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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: TRAIL BLAZERS VS. WARRIORS

May 20, 2019

Klay Thompson

Portland, Oregon - Postgame 4

Golden State 119, Portland 117

Q. What was the difference between those four games [in the regular season] and these four games?
KLAY THOMPSON: Man, I don't know. Key word, regular. Just get so used to playing 82 games every year. You want to win every night but you don't put too much stock into what you did in those 82 because once playoffs start, it's a clean slate, and I don't know, the difference between the playoffs and the regular season, the game gets much tighter. There's more holding, grabbing, refs let a little more go, and just the physicality and just, you know, the fatigue toward the end of season playing that many games.

Q. Going to the Finals five straight time. Anything different than the last four?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, our opponents have been different, but other than that, it felt like one big season. It's really hard to differentiate each run. They have been different in their own unique ways, but it felt like one big season lumped together for the last five years, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Q. The fact that Draymond [Green] can control the game and continue to do it all year after year.
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, 18 and 14 and 11, gets a few steals and a couple blocks. That's unbelievable. That's a stat sheet stuff for you right there. We're going to need him to play with this kind of moxy and do an all-around game this next round, because the challenge we face is pretty big, especially starting the series on the road.

Q. You've had DeMarcus [Cousins], Kevin [Durant] and now Andre [Iguodala] out. What does it say about this team that you've been able to put the series away in a sweep, missing those guys?
KLAY THOMPSON: You've got to give credit obviously to Steph and Draymond. They set the tone tonight. But our bench has been incredible. I mean, Kevon Looney, double-double, 12 and 14, huge rebounds. Quinn Cook, coming in making a difference. Shaun Livingston played great, [Andrew]Bogut, everybody. Everyone who came in to night made a huge impact.

So I'm proud of the way everyone played and our bench really showed out this series. They showed that they are professionals and they can impact the game in many ways, so I'm really proud of those guys.

Q. Damian [Lillard] said that a lot of times, people get lost in the shot making of you and of Steph. But underneath that, there's something else going on with you guys that's much more difficult to beat. What is that intangible quality that allows you guys to win the most unlikely games on the road in this situation?
KLAY THOMPSON: Well, Steph was making shots tonight. Me, missed a couple. I missed a few of them. But the end of the day, it's about just playing hard, getting stops on the defensive end, and we got so many great defenders that kind of get overlooked because of our offensive ability and the scoring that we have on this team, but we're a super team for a reason. Our, quote, unquote, super team, just because we got guys that do it all like Draymond Green, two-way player, Iguodala, myself, Kevin, and we got athletes and guys who just know how to play the game the right way.

Q. You mentioned earlier this series, your personal connection to the City of Portland being from here, but a little hesitant to express too much affinity given that Portland was the opponent in this series. Now that it's over, your connection to Moda Center, formerly the Rose Garden, is there any extra personal significance to clinching a trip to your fifth straight Finals?
KLAY THOMPSON: Absolutely. To be able to do it in front of my family, it's an amazing, amazing feeling, and on top of that, do it in a place where I grew up watching my favorite players play, it's really a dream come true, and I'm just trying to soak it all in right now before it's over, because I've got some really special memories in this building. I'm just thankful to be in this position because not a lot of guys get to go to one Finals, let alone five straight. I really can't believe it and I can't wait to get started again.

Q. Now you have 10 days to get rest, and I think nine days to get rest. Are you going to meditate more?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, get outside. Hopefully it's good weather in the Bay finally. Just enjoy -- just enjoy the downtime, because the NBA Finals, having experience with it, it's such an emotional roller coaster, that it's nice to get away from the game a little bit before it starts because emotions run high, and it takes a lot out of you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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