NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 24, 2022

Dorian Finney-Smith

Dallas Mavericks

Game 4: Postgame

Mavericks 119, Warriors 109

Q. Dorian, how much I guess motivation or pride did y'all feel tonight knowing that there might be or could be a significant difference between getting swept and getting to extend the series?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Everybody in that locker room feel like we have more basketball to play. We just wanted to get the win by any means necessary, and I feel like we came out desperate that first half.

Q. Was there any difference just besides shots falling straighter that you can point to for why there was more flow and ease on offense tonight?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: No, we just made shots. We also was getting stops. We got the chance to play a little faster. We got the open shots early in the shot clock, and not like end of the shot clock, trying to shoot a bomb.

Q. Is a night like tonight affirmation that what you were doing offensively was even working the first three games except for the ball actually going through the hoop?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Yeah, I feel like we've been getting great looks. We just got to keep shooting with confidence. We feel like we know when the shot is going to come, going to be at now. We just got to execute the game plan for 48 minutes.

Q. What's going through your mind in the fourth quarter as the lead starts to shrink?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Finish the game, just get the win. We got to do a better job of, you know, keeping the lead, making them drive and shoot more tough twos when we got a lead like that. The only way they get back in the game is making threes. We just got to be better.

Q. Maxi was 2 of 14 from the field coming into the game. Bullock was coming off an 0 for 10. What kind of lift does it give you the rest of the guys when guys that have been struggling start off hot like tonight?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: I wasn't really worried about Reggie because I knew he was going to bounce back. But Maxi, again, told him to shoot 10 threes (smiling). But I'm just happy he got to see the ball go in. We just keep this thing rolling.

Q. You guys have been having problems on the boards. How comforting is it to win the rebounding battle tonight?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Looney and Wiggins been doing a great job of being active. But it takes all five guys. Sometimes it's hard to come back and rebound when you got guys like Steph Curry at halfcourt and Klay at halfcourt. Really don't want to run all the way back in and help rebound, but we got to do it if we want to win.

Q. What is it going to take to go there and win a game?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: It's going to take all of us. Even the bench, who have been getting a lot of stagnant. We going to need everybody to play like we did today, the first three quarters. Make 'em miss shots. If we guard how we supposed to guard, I feel like it is going to give us a chance.

Q. Frank Ntilikina, what does he add to the team? How would you describe his impact on the team's success?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Frank, he's another great defender. Tall, can guard multiple positions. Also he can knock down the three. He just got to shoot it with confidence. I feel like tonight he played well. But we just got to keep it going.

Bertans has been playing good. We going to need everybody because me and Reggie can't play the whole game. We going to get tired, especially chasing them guys around the whole game, you know. It's going to take more than just me and Reggie guarding them guys.

Q. About six players have double-digit scores today. For you, what was the key for this offensive improvement that was so important for the team today?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Shoot the ball with confidence. I know if we was going to lose today, I wanted to go out shooting. So that's why I came out and I just wanted to be a little bit more aggressive. I'm just happy we got the win.

Q. No team in history has ever came back from an 0-3 deficit. Now it's 1-3. What motivates the team thinking about Game 5?

DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH: Just got to take it one play at a time. It's going to be a hard game. I mean, it ain't gonna be nothing easy. We want to do something special. Like you said, be the first team to do something special. It's going to be very hard but we can do it. We just got to stick together.