NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

October 6, 2020

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Los Angeles Lakers

Game 4: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers - 102, Miami Heat - 96

Q. KCP, obviously a couple times in this series, you've had moments where you kind of pick up the team and you pick up the offense. To be in this situation, what does that mean to you and your career and to now help get the team this close to a title?

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: It means a lot. You know, just first of all, I just want to just thank God for me just being in this position.

But yeah, it means a lot, that my teammates lean on me, to pick up the energy on the defensive end, and also make shots on the offensive end. I just feel good tonight. Stayed within a rhythm, within myself and just played.

Q. The play where LeBron finds you in the corner and you're sprinting to the spot, is that just kind of like transition offense that you guys run based on instincts, or is that part of your set offense? Did that set up your next drive at all? If you can talk me through that five-point sequence you had.

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: Well, we always want to run in transition. We want to get the rebound and get out. So that's really one of my specialties. I'm always running from end to end, corner to corner. So once LeBron or AD or Rondo, once they grab the rebound, I'm always sprinting to the corner and just being ready to shoot.

Also, just that play at the top of the key, we wanted to score our mismatches. So setting the screen and then either slip in, get the mismatch on LeBron. They both went with LeBron. Had a wide-open shot but he closed out, which they were doing all night, closed out hard and gave me the lane down the middle.

Q. Alex made a comment that was something like, it was about AD's three at the end of the game, and it was something like, "That's what he does." For AD to do that in this kind of moment and situation, are you starting to see him that way, too?

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: AD, doesn't matter if it's a game-winning shot or a shot like he had tonight. AD hits a lot of big shots for us, and you know, him and Bron, they have a heavy load. So they hit a lot of big shots for us, and it's just AD. AD is a game-changer when he's knocking down shots like that.

Q. Now you have two days before the next game, and obviously, does this feel like Christmas Eve, kind of you're on the brink of something but you don't want to think too much about it but you kind of do? How do you approach these next two days?

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: Like we approach the whole playoff series. It's the next game for us. We have the two days to rest, recovery, take care of bumps and bruises. But we just got to come out after these two days, come out with the same intensity we had tonight, not let up. We know we've got one game left and we don't want to just set in and get lazy. We want to continue to put the pressure and stay aggressive.

Q. This game tonight, you're coming off a couple where the shot wasn't falling, and you've had swings in your career before. What's the key to just riding them out?

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: Just staying with the game. You're not going to knock down every shot you shoot, but just staying with that flow. Drive, get a foul, go to the free throw line and try to get a rhythm there, or just play the game. Make plays. Do other things. Try to stay in the rhythm. That's what I do. I try not to worry about it if I'm not getting shots or not. I know they are going to eventually come. Just trying to stay within myself.

Q. You spent a lot of time chasing Duncan Robinson. What's the level of difficulty of not giving a guy an inch and still not foul and still running, what are the areas you focus on trying to succeed there?

KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE: Just trying to stay attached to him. Make him uncomfortable when I'm chasing him off the screens. Try to stay as close as possible. You give him an inch or two, he's raising up and he's knocking them down. He's a great shooter. But just trying to take him out. You know, staying close, pressure. Even when he dribbled the ball, just try to pressure him. Give him something that he's not really used to.