NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

September 29, 2020

Danny Green

Los Angeles Lakers

Practice Day

Q. Danny, you went to Brazil like in 2014 when the NBA was starting to invest here in the country, and now like every playoff game is on television, everyone is watching. Just want to know what was your first impression of Brazilian basketball fans, and what was your impression of Brazilian basketball and the people here?

DANNY GREEN: First and foremost, before we start the interview, I want to make sure I'm consistent with using my platform for the bigger picture and a greater cause, and that's for the social injustice that's happening around the country. We're not going to forget those people, those names: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Jacob Blake. There are so many names. The list goes on.

And we have to get out and vote, people. It's a very big deal. It's an emphasis for us. We want to make sure that you guys understand that we're not just here to play basketball, we're here to use our voices and make them be heard louder because we're not getting the justice we feel is necessary.

Condolences to Breonna Taylor's family until they supposedly get the justice that I guess the government felt they deserved, but we don’t think it's enough. We're going to continue to push, we’re going to continue to fight.

But Brazil was amazing. I had a great time in Brazil. Tiago [Splitter] was with me. The fans were amazing. I would love to go back. It's amazing to see how far the NBA has come internationally and how it's been broadcasted all over the world.

Games now, back then they weren't broadcasted as much, but now they're on a lot of channels in every country now. It's amazing to see how far we've come as a league. Thankful for it. I've been blessed and fortunate. I think the league is only growing, which is amazing. It's great for the youth, the younger guys behind us. I would love to go back to Brazil. I had a great time. The fans were amazing.

The basketball down there is growing. They're very passionate about it. Unfortunately at the time I went it was summer for us, but I think it was like winter or rain season for them.

So now that the NBA schedule is different, I might be able to go down in the fall, which would be summer for you guys, and actually experience a Brazilian summer. You never know.

I had a great time there, and hopefully we can do what we're supposed to do and celebrate. Might be able to go back and check you guys out again.

Q. What impact does Kobe Bryant still have your team during this stage of the title run?

DANNY GREEN: Kobe's impact will never leave the game of basketball, let alone the Lakers organization. It will forever be there, his presence will forever be there any time we step on the court, any time we step in the practice facility, any time we step into Staples [Center], any time we put on that Lakers uniform or even the Mamba uniform now, the black one that's so popular.

He's a guy that especially in this organization we'll always think of not just myself and my teammates, but everybody throughout the league, any time they step on the floor and represent the guys that came before us, and he was one of those pioneers that was amazingly great in everything he did on and off the floor.

He gave us so many gems. It's hard not to think about him, whether you're a part of this organization or not. He's always going to impact the game and have a presence, especially for us.

So, yeah, I don't know if that answers your question, but Kobe is always going to be -- has always been and is always going to be a big part of what we do here in this organization as a Laker and in the NBA.

Q. Once the series has concluded, how will you continue to use your platform to talk about the social justice issues around the country?

DANNY GREEN: I'm not really a guy that's big on being in the streets for media attention or taking pictures, but I do want to get, like a lot of our guys back to our communities doing some of the dirty work, getting in the nitty-gritty of things and not having to -- you don't have to take pictures, but actually talking to certain people, getting some things done, putting money where it needs to go.

You guys know I do have a Podcast, Inside the Green Room, and that's how I use my media platform to use my voice of getting certain people on, talking about it, keeping those things alive, figuring out the best plan of action to get some things done, be successful.

For us, most of our guys are a little older school guys, and they like to get down and dirty and get into the mix of things and actually get out and make sure people vote, figure out how to get our communities better, and also being on the streets protesting and not just behind the scenes or in the house.

So, yeah, outside of using my Podcast, I want to make sure I'm figuring out ways of helping people better around me in the cities I grew up and played in, from New York to -- maybe Toronto, I would take it back there easily -- but California, San Antonio, Texas, all those places I have played in to be able to -- where I've called home -- to be able to help those communities be better.

Q. Just a year ago or over a year ago you knew what it was like to win a championship. You're back here again. That was a really unique experience for you because you brought a championship back to a country for the first time ever. If you can remember how you guys celebrated, like going to Vegas and coming back to Toronto and seeing a whole country celebrating, what's it going to be like if you're able to win this all here inside a bubble?

DANNY GREEN: Yeah, I mean, seems like -- it was year and a half ago. We celebrated as a group. I like the fact that we won on the road, because we had to do it together as an organization and it was a lot fun.

But I haven't thought about a celebration yet because we haven't won anything yet. I'm not going to count my eggs before they hatch or celebrate and party before the work is done.

We still have four more games to win, and then when we cross that bridge, I'll think about it and figure it out then. I'm sure this team, we have a lot of fun. We have some good ideas and some locations nearby that might be open to where we can actually enjoy ourselves and our families.

As of right, now we're not thinking about celebrations until we get that fourth win.

Q. When you were playing against LeBron in the Finals with San Antonio, do you feel like you could do a lot to stop him, or was it just like hold all the other guys in check almost?

DANNY GREEN: That was a question by Michael Rosenberg, by the way. He asked, was there a way to stop LeBron James in the Finals. No, you kind of give a scouting report on how to guard him, on how you want to make him beat you. If he's clicking on all cylinders, which he usually is in the playoffs, you're not going to stop him.

So key is to try to stop everyone around him. Limit those people as best you can and try to limit him as much as you can. You're not going to stop him, but try to contain him a little bit.

When he's playing like he did in the that last game in the Denver series and he closes out that fourth quarter with 16 points, damn near straight 16 points, it was unbelievable. When he's clicking and hitting shots like that, you're not stopping him. You can only hope to contain him a little bit and try to limit everyone around him.

That's LeBron. He's been doing it for 17 years now. He's been amazing. In my eyes and my mind, in my mind the MVP of this league, no knock to Giannis, he's had a great year, a great MVP year, but I think Bron is definitely deserving of an MVP as well. For us he's our MVP.

And Anthony Davis as well. He's been our Defensive Player of the Year and an MVP caliber player for us in the playoffs and in the regular season. So those guys, when they're playing at that level, we feel like we're a tough team to beat regardless of how well the guys around him are playing.

Obviously want to do or job and continue to play well, knock down shots, make the game easier for them. But I still feel like we have yet to reach our ceiling as a group. We are still trying to find that rhythm to where we can stay consistent.

Hopefully we can build and find that this series where we can reach the ceiling offensively and defensively. I feel like we have some good defensive nights, some good offensive nights, but never two nights put together. We might have one good game every once in a blue….not where I think we're should be able to be.

It would be nice to see us come together. If we can do that this series, it'll be great.

Q. Is there anything you learn would about him on the floor from playing with him that you didn't realize before?

DANNY GREEN: Just how well he understands the game, how well he remembers every play. He remembers every guy's cut, shot, miss or make shot, rebound, box out, you know, perfect assignment, good screen. He's watching films, pointing out things on film most people don't see.

I knew he was a smart guy, and thought the game through and had a pretty good memory, but you don't realize until you see him in film session day in and day out from games that were -- you didn't play Miami until a year ago 2019, and he remembers the plays and what happened. It's unbelievable.

So outside of that, everything else he's just a normal guy. Still the same goofball. Makes a lot of jokes. But his IQ and memory, the memory of I guess an elephant people would say because they have great memories. It's amazing.

Q. What's it going to take to complete this task and win four more?

DANNY GREEN: Exactly that. What I just said. It's going to take for Bron and AD to play at their MVP and All-Star caliber level they've been playing, and for us around them to make it easy for them to make shots and plays.

But defensively, doing what we been doing but be more consistent. This is a great ball club. They play well together. They're a great team. They have some really good pieces. Guys that are All-Star caliber players that have not been given that credit or recognized until this point.

But we've to come out and take them seriously and hopefully be clicking on both sides of the ball. And not just the defensive side one game and the offensive side another game.

We have to be, like I said, on our A game on both sides of the floor every game out in order to give ourselves a good chance, because this is a really good basketball club.