NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 11, 2023

Christian Braun

Denver Nuggets

Practice Day

Q. How do you keep tomorrow from being bigger than it is?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: You know, it's just another game. You have to approach it like we have approached all the games in the Playoffs.

That's the crazy part about the Finals. I think that there's so many games that everybody has the same routine, and you've just got to approach it like that.

Obviously it's a big opportunity and you can't miss out on opportunities like this, so to close it out at home in front of our fans would mean a lot to us, and we know it would mean a lot to them.

This is an opportunity. We're not going to let them down. We're going to come out here and play our game and enjoy the moment.

Q. That opportunity to close it out in front of these fans who are just Nuggets crazy, what would that mean?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I mean, it would mean the world to us and to them. I think that's one of the biggest parts about this, is we get to come home -- obviously we dropped Game 2, but we get to come home and play in front of our fans and have a chance to close it out.

It's a big opportunity. Any closeout games are really big opportunities, and just to be able to do it in Denver would mean the world to us. We're going to come out with the same approach, the same hungry mentality.

That's the biggest part, just don't have a letdown game. Just come out and be humble, be hungry, and finish the job.

Q. Bruce Brown has been incredible this postseason. What kind of teammate is he?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: Man, he's great. I think I said earlier, you couldn't have found a guy that fits more perfectly alongside the guys we have. He came in here, he sits down and plays defense every single night, all 82 regular-season games, and he's been one of the best defenders in the Playoffs. Really good dude.

Obviously loves Denver. Just a good, fun dude to be around, and he fits perfectly with our roster. We're grateful for him and what he's done for us, and he's taught me a lot along the process. We're grateful for BB, and we've got one more game hopefully where he plays really well like he did last game.

Q. Of course you'll be part of the focus of the team because of the way you're playing, but how do you handle the media? Everybody wants to talk to you. How are you handling this?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: Yeah, I think I don't have it too bad. I think a lot of people want to talk to Nikola and Jamal, obviously. I don't have it too bad, but you've got to be grateful for this, obviously. Just to be in this position and have people that want to talk to you and want to hear from you is obviously a blessing.

I don't have it too bad, and I'm just fortunate to be here and grateful to be in this position.

Q. Being in this position to be in the Finals and getting the chance to have the trophy on your home court, what does that mean for you?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I mean, it's huge. Like I said, you get a chance to close out in front of fans that haven't had this moment before. We're going to go out there, we're going to approach it like every other game, but we're hungry.

You've got to stay humble and be ready for the opportunity. You don't get many chances to close out the NBA Finals in five games, so that's the goal. That's what we're focused on. We're going to come here, we're going to play really hard, give great effort, and we know the fans will show up and do what they've done all year.

We're going to come out here and try to close it out.