NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: WARRIORS vs KINGS

April 28, 2023

Malik Monk

Media Conference

Sacramento Kings - 118, Golden State Warriors - 99

Q. (No microphone.)

MALIK MONK: It was great seeing Kev hit a couple shots, especially in the crunch time too. Trey stepped up big. TD stepped up big. I'm just going to continue to attack. I don't care if my ball go in or not. I'm just going to continue to attack the rim and set my teammates up, so it was good seeing those guys hit shots.

Q. Malik, I asked you yesterday what did desperation look like for this team today, and you said, We'll see. Was this the desperation you were expecting and what does a Game 7 back at G1C mean to you?

MALIK MONK: This is exactly what I expected and I expect a little bit more from both teams in Golden 1, so we're going to be prepared.

Q. You guys really went small, changed up the rotations, spread the court more. What did that do?

MALIK MONK: Oh yeah, man, it just opened the court for me and Fox. It opened everything up for us. We was able to spray, make plays, and just hit shots, and that was big for us.

Q. I think last game Golden State had 60 points in the paint on just around 70 percent. On those shots today was 36 for them on 18-45. What do you feel like led to that difference?

MALIK MONK: The pocket. We limited them getting in the pocket. We limited shots at the rim too a lot. That was the big emphasis. And Draymond had a big game last game. We knew if we held him to not having a game like that, it would be a chance that we win, and that's what happened.

Q. There was some big contributions in the rebounding department. Trey Lyles, I think he had 11, Keegan had 12, and that was a big help with Sabonis being in foul trouble. Can you talk about that gang rebounding that you guys have been talking about all season?

MALIK MONK: Yeah. Looney's been killing us this whole series. I think he had 20 back-to-back rebound games. That was just the emphasis. Trey said he was going to hit 'em and we just had to come back and get the rebounds. Like you said, Keegan had 12, Domas had 12 -- 11. So it was big. Trey had 10 too. So, yeah, we're going to need that from those guys.

Q. I know you guys have confidence as a team and you had a great regular season, but you don't really know how teams are going to perform in the playoffs until they get there. So to have a potential closeout game on the Warriors' home floor, what was the vibe around the team and how do you think you were able to maintain your composure when the Warriors were going on their runs?

MALIK MONK: Having a coach like Mike, having vets like HB, Domas, Delly, they've been through the situation before, they've been through things like this, and we haven't. So just leaning on those guys and they just helping us getting to spots and Fox being Fox. So we're going to continue to lean on those guys.

Q. We always ask what are the conversations like with the team to get ready for a game like tonight. You had a great game. How are you preparing yourself mentally before a game like tonight and then later on for a game like Game 7 to be able to close it at home?

MALIK MONK: Listening to some good music, listening to my brother, and just blocking the noise out. Try to shut my social media off, try to shut everything off, try to turn my phone off too as well, and just vibe out to some good music.

Q. When you guys huddled out here before you ran onto the floor, somebody said, Let's leave it all on the floor and take this thing back to Sac --

MALIK MONK: HB said that.

Q. Then the, One, two, three, win, that was HB as well?

MALIK MONK: Yeah.

Q. Can you speak to your mindset like coming into this game, hostile environment, lots of pressure, the first time you guys have faced an elimination game. How do you come into this place and win a game and how might that carry over to what you have to do on Sunday?

MALIK MONK: Not having any pressure, man. It's no pressure for us because didn't nobody think we would be here. So we just go out there and leave it all out on the floor every game. Just closing the game here, going back to Sac, just give us a little bit more confidence to show what we can do. We held 'em under a hundred points and that's hard to do with this team, especially they the defending champs. So it just gives us a lot more confidence.

Q. There's a saying that in North American sports the two greatest words are Game 7. When you think about Game 7, what comes to your mind?

MALIK MONK: Man, I never been to Game 7, so I don't know. I don't know what to expect. I just know I'm going to go out there and play 110 percent, give it my all, and continue to do what I've been doing, and that's attacking the rim and making plays for my teammates. So I'm going to be ready.

Q. De'Aaron was doing some amazing things with that broken finger. I know he didn't score in the fourth quarter in that last game, but he's bringing it and he's playing like it never happened. Can you talk a little bit about him playing through this injury?

MALIK MONK: He's an All-Star, man. All-Stars are going to do what All-Stars do, and I think that's playing through injuries, just like Domas. Domas had a broken finger all year. Fox got one now. I had a little bump. Keegan had a little bump. It's just basketball. Everybody's hurt right now. Ain't nobody trying to hear that, though, so we're just going to go out there and fight.

Q. Can you walk us through the start tonight? You talked about the desperation, but obviously getting off to that 8-0 run and really getting into the game early on today.

MALIK MONK: That was a big emphasis too as well, starting strong, starting early, and running on 'em because we knew we had one day. The last couple games we had a two-day break. So we knew we could run 'em a little bit and we took advantage of that tonight.

Q. It will be an even quicker turnaround for Game 7. Did you feel it yourself today, that it was only one day, and did you feel it on them, that it was only one day?

MALIK MONK: I felt it a little bit more on them. They was a little tired. We were a little younger than they are, so we knew we could take advantage of that. So we're going to try to do the same thing Sunday.

Q. Yesterday after practice you were asked about your level of confidence heading into this game and you said, We're confident. We're always confident. What is it about this team that allows you to be so confident facing elimination and this being the first playoff run for a lot of you guys?

MALIK MONK: People don't think we would be here. Didn't nobody think we would be here but us. So that's all the confidence we need. Coming into this crazy arena, man, it gets crazy in here, it get loud in here too as well, and we're the only people we got out there on court. So we just pat each other on the back, get in the huddle, talk about it, and just stay together.