NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 16, 2020

Daniel Theis

Boston Celtics

Practice Day

Q. Foul trouble has been an issue with you, and seems like you're not happy with the officiating, but what can you do to try to keep yourself out of foul trouble?

DANIEL THEIS: I can't let the refs affect my game, or the whole team. Especially yesterday, we were complaining a lot and that took us out of the game. When we didn't get a call on offense, we stopped running back on defense. This can't happen. Overall, myself and the whole team, we've just got to stop complaining about calls we don't get and just got to get back every time.

Q. The previous series, you were dealing with bigs that were mostly rolling or popping. How different of a challenge is it with Bam, who is a constant playmaking hub at any point in the floor?

DANIEL THEIS: It's different. The first series with Philly, it was post-ups the whole time. Last series, a lot of pick-and-roll. And now Bam is kind of like we had with Al [Horford]. A point forward. He's bringing up the ball and he's making plays.

My job is I have to pressure him more. He was too comfortable yesterday making passes. So for me overall, I've got to pressure him more so he doesn't feel comfortable making plays for his guards. Try to take him out of his game.

Q. Kemba is having a tough time recently. What kind of things can you guys do when you're out there with him to free him up and maybe get him some good looks to get his confidence going?

DANIEL THEIS: We got to help him do that, easy looks, especially me. I've got to get him open more on screens when he's got the ball, and even other guys, we've got to get them open. Something where he is off the ball, you have to set the screen for him so he's coming off screens and maybe a catch-and-shoot three like instead of just iso and an off-the-dribble step-back three. Especially in the beginning of the game. We need him out there and we need him to be aggressive.

Like I said, we've got to do a better job, especially early in the game, to get him going so he's feeling the game. We've got to get him open, get him easy layups or an easy catch-and a shoot three.

Q. You guys are all expressing your frustration over the game, but when you take a look back at that Toronto series and you weathered the storm, you've been through a lot emotionally. How much easier is it to regroup here knowing that you understand how long these series actually are?

DANIEL THEIS: The Toronto series helped us a lot. We lost on a game-winner. We lost a double-overtime game. Overall, we can't be too frustrated. It's just one game. We played really bad. We gave up 30 or 40 points in transition and we're the best transition defense team in the playoffs, and we still lost in overtime by three points. So we have so much room to improve. We have to forget the game yesterday, do our adjustments and get back in transition.

Q. As you know full well, there's going to be these momentum swings that happen in any of these games. What tends to be the best state of being, the best state of mind and approach when you see that team swinging back at you again like Miami did so many times last night?

DANIEL THEIS: We were up I think 14 in the fourth quarter and we stopped playing our basketball. We stopped moving the ball, and like I said, we started complaining and didn't get back in transition. For us, we had this in the Toronto series as well. Every time we go up big or have a double-digit lead, we stop playing and doing some stuff we’re not supposed to do.

We have to stay more locked in and focused, especially when we go up 10. We have to have the mindset to go up 20 instead of relaxing and just like try to win the game somehow. We've got to keep pushing and we have to play our way. If we are up 10, go up 15 and go up 20. We can't blow like a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.