NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 24, 2021

Bogdan Bogdanovic

Atlanta Hawks

Practice Day

Q. How has your knee been feeling? I know you've kind of been experiencing some soreness. How are you doing health-wise?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: Amazing. That's what I have to say for my knee. I feel amazing, especially after a win last night.

Q. Nate had mentioned that you're really kind of pushing through, even if the knee's not 100 percent -- or maybe it is. He did mention you're kind of pushing through a little bit. What's your mindset with that on needing to push through and give as many minutes and as much effort as you can on this, in this series, despite whatever's going on?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: It is what it is. I don't want to just talk about a knee and stuff. I feel like I did my job as far as I can. I think, at the end of the day, we all play basketball to win, so I feel like I put my effort down there to win the game. That's what matters to me.

Q. Do you sense that your teammates feel it? They know it's not right, but you're on the floor trying to contribute. Do they appreciate you going through what you have to get it done?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I can still help. Maybe not as much as I could before, but maybe that's also our game plan. I'm still who I am on the floor. They can't help off me like that. I feel that gives us another weapon on offense. That gives us a lot better spacing as well. I think I'm playing solid defense too.

Q. How do you feel about your shape? How close to 100 percent are you right now?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I don't think like that. You know me. I think I'm safe here. I don't go out there to get hurt more. I'm just thinking about the game and how I can win the game. And that's it. Honestly, that's it.

Q. What did you learn from every Game 1 in these playoffs? Also, what did you learn from every Game 2? Because you won in Game 1 and lost in Game 2. What did you learn from that?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: Every game is different. Every series is different. Every game has different matchups. I learned that teams are only getting better game by game. They learn more about the other team game by game. That's what makes these playoffs exciting and tough as well at the same time.

Q. Are you going to shimmy when you hit a three tomorrow?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I got you. I'll have to ask Trae for permission to steal his move, but yeah.

Q. Everyone in Europe knows how dedicated you are to the Serbian National Team. How strange is this period for you being in the States while the Serbian National Team prepares for the Olympic tournament? How strange is this situation for you?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I will tell you true. Right now I'm not thinking about it, but I have watched our team play that tournament in Acropolis. I watched some of the games. I watched yesterday's game in Belgrade against Mexico. We looked good. We play our Serbian basketball. We move the ball well. We know how to play basketball, and we are pretty good. So I'm confident in the guys qualifying for the Olympics.

Q. The biggest thing that changed when Nate took over was what?

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: Challenging all of the players on both ends of the floor. Simple as that. To value every possession offensively and not to play slow and not confident. Just to value the possession and to know what we want. We all know how to play offensively. Don't play defense like I'm going to rest on defense. He challenged every single person to play defense and offense at the same level.

Q. Were guys just wandering more before, do you think? Or maybe just weren't clear.

BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: It [indiscernible] of a challenge from a coach. Nate really emphasized that part. The confidence comes from defense. If you keep being able to get stops, it's a lot easier on offense.