NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 12, 2022

Gary Payton

Golden State Warriors

Practice Day

Q. Did you manage to get some rest after the last game? Did you have some relax time?

GARY PAYTON II: Yeah, a little bit. We came back and got back kind of midday yesterday, so had a whole day to readjust and get our energy and focus back. So I'm pretty well rested.

Q. Can you speak to the opportunity that you guys have now getting one on the road, coming back here, a chance to go up 3-2?

GARY PAYTON II: Yeah, we gave up home court, got it back, come here and try to take a commanding lead in this series and go back over there and see what we can do.

Q. Steve was talking a lot about point-of-attack defense. Do you think it was more to do with scheme or just the all-out effort you guys had in Game 4 that really changed that dynamic?

GARY PAYTON II: Just effort and energy. You know, be the aggressor. We weren't the aggressor in Game 3. We came out in Game 4 the aggressor. Every time somebody loses, the next team comes out more aggressive. I think the first team that comes out of back-to-back games with aggressiveness, it's going to determine or change the series.

Q. How long does it take to sort of figure out the way the game is being called? Does that really become more of a challenge in this series in particular?

GARY PAYTON II: No, it's up to us, I think. We just have to set the tone from the jump and get it done and be aggressive and show the refs that we're trying to be aggressive, and I think they're going to let us play.

Q. Is that easier to do at home?

GARY PAYTON II: I don't know. That's a good question. We just come out every day and try to play with the same aggressiveness and urgency as in Game 2 and Game 4.

Q. You've been around a lot of teams. What do you see on this team in terms of a hunger to get this thing done? Not only this championship, they're building on their past and their legacy and all that stuff.

GARY PAYTON II: I think just with this group, there's a lot of first-time guys in the Finals and going after their first championship. Then there's guys that, like I said, just continue their legacy. I'm just trying to get it done for those guys -- 30, Dray, Klay, Andre, Loon and definitely Coach Kerr. Just trying to add to their legacy. To be a part of that and to help them on their legacies is huge. That's all I'm here for. The rest of the guys down there, all the first-timers and whatnot, just trying to be a part of their legacy.

Q. The other day beyond the three-point line when you dropped it off to Steph, were you ready to tee it up?

GARY PAYTON II: Yeah, I was wide open. I saw it. I saw 30 take three hard steps coming out there, and I was like, I should probably wait for him and drop this off to him and let him do him. I think it was a good decision. We got the bucket. I'm just trying to do everything I can just to give more opportunities for him to make plays like he does.

Q. On a play like that, it's kind of silly to ask this, but does Steph ever say something later, like hey, man, nice play, thanks.

GARY PAYTON II: No, we know what's going on. We know how this works. We find him, and he covers for us.

Q. How are you feeling physically?

GARY PAYTON II: I'm great. Energy is high. Going to take care of my body, especially these last few days, everything with my arm and whatnot. I'm great, energized, ready to go.

Q. Game 4 as emotional as it was, is it hard to turn the page and focus on Game 5?

GARY PAYTON II: We ain't got no choice. We've got to take it one game at a time and focus on Game 5 and take some of the things that we did from Game 2 and Game 4, put them together and try to make that for 48 minutes and get it done.