NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS

June 5, 2024

Xavier Tillman Sr.

Boston Celtics

Media Day

Q. What’s the feeling right now as you guys are a little more than 24 hours away from Game 1?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: It’s good. I feel like everybody is very excited, but there is a cool calmness to it, if that makes sense. We’re just excited, but it’s not overly rah-rah. We just want to play so bad. The energy and the vibe is good.

Q. As far as things you didn’t know you had to prepare for – tickets, stuff like that?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: Definitely tickets. I had so many family members text me and call me, Help, do you have any extra tickets laying around? I would say the tickets is the funniest part. That came out of nowhere.

Q. How do you decide who gets them and who doesn’t?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: No, they have to pay for them. That’s it right there. If you want to pay the money, I can get a ticket for you.

Q. As far as defending this Dallas team, what’s it like when you look at the way they attack, especially the way their bigs attack the rim?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: I feel like they do a really good job in the pick-and-roll. Luka driving downhill and the big man has to decide if he is going to help on Luka and leave the big and whatnot. They’re done a really good job of manipulating that, as well P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones and those guys hitting corner threes for them. They’ve got a good mixture between those, for sure.

Q. As far as what you guys do well on them, how can you exploit them?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: Just being versatile. Having five guys on the floor at all times who can really make an impact offensively. It allows them not to be able to rest guys like Kyrie and guys like Luka. Now everybody has to guard for them. I think that will be our best advantage, and our depth and everybody being aggressive.

Q. When you were watching that Minnesota series and you saw the drop and the decision whether to come out or stay behind, did you yell at the screen or were you kind of reacting?

XAVIER TILLMAN SR.: Kinda sorta. When they ran that drop coverage, talking about the Timberwolves, it was like really interesting to me that they kept leaving the big man to help on Luka, because it was a guaranteed two points every time with the lob dunk. It was kind of interesting that they didn’t figure out a different coverage to use or something like that to stop the lob dunk.