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NBA FINALS: WARRIORS VS. RAPTORS

June 4, 2019

Pascal Siakam

Oakland, California - Practice Day

PASCAL SIAKAM: Every possession counts and I think definitely we are playing against champions and guys that's been there. Obviously they know how to make adjustments because they have done it before. We also have a team of veterans and guys that know what's going on. It's definitely something like that where we need to make adjustments and people are going to bring, you're going to have different matchups and it feels like every possession changes, not changes but like make a judgment or try to do different things or other teams do different things. So it's definitely interesting.

Q. This is 20 games into this playoff run for you. Each time there have been like different adjustments to make, like you said. Giannis and then -- I mean does it get any easier as you do it, as you go on making those adjustments because obviously now you got to make one with Draymond.
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think that it doesn't get easier, I wouldn't say that, but I think it's just interesting that you have to be able to adjust, like, that's the playoffs. That's why you play the best out of seven. So there's going to be a lot of games and people will see exactly what you do and they're going to look at that and you have to find ways to adjust. And it's fun, it's fun and I think that's part of growing and being at this level is being able to adjust.

Q. Have you had highs and lows or have you been able to keep it pretty even. You've had four games where people were saying what happened to Pascal and then the other 16 people are saying, he's doing his thing.
PASCAL SIAKAM: Right, well I mean obviously there's definitely highs and lows, but at the same time I think the most important thing for me is being able to impact the game without scoring or because at the end of the day if you score 30 points like you're the best ever. But if you score 10 it doesn't matter what you did, it is your worse game. So I think for me it's knowing that, especially with the team that we have, is that I can score sometimes and score 30 and sometimes I can score 10, but I have to be able to have an impact to the game and on defense and being able to bring that energy to the team. That's something that has to be consistent and maybe I could have had a better energy or anything like that, but I think that just making sure that the things that got me there or the things that I do well and I can do without -- like I can control those things. I have to be able to do those things consistently every single game.

Q. You guys are on the road now, how does that change this team's approach if at all?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think we have been on the road throughout the playoffs and we kind of know what's expected. But at the same time Oracle arena the fans are incredible here. So it's definitely going to be a great atmosphere and playoff type environment on the road, so it's fun. We have been in these games before, so we just got to go out there and be ourselves.

Q. In terms of game prep is there an added challenge in facing a team that's as banged up as they are with all the uncertainty and sort of the roster not knowing when Durant is going to be back, not knowing if Klay is going to play in Game 3, does that add sort of a different dynamic to the preparation?
PASCAL SIAKAM: No, because we all know that they're a great team regardless. At the end of the day we don't look at that. I think for us it's more about us just making sure that we do all things that we're supposed to do in terms of game plan and making sure that we bring the intensity and energy that we have. Because at the end of the day it doesn't matter who they have, we got to deal with the guys with the same intensity against anybody that we play. So it's not like, oh, if Kevin Durant isn't playing or there person is not playing, we're going to need to have that same intensity in order to be able to beat those guys.

Q. On making adjustments.
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think just got to be able to adjust. I don't know what to tell you. But I think it's the playoffs, you play good sometimes and you make shots and it's all good. And then you don't one day. And the next time you got to be able to shake it off and find a way, find other ways to attack or different things to do.

Q. What makes you cautious about the Warriors?
PASCAL SIAKAM: What do you mean?

Q. Their playing style.
PASCAL SIAKAM: The style of play? I mean obviously they are a transition team and they play fast, they play really, really fast. We have to be able to, those first eight seconds of the shot clock we can't have them score and that's where they are the best, shooting threes, running, we have to be able to make them play in the half court a little bit more.

Q. How does it affect your own play when Durant's not in there?
PASCAL SIAKAM: How does that affect my play?

Q. Yeah.
PASCAL SIAKAM: I don't see -- I don't think it affects.

Q. Doesn't matter at all?
PASCAL SIAKAM: No. I don't think so. In terms of the way we play?

Q. Well you personally.
PASCAL SIAKAM: Okay.

Q. Your game.
PASCAL SIAKAM: No, I don't think it affects me.

Q. What about the two wins that you had over them in the regular season? He had big games, but one of those you didn't have Leonard. What kind of lessons did you draw from those two games?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think it's kind of hard, like it was early in the season and definitely a lot of things changed. It's definitely hard to draw from those games because we don't really know, I don't think we have much data from those games, but just knowing, I mean the type of player he is, he definitely affects the game in a whole different level, just being able to score the basketball like he can. He's also like another rim protector for them too. So all those things combined definitely are a big part of what they do.

Q. They may not have Thompson for Game 3 either. How much would that affect things?
PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, I don't know. I think that that's another great shooter, a guy that's a big part of what they do, so I don't know, we don't know if he's going to play or not, I don't know what that is, so we just go out there and kind of like prepare like he's going to play.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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