NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 3, 2023

Bruce Brown

Denver Nuggets

Practice Day

Q. Can you describe your love for country music, when that began, the Cowboy Bruce? When did all this start, and how have you embraced that, obviously being in Colorado?

BRUCE BROWN: The country music started when I was in high school. I didn't like it much in high school when I first started listening to it, but my friends at the time, the people I was close with, that's all they listened to, so I kind of got used to it.

Then I started remembering the lyrics when I got to Vermont Academy during baseball games, because I was on varsity baseball my senior year, and they'd warm up to Zac Brown Band Homegrown, and that was like the first song.

And by Lady A, Downtown was like the first two songs I really liked.

Q. Coach said after Game 1 that he thought there was sort of a stretch in the fourth quarter where you guys got a little stagnant against their zone. Started 3 for 13 shooting. In that quarter when you look back at that, how much of that do you think is a couple of bad habits that need to get fixed in terms of how you space or move against the zone, and how much of it is you got some shots that you liked?

BRUCE BROWN: Yeah, I think we got shots that we liked. Mike had an open three; Jamal had three; and Jokic had 15-foot shots open; they just missed.

We worked on it today, so hopefully we can execute tomorrow.

Q. What was the emphasis in practice, was it mostly zone or other stuff?

BRUCE BROWN: No, we felt like we played a lot better, so we tweaked a few things on both ends of the floor. We know Miami is a great team. They are going to come out Game 2 and play extremely hard, so got to be ready.

Q. What were you like as a baseball player? What was the scouting report?

BRUCE BROWN: I could not hit the ball. I was a bunt -- I laid it down. But I was a great base runner and infielding, but I could not hit the ball.

Q. The transformation from Wakefield to Vermont, what was that like? Obviously Vermont is a different place.

BRUCE BROWN: Yeah, I loved my time in Vermont, but basketball-wise it was great for me, just living on campus, being able to get in the gym whenever I wanted, and then playing better competition.

And I really started lifting a little bit in high school, so just to focus on basketball a lot more.

Q. Have you been in touch with Coach [Jim] Larranaga at all about seeing him in Miami or anything?

BRUCE BROWN: Yeah, he texted after the Heat won and was like, see you in Miami. I'll see you there, but that's about it.

Q. It feels like you've had a significant size advantage in Game 1. Is that something you feel on the court or how do you guys use that to your advantage?

BRUCE BROWN: Yeah, AG was huge for us, like he is all year, just chillin in the paint on smaller defenders, scoring whenever he wanted. So want him to continue doing that.

Q. Obviously Boston players generally have to go to prep school. When did you realize that that was going to have to be your path, that you were going to have to leave home and play your last two years of prep school to get the attention that you wanted?

BRUCE BROWN: After my freshman year at Wakefield, I knew I was going to have to do that at some point, but my mom didn't want me to leave the house so young.

So yeah, after freshman year we talked about it and she was like, after your sophomore year you can go.