NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

October 6, 2020

Bam Adebayo

Miami Heat

Game 4: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers - 102, Miami Heat - 96

Q. Two for you, first after getting up and down the court for your first game back how are you feeling both physically and then mentally?

BAM ADEBAYO: Physically still not a hundred percent, but I was moving well and getting back to a hundred percent.

Q. And then you guys are facing elimination for the first time this post-season. Does that change anything about your mentality or preparation going into the next game?

BAM ADEBAYO: No. I mean, our backs are against the wall. It's not like it's never been done before. We still got hope, we are still going to grind to the end, start to finish.

Q. You guys spent most of the second half like right there, just never passed them. How much did that take out of the group to -- I mean it's not like they were running away but you were just, whether it was a two-point game, five-point game, one-point game whatever it was, you were just chasing the whole time. Did that take a lot out of you?

BAM ADEBAYO: No, we just can't have so many pockets of undisciplined basketball. I feel like that dictated the game a lot. We had certain spurts where it was early shots in the shot clock and giving up easy baskets in transition. So we just got to get back to the drawing board and just figure out solutions.

Q. I know the rehab's been probably 24/7 for you, but how much do you need two days off right now?

BAM ADEBAYO: I feel like collectively we all need two days off. It's not just me, it's not just Goran, but we all need a couple days just to readjust, realign, get some fresh air and get back to the drawing board.

Q. You've spent most of the playoffs defending near the rim but AD was really pulling you out toward the perimeter and obviously had the big shot at the end. What was it like having to defend in those kind of roles tonight?

BAM ADEBAYO: It's not really a difference for me. I mean if I'm being honest, I'm a versatile defender. Bottom line, I got to be better, I can't give him too much air space.

Q. Tyler's obviously had a lot of great moments in these playoffs, but he's being counted on in a different way in these Finals with Goran out. How do you think he has sort of handled the moment and what can you guys do maybe to help him even more?

BAM ADEBAYO: Tyler's got to be Tyler. At the end of the day we don't want him to be anything different than what he wants to be as a player in this league. So he's got to score the ball, he got to make passes and we expect that from him. He is what, 19, 20? 20. He's a rookie in The Finals, so it's fast paced, he's trying to figure it out and I feel like he's figuring it out and he's getting better.

Black lives matter, people.