NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 1, 2023

Bruce Brown

Denver Nuggets

Game 1: Postgame

Nuggets 104, Heat 93

Q. Coach said one of his favorite stats of tonight was Miami only took two free throws. What's the secret to defending without fouling and preventing Miami from getting to the line?

BRUCE BROWN JR: I don't think there's any secret. It's tough. But our game plan was trying not to foul. We know they're going to pump fake a lot. Jimmy is great at it. Gabe has been doing it. Bam has been doing it. So just trying to get our hands in the air and jump for everything.

Q. Early in the game and actually throughout the game when guys were defending the pick-and-roll you were switching a lot. What does it say about your team when all five players can kind of interchange on defense, and was that kind of the reason that you think you held them to 42 points in the first half?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, our second unit, we usually switch one through five because we've got Jeff at the 5. It just makes it a lot easier for us and the second unit. We can be more physical, more aggressive, and try to get stops and get out in transition.

Q. Malone called this a complete team win. How would you describe the defensive effort collectively? I think you allowed 63 points through three quarters?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, it was great. Everybody was on a string. Everybody knew what we were supposed to be doing. Huge shout-out to Mike [Porter Jr.]. I've seen a few things of him not being a great defender, but he was great for us tonight, challenging at the rim, getting blocks and rebounding. So, kudos to him.

Q. You guys had a lot of an opportunity to get ready for this game, nine days off. How do you think that affected you guys overall? Were you as physically ready as you needed to be?

BRUCE BROWN JR: Yeah, we were ready, but I was dead in the first. I'm going to be honest, I was cramping. But you've got to get used to the altitude every time we leave and come back, so I think we did a pretty good job.