NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 7, 2022

Nemanja Bjelica

Golden State Warriors

Practice Day

Q. Were you surprised Steve called on you in Game 2?

NEMANJA BJELICA: No. I mean, at some point I was expecting to play like I did against Dallas. My job is to stay ready. It's Finals, playoffs. Our rotations are really shorter. So every single night, game, you've got to be ready. At the end of the day that's why I'm here.

Q. How did it feel for you just playing up and playing in switches and stuff? That's stuff that maybe people don't think of you as doing normally.

NEMANJA BJELICA: I mean, I think I can help my team on defense, also, like besides the offense. It's just the playoffs are a little bit different, especially the way how we play our defense with Draymond as a group. It's like team basketball, so it's much easier to play with him. When you have a guy like Wig, Klay, even Steph, who show a great way how to defend the first two games, so it's easier for me in the Playoffs.

Q. How would you compare the environment in these games to like some of the arenas you played in overseas and some of the big games you played over there?

NEMANJA BJELICA: I mean, it's kind of the same. It's a little bit more like safe, safer.

Q. I got hit with a lighter in Serbia once, so I know what you're talking about.

NEMANJA BJELICA: This arena, our arena, people know basketball. Everybody loves sports also here. It's a joy and fun to play here and compete.

Q. Was it nice to see Gary be able to get back and get some minutes after the way his injury happened and having missed so much of the Playoffs?

NEMANJA BJELICA: Yes, of course. He's our very important player in second unit. Definitely we miss him a couple games ago. He showed his readiness, and he's healthy, of course, and he's going to be huge for us in this series.

Q. He was available for Game 1; did he seem excited, ready to go?

NEMANJA BJELICA: I mean, of course. Everybody, it's Finals. There is like -- we've got to win three games, they've got to win three games. I think at this point everybody is just willing and they're going to try to give everything that they have, what they prepared for this period. We have like two more weeks at least of great basketball, the best teams on the East and West, and it's going to be fun.