NBA FINALS: PISTONS v SPURS

June 16, 2005

Larry Brown

COACH LARRY BROWN: No. No, we just played great tonight. Pop and I were walking out, he knows how I felt after the first two games, and now I know how he felt. We were phenomenal tonight. Took 90 shots to their 70, everybody shared a ball. We didn't turn it over, so again, he had very few opportunities in transition. You know, they shoot 37 percent, so our defense is set. I mean, we just did a lot of really things necessary to give ourselves a chance to beat them. Again, you know, we beat them on the break. We beat them on the offensive board. We made them turn the ball over and I think a lot of those things impact, you know, a player like him.

COACH LARRY BROWN: Good coaching. (Laughter). No, I really can't explain that. You know, I listened to what Gregg said, all of the things that needed to be done in Game 1 and 2 in San Antonio, they did. Their physical play defensively, their defensive play, their intensity, they just had us back on our heels, and I think we did the same thing in these two games. I really believe in all honesty that this is probably the best game a team that I've been involved with in such an important game, it's the best game that we've played. I think I told you guys after Game 3, we had to play our best game to win, and this was a pretty special game. I looked down, we had seven guys, you know, take double-figured shots. We had four turnovers. You don't foul. You rebound effectively. You've got distribution in terms of everybody getting touches. I don't know if we could have done any better.

COACH LARRY BROWN: Well, we have really athletic big guys, and you know, our game is changing so much with so many pick-and-rolls, random pick-and-rolls, pick-and-rolls on the break, you've got to have mobility with size. We've got good shot-blocking and we've got long guys that can get in passing lanes. I think we have a great defensive players. Rick Carlisle started this two years before I got here, emphasizing defense, rebounding, and we have a mindset here. Joe got guys that really bought into that. Coming off the bench, we have two great defenders. I think Lindsey has changed both games along with Dyess on both ends. You know, tonight, he went back to his Jackson State days when he played Kansas, and lit them up for 40-something. But we have athletic, defensive guys that have that kind of mindset.

COACH LARRY BROWN: Wow, I think we both have the same philosophy. Until the last game, I don't think they had given up 90 points in a Final, and then tonight, we get 100. I just think we both stress the same thing, everything that I've learned, you know, Pop's learned. I really, truly believe he's the best coach in basketball. You know, his teams execute. But I think in all four games, the team that's played the hardest, done all the little things, has been able to dominate the games, so now it's a three-game series, and what I told you after Game 3, we have to play our best game, I'm going to tell you the same thing. I know about their team and their character. You know, it's going to take an effort just like this for us, you know, to keep this series going.