NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 28, 2021

Nate McMillan

Atlanta Hawks

Practice Day

Q. Has Trae gotten his MRI done yet, and if so, do you know anything more about the status of his ankle yet?

NATE McMILLAN: I'm waiting on the results of that. I'm sure we'll have more information later today.

Q. Did you guys have a full practice? What was he able to do at practice today?

NATE McMILLAN: It was just a get-what-you-need day. Basically guys came in today to get whatever they needed -- video, shooting, treatment, rest. So it was a get-what-you-need day today.

Q. Was Trae able to shoot or anything like that?

NATE McMILLAN: It was a get-what-you-need day today. Pretty much he got treatment.

Q. What are your expectations for Trae, just to rest? Walk me through the next 24 hours before Game 4.

NATE McMILLAN: Well, again, today was a get-what-you-need day. So for all of our guys, whatever you need, if that's rest, if that's treatment, if that's shooting, you get that and get your mind and body ready to go tomorrow. Whatever Trae needs, we want him to get that today.

Q. Do you expect him to be good to go tomorrow, given his attitude and the way he competes?

NATE McMILLAN: We hope so.

Q. Have you talked with Trae? How is he feeling? NATE McMILLAN: He's feeling okay. He's disappointed in the loss. Just as most guys, they have something that's going on, whether it's an injury or some soreness. Today is a day to take care of whatever it is that you need to get yourself ready for tomorrow. So that's where Trae is at. He's getting what he needs, which is a little treatment, and whatever else he needs, whether it's a massage or whatever, to get himself ready for tomorrow.

Q. He said he was feeling sore last night. Was there improvement today? Still some discomfort?

NATE McMILLAN: Again, he's getting treatment, so I'm sure he's still a little sore from last night. He has 24 hours to recover, get the necessary treatment and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. You put him out there last night, and obviously if he can go he can go tomorrow night. If he is even limited, is it better for you all to have him out there in a limited capacity rather than go with somebody that's -- how are you viewing that dynamic if that's an option for you?

NATE McMILLAN: I'll wait until tomorrow to find out where Trae is at, how he feels and if he can go. If they give me the okay that he can go and he won't injure himself or do any more damage to his body, we'll put him out there.

But all of that I will get tomorrow.

Q. I wonder if you had a chance to break down the film from last night and if the number of run-outs that the Bucks had, did you see that as an issue, and what do you do to address that?

NATE McMILLAN: Absolutely. Absolutely. It is an issue. It's been an issue. We talked about that before the game. Our quick shots are leading to transition baskets. That's something that they have taken advantage of. That guy that is contesting those quick shots or those long threes is leaking out, and it's giving them an advantage in transition.

So absolutely we have taken notice of that, not just last night, but it has happened in the first two games. Just got to do a better job of shot selection. Quick shots and turnovers, they are converting those into points.

Q. What did you learn from last night's game about the Bucks that you didn't know so far from them? You mentioned the shot selection. Is the ball movement one of the aspects that you want to improve?

NATE McMILLAN: They're a good team. We know that they are a really good team. They have three guys that can put up big points. Jrue has played well in the series. Middleton, we saw what he's capable of doing last night. Giannis has been consistent with his play. So it's a really good team.

I thought we played a good game. For the most part, we were in the game for three quarters. I think we got a five-point lead late in the fourth, and then all of a sudden we couldn't make any shots and we started turning the ball over again.

We really had ourselves in position to win the game and just didn't execute down the stretch. The fourth quarter, basically the shots didn't fall, we turned the ball over and Middleton got hot. That's a formula for losing.

So just didn't execute in that fourth quarter well enough to give ourselves a chance to win.

Q. Last night you guys played pretty well in the first three quarters. What did you like until the injury of Trae, and what do you think you can repeat in Game 4?

NATE McMILLAN: The adjustment was to be more aggressive defensively. I thought we established ourselves in that first quarter. They won the last three minutes of the quarter, so they were ending the quarter well against us. But I thought we got off to a good start, offensively as well as defensively, in that first quarter.

We played pretty much solid basketball. But again, our shot selection, I thought we were taking quick, contested shots early in the clock throughout the game. That was really from all of our guards. We just didn't show patience to find the matchup or the mismatch that they were giving us and taking advantage of that. Again, those plays led to transition points.

I thought there were times where we didn't do a good job of keeping the ball in front. We allowed those guys to play in the paint without giving help. There were times when they missed shots and they, again, beat us to the boards, the offensive rebounds.

They made plays every time we tried to make a run to stop our runs, and that was the difference in winning that game. They made shots when they needed to. They got stops when they needed to. We didn't do that, and that was the difference in the game.

Q. Are there different types of turnovers, ones from being aggressive and trying to do something, as opposed to sloppy, careless turnovers that get under your skin, especially in crucial situations?

NATE McMILLAN: They're both turnovers. A turnover, you've got to value every possession when you have that basketball. In the Playoffs, every possession is a big possession, so if you're turning that ball over, I don't care how you're turning it over, you're giving a good team an extra opportunity.

We know that. We have to handle the pressure and you have to execute. That's the game. If you can force turnovers, get extra possessions, offensive rebounding -- the more possessions you can get, the better it is for you.

It's not a good or bad turnover; all turnovers are bad at this time of the season.

Q. You referred to this as a get-what-you-need day. Is this more the feel you have for the team, or is this something you give them often?

NATE McMILLAN: No, we have get-what-you-need days. We just played these guys last night. We're going to see them tomorrow night. There's not a lot of talk other than we can cover that and we will cover that tomorrow morning.

This is a get-what-you-need day, mentally, physically, get what you need. If you need rest, get your rest. Whatever you need to be ready to play tomorrow night, we want our guys to do that today.