of running back, you stopped JaVale in the middle of the court and looked like you were kind of giving him some instructions. Can you share with us what you were telling him?
DRAYMOND GREEN: I was just nit-picking at something that happened on the floor. I think there's times where we're all feeling good and everybody was feeling great. He came in and had given us a good few minutes and helped us take the lead. But nonetheless, I think there's still -- when things need to be said in the midst of everything that's going around, the crowd's going crazy, you still have to make those because that same play can happen again, and we need to be prepared for it.

So I was just giving him a word of advice on a situation that had just happened a play before that, and also telling them great minutes and great job, and way to be ready.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS vs WARRIORS

May 31, 2018

Stephen Curry

Draymond Green