NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: WARRIORS vs KINGS

April 20, 2023

De'Aaron Fox

Media Conference

Warriors 114, Kings 97

Q. What's the level of frustration after that game, especially the way that your offense came to a screeching halt?

DE'AARON FOX: Yeah, I mean, I think we got good looks. There were times where we just weren't making shots but we have to be more physical offensively. We have to try -- we have to be able to get to our spots regardless of what's going on off-ball and just try to get each other open.

Q. Coach said this is going to be a great test for this group. What do you think you guys learned the most out of today's game?

DE'AARON FOX: On the road, you can't give up 18 offensive rebounds. You're not going to win the game, and 24 second-chance points, that's too much to overcome on top of 15 turnovers. We have to be better taking care of the ball and just limiting their second chances.

Q. This is your guys' first playoff experience in this building. Wonder what that felt like at the beginning of the game whether it took some time to adjust to that and if you can learn from the experience going into the next game here?

DE'AARON FOX: I mean, at the end of the day, you are still playing basketball. There's nothing -- there are no gimmicks to it. Played in this building before. Obviously they are loud. This is a well-experienced team but at the end of the day you have to go out there and you have to play, so there's nothing special that I took from it, but like I said, at the end of the day, we can't give up almost 20 offensive rebounds and especially not on the road that way.

Q. Pace has been a big theme in this series. How do you feel like you guys did in controlling the pace tonight and if you're unsatisfied, how do you shift that back in your direction?

DE'AARON FOX: I think they dictated the entire game tonight. They came out and hit us first. We didn't respond too well. There were times we got it to single digits but they responded and broke the lead back up.

For us defensively we have to start with getting stops and just try to get out in transition.

Q. Coach did talk about the offensive rebounds, 18 or 19 that you guys gave up. From your perspective, what were you guys not doing for that -- in order for that to happen?

DE'AARON FOX: Obviously Kevon is a load down there but we have to try to help Domantas, but knowing guys like Donte and Wiggs and Kuminga are coming and they are crashing from the corner; from the top they are crashing. We just have to be able to put a body on them. That's what they do, at home. I guess it's one of the best home teams in the league. We just have to be able to try to limit them.

Q. When you think of the physicality in this game, talking about how much they were the more physical team tonight and based on what you guys did the in first two games, was there more timidness in your approach?

DE'AARON FOX: I wouldn't say that but obviously Keegan picks up three fouls in the first quarter. You want to see how the game is officiated but I wouldn't say that. I think they were just the more physical team both offensively and defensively, and I think the turnovers and their offensive rebounds showed it.

Q. As a guy in your position, what's your approach in terms of helping the guys bounce back from this one going into Sunday?

DE'AARON FOX: I mean just probably try to instill confidence. Still up. It's not like we're down in the series. This is a tough place to win at and I think everybody in the locker room knows that. But we have to come out and we have to control what we can control, and that would be limiting their second-chance points and trying -- getting out in transition. Those are things that are effort stats and that's what we can control. At the end of the day at times you're not going to make shots. You can be wide open and sometimes it might not be your day but if we don't give up almost 20 offensive rebounds, this might look like a different game.

Q. With Keegan struggling the way he is and this being his first year in the NBA and first playoffs, are you guys personally giving them any types of words of encouragement?

DE'AARON FOX: Yeah, I continue to encourage him even throughout the game. It's difficult, especially for a rookie who played big minutes for us all season. He broke the three-point record for a reason. We know he's skilled and we know he can play. Obviously the physicality and everything has risen, the intensity of the game has risen and he struggled a bit. For us we need and we want him to get going. We are not going to take that away from him.