NBA FINALS: PISTONS v LAKERS

June 7, 2004

Shaquille O'Neal

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: We don't know what they are going to do, but I think we're able to adjust at whatever type of defense they throw. You know, we've had many defenses thrown at us over the past nine months, over the past couple of years, so we should be able to adjust to anything.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: I think it has gotten our attention. We realize that this team is not going to lay down because the Lakers are in the building. We really have to go out and play. It's not anything they did to throw us out of our game. I just think it's more us. We've just got to keep everybody involved and we've just got to want it.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: If anybody is used to different type of defenses, it's me. They are not going to double me in my area and I'm just going to try to go for what I know. That's what I try to do. In the third quarter when they threw the double at me I just tried to keep my guys involved. We were not able to hit the outside shot. Whatever defense they throw at me, I'll be ready. But it was nice to have some one-on-one coverage for a change.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: I really didn't talk to them, but, they are professionals and they know what we have to do tomorrow. They know we let one slip away and now we just have to get one back. And we've been in this situation before. So, it's nothing to get weird about.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: I think it gives us a lot of confidence, but I think we beat ourselves. We beat ourselves.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: You know, we just didn't come out with the killer instinct. We didn't have a sense of urgency, way too many turnovers and didn't shoot the ball well. If we knock out all of those things or just one or two of those things, you know, we could have won that game. We still had a lot of chances to win. But they just did everything right.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: I like having rest. I like having rest, and I know what I wanted to do when I came into this series. But we are not going to use that as an excuse. We know what we have to do as players and we've just got to go out and get it done. Last night, we didn't get it done but I don't think it's anything they did. It's more about us. It's been more about us all year. We know what we have to do, we just have to go out and do it.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: Of course I was. That's what I was trying to do. They weren't playing double coverage, so if I got the ball in the paint, I was going to go for what I know. But a couple of times I went up and they brought Mr. Wallace from the back to block my shot. I just dished it off to Karl. That's kind of what happened in the third quarter. They were coming out of bounds or coming on the double and I was just kicking it out to other guys.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: I really didn't say anything to him, because I know what type of guy he is, I know he's going to come out in this game and give it all he's got and play a little bit harder. We know what we have to do as a team and we just have to go out and do it. It's no time to be, "you need to do this, you need to do that." We know what we have to do. I know I have to get up in the morning and put my underwear on first and put my pants on first. I don't need people to tell me that. (Laughter) Thongs. (Laughter).

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: Obviously we were a little bit too lackadaisical, too cool, and we were just trying to feel this team out in the first half. But we just got to play better defense, take care of the ball and shoot the ball well ourselves. If we do that, then we'll be fine.