NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

October 2, 2020

Kelly Olynyk

Miami Heat

Game 2: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers 124, Miami Heat 114

Q. You guys got it to nine I think a couple of times in the fourth. You chipped away at it, but never got any closer than nine. Was it just too much energy to dig out of the first hole or what do you think stopped you from making this thing even more interesting late?

KELLY OLYNYK: I think it was just a couple plays. A couple missed shots, a couple offensive rebounds we gave up. We had it right there on the edge, but we just couldn't push it over. We can build on that. Come back in Game 3 ready to rock.

Q. Defensively what was the main issue tonight as far as protecting the paint against them?

KELLY OLYNYK: Obviously, we were playing in zone a bunch. They were getting to the middle of the zone a little bit. But a lot of them are coming on offensive rebounds, some in transition, all that. We just got to shore it up better, keep everybody in front of us, communicate and then crack down.

Q. Obviously you have, I forgot to look at the box, I think you had 24. Jimmy had a monster night in like 45 or 46 minutes. Spo always talks about whatever is necessary. Is it just going to be like this? I mean, is this going to be the sort of effort that's needed from you? Is this going to be the sort of effort that's needed from Jimmy if you guys are going to have a chance the rest of the way?

KELLY OLYNYK: Jimmy is going to have to be Jimmy. We need him to do incredible things for us, like he has done all year, all playoffs. We're going to need that from him. Whatever happens with the rest of us, we're going to have to step up and help him. He obviously can't do it on his own, so we're going to have to be with him doing a little bit more, a little bit more, whatever it takes.

Q. We watched Udonis encourage you guys during the third quarter and he's the epitome of this organization. Can you explain what that Heat mentality is and why when the world thinks that there's no chance that you can win this series without Bam and without Goran, that you guys actually still think you can?

KELLY OLYNYK: Yeah, if we didn't think we could, we shouldn't be here. Obviously, we miss Goran and Bam. They're integral parts of our team. But UD's been there before, numerous times, and he knows what it takes. We look up to somebody like that. And he's our guy on our team that gets us going and keeps us on the right path.

Q. What was said during halftime to get the team going? Because the third quarter was tremendous for you guys. And how will you be consistent with that aggression shown in the third quarter for the entirety of the forthcoming games?

KELLY OLYNYK: Yeah, I mean, for us it was just, we are here. We need a little bit more from everybody, whatever that is. We just need a little bit more, a little bit more. That's defensively, on the glass, offensively, details, whatever it is, just a little bit more, a little bit more and keep pushing, keep chipping away. Unfortunately, we ran out of time there, but it's something we can build on.

Q. You guys played very aggressively. How much do you think you need to keep that spirit to get back in this series?

KELLY OLYNYK: Definitely. We have to come out in the first half and we can't dig ourselves a hole. We have to come out right away in Game 3 and make our presence felt and keep going, keep going and build on that second half.

Q. In the Boston series you guys had a lot of success with being really patient through the offensive possession to find the best shot. How do you continue to do that against the Lakers when they just put so much pressure on both ends?

KELLY OLYNYK: Yeah, we just have to keep executing. We have a great group of guys who are unselfish and move the ball. We just have to trust each other. We have done it all year, all playoffs and, like you said, in our last series. Just move the ball and let the offense do the work and whatever happens to end up, guys can make plays.