NBA FINALS: BUCKS VS. SUNS

July 11, 2021

Devin Booker

Chris Paul

Phoenix Suns

Game 3: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks 120, Phoenix Suns 100

Q. Book, your output tonight, 3-for-14, 10 points, not what the world's been accustomed to seeing from you in the playoffs. What do you make of your performance?

DEVIN BOOKER: It wasn't well, obviously. But there's nights like that. The most important part to me is winning the game and we didn't do that, so I'm more frustrated about that. But we have a few days off here. We're going to get back right and going to go over film and be ready Wednesday.

Q. You guys have had off shooting nights before, but losing the 50/50 battle, which Jae said you guys did, to that extent is just really unlike you guys. How do you get back to that?

DEVIN BOOKER: Just regroup, refocus, go over film and respond. We're on the road and we have to come in with the energy and effort. Like you said, the 50/50 balls, the offensive rebounds, protect the paint -- just the details that we talked about. But that's what the playoffs is. That's why it's a series, and we have some room for improvement.

Q. What do you guys take away from your track record this postseason responding well to adversity? After trailing against the Lakers, not closing out right away against the Clippers, how can that apply to this series moving forward?

DEVIN BOOKER: Just like I said, it's a series, and understanding that and understanding it's the NBA Finals. I said after last game, this team is not going to give in. They're going to keep playing all the way through. So we have to bring that same effort that we had in the first two games and I think we'll be in good shape.

Q. This was the first time this postseason that Deandre had five fouls in a game. Curious how did his absence in the second half impact you guys with their points in the paint and offensive rebounds?

CHRIS PAUL: I don't know. I think we got to go back and look at the film. Obviously, they were home, they were very aggressive, got to the line a lot more than we did, much like Game 2. So we got to try to build a wall somehow, some way and try to limit the guys from scoring.

Q. I know it's not just making shots but it's also shot quality that you guys pay so much attention to. Did you like the quality of looks that you were getting tonight?

DEVIN BOOKER: I think I can get better ones. We'll make that happen. The point of the game is to win it, and I think there were other things that went on throughout the game. You can say it's a make/miss game, but at the end of the day you have to make the other team miss and get easy opportunities for your team. We didn't do that tonight.

Q. Chris, you spoke to us in the Conference Finals about the importance of closing out quarters. In the third tonight you had it down to four and then it ends on I think a 24-6 run. What do you think was missing in execution at the end of the third?

CHRIS PAUL: I don't know. I got to go back and watch it. Me and Jae were just talking about that in the locker room. During the game there's so much going on -- substitutions and stuff -- so I don't remember much. But that was big for us. Even the second quarter, the second quarter we didn't close that quarter out well. That's something we have been talking about all playoffs. So especially on the road, you got to manage the game. You got to manage those end of quarters.

Q. Chris, Deandre Ayton started out really well and then got into foul trouble. What do you say to him when that happens?

CHRIS PAUL: Keep playing. Keep playing. Sometimes you're going to get a good whistle, sometimes you're going to get a bad whistle. But he's playing hard. That is a talent in itself. And then it's tough, man, Giannis coming at you full speed like a running back, you know what I mean? So trying to put his hands up, but it's tough.

Q. Do you feel sometimes when he is in foul trouble players do target him to get him off the floor? Do you see that happening in this game as well?

CHRIS PAUL: He's a big part of our team, especially he's the anchor of our defense. I feel like any team would love for him not to be on court offensively and defensively. So, yeah, we got to protect him better and make sure that we're showing that wall.

Q. Devin, Monty put his arm around you at the end of the third quarter. What was the message that he was trying to tell you and how were you feeling at that point?

DEVIN BOOKER: I mean that's -- I don't mean it to be like that, but that's between me and Coach. We have that relationship, so we keep that in-house.

Q. I saw you eyeballing the box score. What's sticking out the most to you when you are looking at it?

CHRIS PAUL: I was looking at my turnovers. Looking at free throws. Yeah, you know, it's a lot. It's a lot to take in. But you got to look at the game as a whole.