NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

October 5, 2020

Danny Green

Los Angeles Lakers

Practice Day

Q. Danny, my question is about your health. I know Coach Vogel mentioned something with your hip. How are you feeling? Are you 100% to play these games?

DANNY GREEN: I'm playing man, so I'm good. I'm feeling fine. Outside of that, I think first and foremost I want bring to light the bigger picture, why we're using our platforms for families that still deserve justice: Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, George Floyd, so much is going on,so many other names, things that's going on in communities.

We need to get people out to vote. I urge you to. Can't emphasize it enough. That's what's more important.

For us, we're on the court so we're fine. We’ll figure it out. I'll be fine. I think more so than anything have to get everybody on the same page mentally. Physically I think we're fine. Mentally, emotionally, I think guys need to stay in the moment and not look at the light at the end of the tunnel.

So we have a job to do. Take it a step at a time, a possession at a time, a day at a time, and it goes from there.

Q. How important is Game 4 after the loss in Game 3?

DANNY GREEN: Every game is important in the playoffs, especially the next one. Game 4 is very important after losing Game 3. You know, we got to light a fire under us, have more of a sense of urgency, more focus, stay locked in for longer periods time.

We don't know -- a game like that, they have two All Stars out. They're probably going to come back and play the next game and it's going to be harder and tougher.

But no knock to those guys. They're still very good. They played, and I don't think they're any weaker without them. They’re just different, a matchup problem.

At the same time, with those two All-Stars coming back, it’s just going to be tougher when they get their rest. They got rest now. They're probably going to be healthy. We need to be even more locked in and focused for the next game.

Every game in the playoff is important. The next game is important, especially if you're still alive until the job is done. So very important for the next game.

The adjustments coach made and will make and he has made, not going to discuss them, but I think they're proper adjustments. They're good adjustments. And our approach needs to be better.

Q. You been in multiple NBA Finals. With everything going on this year, 2020, do you feel like this is the most challenging championship to accomplish with the racial situation in the U.S. with COVID, Kobe, and also being in the bubble?

DANNY GREEN: For sure. I can only speak on me personally. I think it's been one of my toughest years mentally and emotionally going through it. Just everything around it, everything that's going on, everything that's come with this year, a lot of up and downs.

We're right here at the end and we don't want to come up short, we don’t want to have it be all for nothing. So we want to continue to push through, continue to stay mentally strong, positive, stay encouraged, in all aspects on and off the court.

Change will be made and some good will come and goals will happen if we keep pushing and sticking together and staying with each other.

But for sure the toughest I would say for me and I think for our group, we've had a tough year emotionally, mentally, somewhat physically, but all around it's been tough with the COVID pandemic social injustice, the breaks in the season, beginning of the season last year during this time when we were in China. So it's been a long road, it’s been a rough year.