NBA FINALS: PISTONS v SPURS

June 15, 2005

Antonio McDyess

Ben Wallace

ANTONIO MCDYESS: Yeah, I think I was pretty much relaxed in Game 2 and just carried over to Game 3. I think for me it's just a matter of getting the butterflies out and going out there and playing.

ANTONIO MCDYESS: Yeah, but right now, it's just a matter of getting a win. You know, just happy to have the opportunity to play on this team. Like I said always, and like I say, I could be at home watching this, and instead, I'm playing.

ANTONIO MCDYESS: When I came here to visit, Joe told me he watched my last 18 games, and in the East Coast, that's pretty late, I'm in the West. I talked to Chauncey and had an opportunity to play with Chauncey before and I had an opportunity to play with Larry. That pretty much made my decision, and what more can you ask for, they are world champions.

ANTONIO MCDYESS: I try not to. Sometimes it causes a little pain sometimes more than times, never in games, but other than that, I never try to think about it.

ANTONIO MCDYESS: For games, no, not for games. For practices I kind of do a lot of stuff in the weight room before practice and everything, but before the games, I never do anything with it.

BEN WALLACE: You know, I'm aware that I got some things done, I was able to get to the offensive boards and any time you get some offensive boards you put pressure on their defense and have to guard for another 24 seconds. As far as dominating the game, I thought everybody played major roles coming out with execution, you know, the defensive rotation was great for us. It can be a little bit better but it was a great effort by everybody. That's the type of effort we need to have night in and night out in order to give ourselves a chance to win games.

BEN WALLACE: You know, you want to take the credit for shutting guys down, but that's something that rarely happens. I think you see the replay, he bumped knees pretty good, and you know, anytime you get that sting, you really don't know what to do, whether you want to push it or to lay off it, but whatever you're going to do. We played solid defense, you know, by him being a little bit injured so, that worked in our favor as well.

BEN WALLACE: Every game from here on out is important to us. To get back to what we want to be. We want to be back at the top and we put ourselves in a position, you know, with an opportunity to do that, so now every game is important. You know, I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to go out and make things happen for this team, you know, to try to get stops, get rebounds, you know, try to make it easy for guys to loosen up and just go out and play their game.

BEN WALLACE: I had a lot going on, you know, sure, surrounding me, coming into The Finals and, you know, it's a tough situation. But like I said, all you can do is just continue to keep putting your best foot forward and continue to come out and do what you can do to help your team. Like I said, hope that's enough.

BEN WALLACE: Yeah, without a doubt. You know what it takes to win games. I've been in this league for a long time, and you don't get to this point by not being able to go out and give your best effort night in and night out.