NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS

June 28, 2021

Marcus Morris Sr.

LA Clippers

Game 5: Postgame

LA Clippers 116, Phoenix Suns 102

Q. It's been a tough series, game-time decision and everything. What was your reaction when you knew that Zu wasn't going to play and then how were you able to carry the offense, especially early in the game?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: I just came out aggressive. That's probably the best I've been feeling this series. Just constant work on my knee and long nights, just mentally trying to prepare myself. Zu has given us a lot. He's put a lot of minutes in. His injury was unfortunate. We had to figure out something.

And T-Lue came to me and said, We're going to start you at center and we need you to keep Ayton off the glass, and just battle him however I can. That's what we did. It was a collective effort.

Q. I know you told me last series that there's been a lot cold tubbing and taking care of your body physically. When did you feel like you had a breakthrough physically?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Probably right -- I would say an hour before the game.

Q. An hour before tonight's game?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Yeah, I just felt better than I felt previous games. I knew this was one of those, either I was going to go out and play all the minutes or I wasn't going to play at all.

So just going out there, giving what I got and just leaving it all out there. Put my body on the line. The main thing is just get back to L.A. We'll figure it out once we get back home, and that's what we did.

Q. Zu being down. Kawhi. Is there a war of attrition feel? You keep losing men? What does this feel like to be in the middle of?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: It's different. It's definitely different. We can't feel sorry for ourselves because the game still has to be played. I've been watching around the league, a lot of guys have been going down.

It's just unfortunate. The schedule -- every other day, it's tough. It's definitely tough mentally and physically. It's very tough to really not have time to do anything, really. You eat, sleep and s--- this game. It's the Western Conference Finals.

Today we had to have shootaround at 8:00 in the morning. This was the first day that we actually had a chance to actually get shots up and work on our game. That's something that I hang my hat on during the playoffs, being able to get in the gym and do other things. Schedule's been so tight that my knee is flaring up. It's hard to be able to even find your spots. Today was one of the first days we were actually able to do that.

Q. You've played for a lot of coaches. What is it about Ty Lue that connects him so well to players and his success in elimination games?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: I think it's the way he can relate. Just being real. Being in these situations as a player, that helps. He's always calm. He always has a chill demeanor and we know we are able to go to him and talk about things on the fly and adjust on the fly. He listens to the players and he allows us to be us.

Q. What have you noticed in how Paul has been resilient through this postseason, not just his play, but managing the ups and downs of the playoffs?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Very resilient. I think I said to this Rachel the other day. I'm glad he had the opportunity to be able to lead the team. We want Kawhi. We all love Kawhi. But I'm happy for him as a player to be able to lead the team and show everybody what he's got because there's always a lot of chatter about how he plays and the things he does. But no one really watches the day-to-day work that he puts in and the kind of teammate he is and the kind of player he is and how he is leading us. We're dropping guys and he's having 41-point damn near triple-doubles and averaging 17 rebounds and s--- like that. You have to give credit when it's due. I'm happy that this guy is stepping up and I'm happy he has the opportunity to be able to lead the team.

Q. What is it about this team that you guys just don't die? People can't put you guys away.

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: We just play together. We've been Next Man Up all season. We've had guys go down all season and we just stick together and we just continue to talk and communicate with each other. We got a lot of young guys coming in with a lot of energy and it's Next Man Up.

We had DeMarcus Cousins come in today. He hadn't really been playing, damn near all playoffs, and to be able to come in and give us great minutes and be able to score the ball as well as he did, he's been a great teammate. That just goes to him and just being a veteran. We've got a lot of great guys on this team, and guys are stepping up. We're just coming through.

Q. Is there something that makes you guys bolder and gives you more swagger and confident when you're at this point when you have your backs against the wall?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: I wouldn't say that. You look at these last couple games, these are all winnable games. They are one-possession games where they could have went either way. This series could be 3-1 our way, 3-2 our way. It is what it is. We're sticking to the game plan, and today was a good day for us. We shot the ball really well. We came out with a lot of energy, played tough. We've got another chance to go back to L.A. and force Game 7 back here.

Q. You said Ty Lue is even keel and he's been that way all season. Are there any times during the playoffs, down 2-0 Dallas, shootaround, elimination games, he's said something that's stuck with you?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: I wouldn't say one thing. I would say it's confidence in general. He's Ty Lue. I've known Ty Lue for a while now even before he became my coach. It like having one of my better friends as the head coach, you know what I mean. One of my better friends, meaning we talk all the time. We talk on the phone. Even if we have a problem with each other, I'm calling him. Maybe we might put the gloves on, something like that. It's really like a brotherhood between everybody. I think that's the best thing about him, is he's wide open. He allow you to say -- shoot your shoot, however way you want to say it, speak up. That goes a long way with players in this league.

Q. A lot of Ty Lue questions, and we always hear about assistant coaches, how it's almost a good cop, bad cop thing. Going to this role, did he shift or change his voice? Has he been steady? How did he handle that transition?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Definitely a different Ty Lue. Obviously Doc was at the helm. I think Doc was more of a mentor to him, so I think he was soaking everything in. And when it was his opportunity to be able to speak up, he would say his little things on the side. But I think his respect for Doc was just being like a guy that's taking notes in situations and just picking up from him. Definitely more vocal this year because obviously it's his team.

Q. Ty was talking about coming back from 3-1, saying you have to do it quarter by quarter. I'm sure he's talked to you guys about that.

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Yeah.

Q. Are you able to scale it down?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: It's tough. It's tough to do it that way. But like I said earlier, these games have been so close. It's really about the team who -- like last game, we didn't score for ten minutes or nine minutes or something like that. It was 70-71. We make two or three shots, it's a different conversation now.

The main goal tonight was to get back to L.A. That's all we said: Get back to L.A. with a win. We got to get back on the plane, anyway. So let's get there with a win and we'll figure it out after that.

Q. 41 minutes, a lot of them on Ayton. How physically taxing was that for you and what was your mindset?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: Ayton is a great young talent that's coming up. Obviously I had to give it everything I got. But the last two series kind of prepared me for him, guarding Gobert and I had Boban and I had -- these dudes, huge, Rudy, Porzingis. So it kind of prepared me for that. Just kind of keep him off the glass. He's a relentless rebounder. So just selling out on the glass and in the post. Just contesting shots, take away what he likes to do, watching a ton of film. Being a tough guy like I am, putting my body on the line. I've been doing it for numerous years in this league.