NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 11, 2023

Duncan Robinson

Miami Heat

Practice Day

Q. The first game Denver was unhappy with itself for allowing too many open three-point shots. Second game they felt they had communication breakdowns that led to you guys hitting those shots. What have you seen from them tactics-wise to try to address that area of the floor the last two games?

DUNCAN ROBINSON: Yeah, it seems like they've prioritized that, just maybe helping a little bit less on drives and staying home a little bit more. So it's an adjustment. It's something that we're used to and we feel like we can still generate good three-point looks. It's just going to be a matter of running good, crisp offense with pace, full court and half court, and then just playing to our strengths.

Definitely give them some credit in terms of just staying home just a little bit more. But like I said, we feel like we can still generate good looks.

Q. Duncan, what's it like matching up with Bruce Brown in the Finals given the history between you guys, the relationship? I know you guys go back. Is it fun to look across, you're matched up there in the fourth quarter, a couple of key moments late in the game. How cool was that?

DUNCAN ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, it wasn't cool that he was killing us and we were losing. That wasn't cool. But I have a lot of respect for Bruce and his journey and the path that he's taken.

Like he probably mentioned, we go back, same area, playing with, against each other, high school, and then just following his career all the way through.

It's been really cool to see him really kind of reinvent himself and constantly find ways. He's just a good basketball player. He can do it in different ways. Comes in as a point guard and is a really good point guard for Detroit and then finds a new role in Brooklyn and bounces around, and now he's obviously a big part of the Western Conference champions.

He's a really good player, really good dude. It's always fun to go against people that you have a history with.

Q. Given the way you guys have typically responded when your backs are against the wall, when you're underdogs, we could almost say you have the Nuggets where you want them right now. What is it about your team and resiliency and finding another gear or just saying no when the other side wants to say yes?

DUNCAN ROBINSON: Yeah, I think we have really solid leadership in place, whether it be coaching staff, whether it be guys that are battle tested in that sense. I think we have a collective trust and belief in each other that regardless of the circumstances, we have enough to get it done.

I think we also just don't get too far ahead of ourselves. We take it step by step. Like today, it's just all about maximizing this prep and this practice. Tomorrow in the morning, it'll be the same. Then when the ball gets rolled out tomorrow night, it's just about finding a way to get one game, and we'll go from there.

Just kind of having that resolve and experience I think makes a big difference.