NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

May 23, 2022

Ime Udoka

Boston Celtics

Game 4: Pregame

Q. Your updates, Smart, Rob?

IME UDOKA: Both getting tested in the next 15 minutes and we'll know after that.

Q. So still nothing?

IME UDOKA: Still a question mark, yes.

Q. There was talk this morning about being Derrick being a little passive, needing to play more aggressive, whether or not he steps into Marcus's spot tonight, do you sense that out of him and how do you as a coach react to a guy playing a little passive?

IME UDOKA: Encourage him to be aggressive and stay confident. You know, he's a guy that does a lot for us besides just scoring the ball and so the shots are there, take those. A lot of times, if your shot is not falling, you tend to drive into the crowd a little bit and you still catch a mid-range and your floater and those things that I does well. But as I said throughout the series or throughout the playoffs and since we got him here, it's not just dependent on him scoring. Obviously defensively, he does what he does for us. Keeps us versatile and then offensively, getting into the lane, one of our best point five guys and moves the ball and creates shots for others. Doesn't always get the stats at times. Can make the hockey assist and it's not just really on him scoring but we do want to be aggressive especially when the teams are going to load up off the other two.

Q. After Game 1, you talked about your team winning three of the four quarters. That's become a talking point in the series moving forward. I think the Heat has only won two of the 12 quarters. Is that something you guys look at, winning the quarters?

IME UDOKA: A little bit. We want to hold teams to a certain number in quarters. I know when we do that and we have an average quarter we are usually in good shape but more so than that it's really being consistent and obviously the quarters that stand out, we've been severely out played, so 38-19 or 39-14. So those stand out. It's not really about the quarter. It's just about being consistent and not falling off a click the way we did in those first two quarters when our offense is not flowing and the turnovers obviously help that and hurt our numbers defensively but more so than anything, we like to keep teams in the mid to low 20s for a quarter and those have been two quarters that really stood out.

Q. Having Rob when he does play, how does it alleviate, when we talk about over-penetration, as far as when they get into trouble, him being an outlet for them to have and how much does that mask a problem of more penetration over the course of a season?

IME UDOKA: Yeah, he benefits us obviously with the lob threat and the rim threat there. Teams tend to not step up and crowd as much off him with the easy outlet there but we do have some spacing that works well when he's not there, spreading the guys out with Grant and Al, and you saw that in the Milwaukee series. So it works both ways but he is a pretty good outlet there obviously. You know, defensively, just a turn in the lane, he's our best guy overall reading when to help, when to stay with his own but you can notice that other teams are looking for him when they penetrate to the paint on the other end of the paint as well.

Q. Live ball turnovers started out high in the series and have declined. What has it been so far in the playoff run that you guys have figured out to get those down?

IME UDOKA: Show and tell and seeing the outlets that are there, which Jayson and Jaylen have seen it all year so it's nothing new as far as teams loading up and trying to take them out. It's just as simple as going back and looking at the outlet, one or two dribbles too many and over-penetrating, getting caught in those crowds.

As you saw the Milwaukee series, we really pointed out driving, close outs, making the extra pass and trying to get wide-open shots instead of semi-contested ones and those are pretty evident didn't in the last game as well with the over presentation with a team that's physical and hold grab, likes to get a lot of deflections, played right in their hands at times by over dribbling.

Q. With Marcus, is the swelling down? How is the ankle looking? Was there any testing?

IME UDOKA: He hasn't tested it yet. More so treatment than anything. Pretty swollen but he's a guy that plays through a lot so you can't determine it based on how it looks. There's mobility more than anything and he hasn't done that yet. More so just trying to get the swelling and pain down and give it a go here in the next ten minutes. But it is quite swollen.

Q. Same question with Rob. How is the knee and is the swelling still there?

IME UDOKA: Improving every day. Extra day or two of rest, not playing obviously helps with him. Swelling is minimal. It comes and goes. Obviously you play a game and it kind of players up a little bit at times but it's really a pain tolerance thing and agility as well, certain movements hurt it worse than others. So test it out here in the next ten minutes.

Q. And Jayson was also listed with an impingement. Is that an issue that's going to be watched for?

IME UDOKA: No, he's good to go.