NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 2, 2022

Klay Thompson

Golden State Warriors

Game 1: Postgame

Boston Celtics 120, Golden State Warriors 108

Q. What did you think happened in the fourth quarter there? You have the nice lead, I think things were looking pretty good for you, and then what happened?

KLAY THOMPSON: I think we had some costly turnovers. I missed a couple great looks. Then they got some great looks from three. That kind of blew the lid open for them. Then you go 51 percent on 41 shots from the perimeter, it's hard to beat a team that way.

Q. Moving forward, what do you think it's going to take to withstand when they go on those runs?

KLAY THOMPSON: Just trusting each other on both sides of the ball. I missed some rotations. We've just got to be better as far as being on a string together and moving and hitting the open man. It was a tough loss, especially the way we did lose, squandering a 15-point lead. Very, very rare for us.

It's not the end of the world, and we'll regroup tomorrow. We'll bring a much better effort on Sunday.

Q. Without looking at the tape, do you feel comfortable with the threes you gave up, to who you gave them up to, or do you feel like there was a lot of defensive breakdowns in that?

KLAY THOMPSON: No, because they were great looks for them. But as a shooter, when you hit a couple open shots and when the guy is in your face, it doesn't -- you know, you've got the rhythm going, so it's easier to make those.

So we've just got to take out those guys who were very effective from the perimeter tonight going forward.

Q. When you start the Finals with a deficit, what's the value of having so many veterans in the locker room who have been on this stage before to help usher you guys through this moment?

KLAY THOMPSON: Well, you know, it's first to four, not first to one, and we all have been through situations like this. And we realize that it will take -- it's going to be very hard. Best part about it is we have another opportunity Sunday.

Q. Draymond talked about not pushing the panic button after a game like this. What is the general attitude after a meltdown kind of like that?

KLAY THOMPSON: Well, it's never fun and it hurts on the biggest stage, obviously, but like Draymond said, there's no reason to panic. I like our chances still, and we'll go home and we'll digest what happened. I know we'll be better Game 2.

Q. What do you remember specifically -- you guys have only been in this situation two times before. What do you remember about how you guys responded after losing a Game 1?

KLAY THOMPSON: I remember just putting it past us. There's no reason to hold onto a loss when you have another game so soon.

I remember watching film and realizing, there's many things we can do better, and applying those strategies. So it's pretty simple, and I just know we'll be better Game 2. I'll be better.

Q. When Kerr took you guys all out at the end, he kind of went down the row and gave each one of you a hand, a fist-bump and kind of a half-hug. I think you were involved in that. What was the message communicated there?

KLAY THOMPSON: Steve knows how hard it is. He's been through this his career, coaching career, and we stick together through the thick and thin, wins and losses. We're not going to splinter because we didn't play like we wanted to. We're just going to continue to play as hard as we can. And I just know, if we do that, we'll be better.

Q. They seemed to have more pep in the fourth quarter. How much of that was because they were making shots and getting turnovers, and how much of that was something other -- something else going on?

KLAY THOMPSON: That was definitely because we were turning it over, and they were getting good looks. I mean, ask any basketball player, when you get great looks from three, everything else feels easy. It's on us to be better Sunday and play with more force on the defensive end and not let them get so comfortable.