NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 24, 2022

Damion Lee

Golden State Warriors

Game 4: Postgame

Dallas Mavericks 119, Golden State Warriors 109.

Q. What was working there in the fourth quarter that maybe wasn't working in the first three quarters of this game?

DAMION LEE: Honestly, I think the guys that were in there were just trying to continue to find their rhythm. Like one thing we do, the guys that don't play as much, we play pick-up on off-days and that's really something that's been helping us find our rhythm without actual game play -- I mean, with actual game play.

So just continue to get the ball moving. Guys looking for each other, being aggressive, and you know, just trying to stick to the game plan that we've set from the beginning of the series.

Q. You guys obviously didn't complete the comeback but you forced them to bring Luka back in and got to a point where Steph comes back in. What does that do for you guys individually and potentially as a team?

DAMION LEE: I mean, it's huge, obviously, for confidence. Not even just for the guys on the bench but the coaches; it gives them confidence that anybody on this roster, you know, they can throw in in the midst of the game. It doesn't matter who it is, knowing, you know, if they need a guy to plug in a certain role, putting guys out there.

But I think it more so just gives the coaches confidence. It obviously gives the players confidence, but knowing that we have another game in two days, and just trying to refocus, get back to our principles and get ready for Game 5.

Q. Was there a point where it felt like on the court that Dallas was maybe getting nervous or you feel like, hey, we're making some headway here?

DAMION LEE: Like I said it was just about guys continuing to find rhythm and sticking to our principles and looking to make a comeback.

Crazy thing, looking up, me and JK were just talking about it, we looked up when that timeout was called. It was an eight-point game. Coming from, what was their largest lead, 25, 30? 29? Coming back down from that, guys coming out, being aggressive, playing loose was huge for us.

That should be something that we should take those last eight minutes -- those first eight minutes of the fourth, obviously 1 through 15, to turn the page and get ready for Thursday.

Q. Did you know at the timeout?

DAMION LEE: I knew we were scoring. But you know, in the course of the game, the game starts to go, shots are made, shots are missed. Moses hit a three, Moses hit two threes, JK hit the left corner three, timeout is called, look up, oh, shoot, eight-point game, okay. We got a chance, obviously bring in the big dogs. Make the final push.

Q. When did you find out about the news about the elementary school shooting and how challenging is that to compartmentalize those emotions to try to focus on a basketball game?

DAMION LEE: I found out when I woke up from my nap coming over from the game. As soon as I got on the bus, a couple of us were talking about it, seeing if we saw it, gathering more information before we come into the gym.

It's just sad. Obviously everyone saw Steve's pregame presser. Those are my exact same sentiments. It's sad the world that we live in. We need to reform that. Guns shouldn't be as easily accessible. Like it's easier to get a gun than baby formula right now. That's unbelievable in this country that we live in.

And also, for, you know -- I don't like bringing things on about myself but I mean, I have a kid now. Me and my wife were talking before the game about just like, how scary it is, you have a child obviously, he's not old enough to go to school but when that does happen how crazy the world is and just how much -- honestly I feel like we all need to pray, figure out -- pray to whatever you pray to, get right with Jesus, get right with the Lord.

And just obviously we need to figure out this gun control thing because this is ridiculous. There's been 140 -- no, what is it, 140-some days; it's been 27 school shootings and 212 overall shootings in the country. That's ridiculous. Like, come on, man. We need to be better than that. It's supposed to be, you know, the greatest country in the world, and it's just ridiculous. This is senseless, losing our lives. This [expletive] ridiculous.

Y'all be safe, get back to the Bay, keep God first and say you love your loved ones.