NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS

June 16, 2024

Derrick Jones

Dallas Mavericks

Practice Day

Q. What does it feel like to be back in the building with so many people that have written you guys off after Game 3?

DERRICK JONES JR.: Glad we extended the series. We’re glad we put our best foot forward and finally started playing the way that we're supposed to play.

Q. How big of a step was this for you guys as a team, just with how much things seemed to come together in Game 4?

DERRICK JONES JR.: We just finally followed the game plan to a T. The first three games, we knew what we had to do. We just had a few mistakes and a few lapses on the defensive end where we should have capitalized on a few things. Let a few offensive rebounds go. Had a few turnovers -- had a few too many turnovers. We just had to lock in on things we had to shore up on.

Q. How confident are you that you can repeat something of that caliber?

DERRICK JONES JR.: I'm very confident in this team that I'm with. We've been showing it all playoff long. Even if we go down, we still fight. No matter what, we stay together, we fight until the end. It's never over until that buzzer sounds.

Q. What kind of environment are you expecting here now with them having a chance to potentially close out on their home floor?

DERRICK JONES JR.: I really don't even -- I don't care, honestly. I'm just here to play the game of basketball. Fans going to be fans. That's just how it is. They're going to be loud. They really can't do nothing. Can't do much while we're on the floor. Just got to play the game.

Q. Do you feel like you guys had to solve them a bit?

DERRICK JONES JR.: I felt like we gave ourselves the best opportunity to be the better team that night.

Tomorrow night, we're going to try to do the same thing.