NBA FINALS: BUCKS VS. SUNS

July 6, 2021

Jrue Holiday

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1: Postgame

Phoenix Suns 118, Milwaukee Bucks 105

Q. Jrue, you guys were switching throughout the game, in the third quarter it felt like Chris Paul started to take advantage. What was your mindset defensively as the game progressed?

JRUE HOLIDAY: It was just on being aggressive, so at that point I felt like I wanted to just annoy him, you know. Kind of get him off rhythm. Be able to make him pass the ball or take tough shots, tough twos. Yeah, that's something we're going to have to make an adjustment in Game 2.

Q. What did you see in the first half?

JRUE HOLIDAY: First half they got a lot of fouls. They were at the free throw line a lot. We've got to do better with that. D-Book got to the free throw line. Great free throw shooting team.

Second half did better but I just think Chris Paul got a little too comfortable.

Q. Going back to the Brooklyn series, was it the case tonight with Brook being switched on Chris, for instance, I don't know what else Brook can do in those instances. Did you see it that way or Chris just making good shots and Brook playing good defense? How did you see the bigs out there?

JRUE HOLIDAY: Yeah, I think Brook played defense pretty well but that's what CP does, those mid-range twos, those 15-footers, side-steps, side-step to the right, he makes those. Maybe just do something else. Make him put it in his left hand. Make him drive to the basket. Give him maybe a different look and do something different next time.

Q. We talked about when Giannis was off the floor, you want to go make up some of that offensive aggression, do you find that when he's coming back that you're recalibrating what it's like to play with him or does that snap into place more quickly?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I think I had a bad shooting night. I had a lot of opportunities to make layups and shots and they weren't falling. Again, I think I do a little bit more than scoring, just getting people plays and threes and driving to the basket, but me personally, I didn't shoot well tonight.

Q. What did you think about Giannis's game overall, and how tough do you think it is for him to be at the free throw line with the whole crowd trying to rattle him?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I think Giannis played well. I feel like when you sit out three or four games, it's maybe a little tough to come to the first game of the Finals and really put on that show like he would. But I think he played well. He looked well. His body looked well.

And the free throw line, you've really got to ask him. You've got to ask him. He shoots the ball pretty well from the free throw line, so I'm not complaining.

Q. You've worked really hard to get to this stage. What was your first Finals experience like? What did you think? Did it feel different to other games you've played in your career? Were there different type of nerves in the pregame?

JRUE HOLIDAY: Actually there wasn't much difference. Game 1 was another Game 1. We felt like it was important. We felt like it was a game we could have won and a game that we really wanted to win. But yeah, honestly, it wasn't that different. I felt like every series, you kind of have those jitters of that first game. So for me it, was about the same.

Q. You guys have responded really well to this situation. What is it about that locker room that has equipped this team to learn from mistakes and adversity kind of on the fly?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I think it's IQ. I think it's character. I think it's going through things during the season for us to get to this point and make adjustments. I also think it's playing against different teams in the playoffs. Miami was different from Brooklyn and Brooklyn was different from Atlanta. We have a lot of references to go back to.

Q. The other night after the Atlanta game, you said you would expect Giannis to be back on the court at some point. Did you anticipate it would be Game 1? And when did you find out he's going to play?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I forget the first question. How did I find out? They said he was going to be in the lineup and we went through warmups like he was going to be in the lineup, and that's obviously great for us. I'm super excited about that, knowing that he's healthy and well, but also knowing that we have our best player back.

Q. A couple months ago you were telling us how Donte [DiVincenzo] is your favorite player on the team. Does this feel like the first time with both those guards that they have that you guys might have really missed him, like just not having him around to have another quick guard that can navigate screens and do all those things?

JRUE HOLIDAY: For sure. I wouldn't say it's the first time. We had Atlanta where they had great young guards. We had Brooklyn where they had a lot of good guards.

But yeah, I'd love to have him here in the Finals, not on a scooter, but on the court. And again, kind of my running mate, locking people up and then grabbing rebounds like he does.