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NBA FINALS: WARRIORS VS. RAPTORSMay 29, 2019Alfonzo McKinnieToronto, Ontario - Practice Day Q. How are you able to stay confident and so comfortable in your role? ALFONZO McKINNIE: I just trust in the work that I've been putting in. I've been putting in a lot of work this season behind the scenes. So when I do get my number called, I'm just confident in going out there and doing the things that I have been working on. I think it's like that for the rest of the guys. We all have been putting in the work this year behind the scenes, and guys come off the bench ready. Coach always says, he never knows what's going to happen, who he's going to put in the game and stuff like that, so just be ready. I think everybody has been pretty solid this whole season. Q. There are a lot of 905 alumni in The Finals. How important was your time there to your development? ALFONZO McKINNIE: The 905 helped me out a lot. I salute Jerry Stackhouse, one of my favorite coaches. He pretty much helped me develop into that wing defender. In previous seasons, I was playing the big guy. But when I came to Toronto, they wanted me to be a 3-and-D. So I had to transition from guarding bigger guys to guarding wings and guarding the smaller guys. I think Stackhouse, he helped me develop that with my time with the 905. Q. You guys still keep in touch? ALFONZO McKINNIE: Oh, yeah, for sure. Last time we played Memphis when he was with Memphis, he just told me how proud he was of me. We played against Bruno [Caboclo]. He just told me and Bruno how proud of us he was and to keep working. Q. You're one of the guys that picks up the slack when KD is not around. Talk to me about the difference in this team when he is around and when he isn't, because you guys find a way to be great either way. ALFONZO McKINNIE: KD is a great player. When he is around, we can just throw him the ball and tell him to go get a bucket. So when he's around, we're happy with that. But when he's not around, I think that other guys have to step up, guys like myself and the other guys coming off the bench. I think Andre stepped in and has been doing an amazing job filling that void, especially on the defensive end, having to guard all those type of guys. But, yeah, when KD is not around, we have other guys that can step up. As you can see, we have Steph, Klay, a bunch of other guys who can step in and get the job done. Q. How does it feel to be in the NBA Finals after playing in Luxembourg? ALFONZO McKINNIE: Some people would call it a fairytale story. Just the way everything panned out. In Luxembourg, I was playing in the second division, not even the first. I'm just excited knowing where I started and where I'm at now. Me being in the NBA Finals, I've been watching the NBA Finals every year since I've been able to watch it. So me being in this position to play in the NBA Finals against Toronto is exciting. It's an amazing feeling. I'm excited about it. My whole supporting cast is excited about it. I can't wait for it to start. Q. How do you deal with the energy and the antics and maybe the trash talk of a guy who is as famous as Drake on the sideline who wants to make his presence felt? ALFONZO McKINNIE: I look at him as an amazing super fan. He's just doing what any fan does. He just has the privilege to sit courtside. I mean, you just play the game. That stuff happens in every game; it's just more publicized because it's him. But, yeah, we just play and just go on from there. Q. How does he compare to super fans that you've seen in other arenas? ALFONZO McKINNIE: I mean, I've never seen a super fan give the coach a shoulder massage. So, yeah, right now he definitely has taken the cake. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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