NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

May 26, 2023

Bruce Brown

Denver Nuggets

Practice Day

Q. What can you tell us about the flight home and just the excitement and the aftermath of winning the Western Conference Finals?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, I mean, everybody was super happy. Everybody was just having a good time. I was all throughout the plane, talking to everyone through the front and the back. Then I got a little tired, so I went to sleep.

But high spirits on the plane. We're happy we're in the Finals.

Q. What have the last couple of days been like, obviously not knowing who you guys are going to face?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Pretty relaxed days, recovering and getting ready for the Finals. Today was kind of our first practice. Last few days were PD days, so today was our first practice.

Q. With the Miami-Boston series, the way you look at it, would you rather it gets stretched longer and whoever comes out of that be a little less rested and have that advantage for you guys or would you rather know earlier who you're going to face? What do you prefer there?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I mean, honestly, either. I don't care. We're going to prepare the same, whoever wins. But that's a great series right now. I can't wait to find out who we play.

Q. How difficult is the waiting for the game with nine days off?

BRUCE BROWN JR: For me, it's not difficult at all. I've watched every game. Right now, really just recovering, resting. And then our days off have me some time to go out and golf. It's been great.

Q. Bruce, how did you golf? And when you have a team like this that is so cohesive, how nice is it there's no drama? Seems like you get along really well.

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, the first day of golf I played pretty well. The second day was terrible.

Yeah, this is just a great locker room. Make everything easy, make coming to work easy. Like today was a serious practice, but everybody was having a good time laughing, smiling. So it's just a great group.

Q. You guys have talked a lot about how you hold each other accountable. What I want to know is what aspect does mental toughness play in a long grind of the Playoffs, and what do you think maybe you and KCP have contributed to that aspect of the team?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I don't know. Different people deal with different situations different. You could talk to Mike different than you talk to Jack or Jack talk to me. Just knowing that, you just know how to approach your teammates and how to come off correct to them.

But me and KCP, you can come at me any way. You can spaz on me, you can come nice. I'm going to take it the same way. If that helped this group, for both of us, then I think we did a pretty good job.

Q. When you just kind of reflect back on this season all the way back to your decision to sign to Denver and how the regular season went, how do you reflect on that just for how it's helped your career as a player and how it might help you financially in the long run, too?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, I haven't thought about it too much. I think I'll think about it when we're done. But obviously it's been a great season, been a great decision to come here and play with these guys. It's been a perfect fit. I'm happy I chose here. Coach actually asked me what my contract was like for next year. But I haven't thought about the future, other than the Finals, yet.

Q. I remember you mentioned I think it was after the Minnesota series that you were just kind of happy to not be swept like you were last year in Brooklyn. Have you been able to take the time to realize the gravity of where you guys are and where you are, getting ready to play in the Finals next week?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, you dream about being in situations like this. I never really used to watch the Finals. The only time I did watch it is when I was growing up and was a Celtics fan and they were there. But now approaching it, it's crazy. My phone has been blowing up ever since the sweep.

I can't wait for it to get started.

Q. I know you've obviously seen these guys plenty, whoever you're going to play, but you coming from the East, do you feel like it gives you a little bit of insight or a specific player that maybe you've had a bunch of matchups with that you can share with your teammates, as well?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Maybe a little bit, but it's a whole different year. The Celtics have a different coach. But I played them last year, so I kind of know -- I played the Celtics a lot the last few years, so kind of know some of their players.

But maybe. We'll see.

Q. Bruce, going back to free agency once again, how are you evaluating things in that situation? Are you taking into account relationships with Cal and Coach Malone, or is it strictly role and opportunity?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I really haven't thought about free agency at all.

Oh, last year? Yeah, it was just fit, and then they basically said what I wanted to hear because I wanted to get out of that 4 man, big-man role, floater game, and show what I can do. The first time they said you can come here and be a guard because Jamal was coming off injury and Mike was coming off injury, and that's exactly what I wanted to hear. So that was a perfect fit.

Q. What experience on and off the court have led to this collective confidence that you guys have had and that has grown as the season has progressed?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I would say just vibes in the locker room after practice. Usually the last few teams I've been on, practice is over, everyone showers and everyone gets out. But here I sit in my locker for like 30, 40 minutes like it's college, just joking, laughing and having a good time with the fellas. Some of them leave early because they have families, obviously, but when they don't have to go home right away we just sit in the locker room cracking jokes and having a good time.

Q. Michael Malone and some of your teammates have mentioned how KCP brings the championship pedigree and how that benefits the mix with this team. Can you tell me in what ways that might manifest itself, and where does that show up and be a benefit?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, he's just the ultimate leader, ultimate professional, comes in every day, works extremely hard and holds everyone accountable. But he is the only one on this team who has won a championship. He knows what it takes and what we need to do. We've got to listen to that guy.

Q. I only ask you this because you said you grew up a Celtics fan. I'm not going to ask you the obvious, who would you rather play, but as a Celtics fan, would that be kind of cool to play the team that you grew up cheering for?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, definitely. As I said, me growing up a Celtics fan, watching the NBA Finals when they were there, it would be insane. Like I said, when they had me mic'd up, the Playoffs in L.A., I'm watching the Celtics play L.A. in the Finals, and obviously this last round we played the Lakers. It would be great. I'd be in front of my family, my people back where I went to high school.

But if we did go back to Boston, there would be a lot of tickets, so it would be really expensive.

Q. When you think about the progression of this team, and where you guys started back in training camp, what do you think is the thing that you guys learned the most over the course of that season to go from a team in training camp to a championship team?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I think coming into the year, we always knew we had a chance to be here, and we've proved it all year. There's been ups and downs, for sure, but the biggest thing we improved on was defense. Early in the year it was nonexistent kind of, or some games it was there and some games it wasn't. But on the defensive end, we got a lot better.

Q. Not to put you on the spot at all, but were there any turning points that you can think about throughout the season, be it locking in defensively, big comeback wins, any moments where you thought, this is something special brewing?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Not that I could remember now. But yeah.

Q. In what ways do you think individually you improved as a player this season with this team? Are there any ways?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Obviously just being a guard. I didn't show that I could be a guard in Brooklyn, but here I'm majority playing backup 1, you could say. In the biggest minutes of the game I'm on the floor, contributing on both ends of the floor. I think the biggest question was can I score outside of being with those two great players I played with last year, and I've proven that.

Q. You've talked about your free agency decision a little bit. Can you tell us where you were and what it felt like when you got the call from Denver, because I know you were kind of lingering out there for a little longer than you might have anticipated.

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, so the rumors coming into free agency last year was I was getting a lot offers, which I wasn't. Nobody really wanted me because they didn't know if I could be a guard or not. I kind of took it personal. But I knew after the season, the way I played in Brooklyn, it wouldn't fit or people would question how I played.

So I kind of told my agent that I was going to get F'd this summer. I already knew it. So I just came in with a chip on my shoulder. Denver came in and said the right things, and it clicked. It was a perfect fit.

Q. You have played with some great superstars like Kevin Durant and now with Nikola Jokic, and you have battled against Giannis. Is there anything you have learned from your battles with Giannis that can help you in the Finals?

BRUCE BROWN JR: With Giannis?

Q. Yes.

BRUCE BROWN JR: No.

Q. You mentioned getting the opportunity to play guard, and after Bones got traded you kind of shifted from the 2 to the 1. How smooth did you feel like that transition went for you, and how long did it take for you to adjust growing into that role?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I think it was very easy. I think right away it clicked maybe. I just think I had to be more aggressive. I was kind of passive toward the beginning of the year, trying to pick my spots. But my teammates told me to be aggressive, be me, nobody can guard me out there.

So I think it was an easy fit to move to backup point guard.

Q. You mentioned what it would be like obviously to play in Boston. You have a little bit of history in Miami, too, of course. What would it be like to come back to the home of the U, if that's the way this thing worked out?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, that would definitely be cool. Would probably practice at the U, be around Coach L and all those guys down there, and I could finally congratulate them for making it to the Final Four in person.

But I loved my two years at Miami, so it would be great.