NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

September 30, 2020

Anthony Davis

Los Angeles Lakers

Game 1: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers - 116, Miami Heat - 98.

Q. Anthony, your first Finals game, 14 of your field goal attempts came in the paint. I'm wondering if that had anything to do with a specific mindset, with the matchup or anything about the way you approached this game?

ANTHONY DAVIS: I just wanted to come out with a lot of energy. You know, be aggressive on the offensive glass. Playing in a dunker's area, when Bron and Do [Rondo] and AC [Alex Caruso] get in the paint, they got easy dump-offs. And not settling for too many jumpers, just being able to play in the paint and dominate the paint area. That was kind of my mindset coming into the game.

Q. You said on the broadcast that you had a few nerves before the game when the ball went up. Just how it felt different. In what ways did it feel different from other postseason experiences you've had, getting that first taste of the Finals?

ANTHONY DAVIS: Just the Finals. First time I'm experiencing this. Obviously want to come out and play well and you want to come out and win. I've always put pressure on myself. I had the same thing Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, as well. When the ball gets tipped up, all that goes away and it's just basketball, but everything leading up to it, you're very excited. Your adrenaline is going early because you're so excited just to be here and get ready to go out there and play. It went away early but it was a great experience for me, great Game 1. Job is not done. We have three more.

Q. I'm sure you would love to have more of your family for your playoff run, but what did it mean to you to have your dad watching you in the Finals and playing so well?

ANTHONY DAVIS: It means a lot. He forced my mom to do that seven-day quarantine to be here, so for him to -- he's always been the one to go to all my games, in the home market, not more so on the road. But he's extremely proud of me. You know, for him to be here, essentially courtside to watch me in my first Finals game means a lot to me.

You know, we just got to finish it off. You know, he wants us to win. He wants me to be a champion. So it's a little bit more pressure coming from him, but it was fun. It was fun seeing him courtside watching me in that first game.

Q. So you had 34 tonight, which is tied for third for a Laker debut in the Finals. Shaq is one, then [George] Mikan, and you and [Elgin] Baylor are tied. Obviously when you hear those names, Laker history is such a part of the experience of playing for the team, but when you hear those names, what do you think about, and do you have goals of being remembered the same way they are and always be associated as a Laker?

ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, it's a great honor to be in that category with those guys. I mean, they have done so much for the game, Hall of Famers, and for me to come out and perform that way and be mentioned with those guys, especially just as a Laker. You know, with the biggest franchise in basketball, them guys that you watch film on but you idolize, and now that, like you say, to be in that category, is definitely a huge honor for me.

Like I say, what makes it even more sweeter is winning it. And so obviously that's a great honor, but I also want to be mentioned in categories with champions, so that's the next step.

But the accolades along the way, you know, a list I'm able to join along the way is definitely something you don't think about. It just kind of happens when you go out there and play, but it's definitely a great honor.

Q. You mentioned wanting to be aggressive, with their zone, a lot of times you want to shoot over them. Is that something you got really focused on, finding the seams and trying to get easy baskets?

ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, this team plays a lot of zone. They played a lot of zone in the regular season, a lot of zone in the playoffs and they have been very effective. They won series with playing zone, and we knew they were going to try to run zone against us. The two regular season games we played, they ran zone. We just try to find ways to exploit it and make them come out of the zone, or they stay in it and make them pay for being in zone.

But they are a team that run zone and know how to play it, and it's our job to find the gaps in the zone to be successful.

Q. I know you want to be playing in the STAPLES Center right now, but does it feel coming into this game, does it feel like the NBA Finals or did it feel different from other playoff games you've played in?

ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, you see the decal on the floor. You see all the people in the stands, essentially. You see the patch on the back of your jersey, the patch on the side of your warmups. You kind of see that it's a Finals game, but once you go out there and start playing, I don't think the fans are allowed to make any noise, so it feels like a regular game in the bubble, even though that pressure of the Finals is still there. So I think it makes it a lot easier especially for our guys to just go out there and play.

But at STAPLES, it would have been a lot crazier, just playing in front of your home fans and sharing these moments with them. I think just being here, it definitely calmed the nerves a lot faster.

Q. How much of an emphasis was there on making sure that you win early, given how Miami has gotten off to good starts in all of their other series?

ANTHONY DAVIS: We just want to be a team to apply pressure. They won all their Game 1s. We lost two and won one, but we want to be able to come out and essentially take care of home court. But we want to win every game we play. We never want to come out and lose. We came out -- we came out very slow in the first five, six minutes of the first quarter, and they got hot. We were down 15, and KCP kind of saved us in that first quarter with the two threes and then we kind of got going on both ends of the floor. We can't come out sluggish knowing this team is a team that could get hot for three, and get to the free throw line and get to the paint. We have to be able to come out a little bit more aggressive and come out with a little more sense of urgency, and that's on the starters, especially me and Bron.

But it feels good to get the first game. We're not satisfied. We don't like how we ended the game. That wasn't a championship mentality, and you know, we have to be better in that regard.

But we'll take the win, but we'll watch film and try to take advantage, as well.

Q. You alluded to this yesterday, you said some guys have loved playing in the bubble. Are you one of them, and if so, why do you think you've been able to love this experience so much while other guys have maybe struggled with it?

ANTHONY DAVIS: I love playing basketball in general, no matter where it is. Some guys like the bubble just because you don't have that, like I said, you don't have that pressure from the opposing fans, or even at home. You don't have that pressure from the fans to -- that will boo you if you're not playing well, and especially if you're on the road, it could get to you. You have a little bit more ease here in the bubble not having to worry about any of that.

But for me, I just go out there and play basketball. I don't really care where it is. If we're in STAPLES, I'll feel nervous. If we go on the road, I would feel nervous. But like I say, once the ball tips, I'm fine, the team is fine and we go out there and play basketball.

Q. Obviously Bam and Goran left the game early. You were talking to us yesterday and you seemed just really excited about that matchup, especially with Bam. How does it hit when you see a really good player go out and maybe have the potential to miss some games?

ANTHONY DAVIS: You never want to see a guy get hurt. I'm not sure what their injuries are, but you don't want to see a guy get hurt. You see guys work extremely hard to be here, and you know, Goran and Bam are key parts of their team. And so you never want to see guys go down. Like I say, I don't know the significance of the injury, but it always sucks when, you know, not sure if they're going to play or not and you're not sure if you're going to get the team's best.

But we can't worry about that. We have to still go out there. Guys came in and took their place and played extremely well for them. Kelly Olynyk and so did [Kendrick] Nunn. We have to worry about the guys that are going to play and try to win the series.