NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PISTONS v HEAT

May 30, 2005

Larry Brown

COACH LARRY BROWN: We've just got to do better. I don't know how you can adjust making free throws. The last two games we killed ourselves from the free throw line. We lost our poise. We had the lead in the fourth quarter the last two games, and in Game 1, we executed in the fourth quarter; games 2 and 3 they did and we haven't. Our shot selection hasn't been good in either game, and we got caught up in stuff that we had no control over, and we've got to do better in that regard.

COACH LARRY BROWN: It's surprising. I don't have an answer for it. You know, we're down 2-1, and give them credit. They've won two games they needed to win, and they did it doing all of the things you're supposed to do to be a championship team. That's how we got it done last year and in the playoffs prior to that, and we've got to understand that. You've got to get great shots down the stretch. You've got to do all the little things because we've gotten down and made a great comeback, and at a critical juncture in the game we missed some free throws, missed a couple real easy shots, and when they did that, they came down and made us pay.

COACH LARRY BROWN: Well, when you keep putting people on the line, I don't know you can play defense when you're putting people on the line. And then when you get in foul trouble, it's really hard to be aggressive defensively, and they made shots. I was looking, watching it from the bench, I thought we were real soft the first half, and then when I looked at the film, they made some tough shots. The second half when we got better defensively, they made some tough shots. But when you've got Shaq being such a presence and Dwyane playing so well, getting to the free throw line, it's hard. You know, in Game 2, what did they score, 91, 92? Two came at the end of the game, so I don't think that's bad defense. Our thing in my mind is our inability to finish. We haven't finished a fourth quarter.

COACH LARRY BROWN: I don't know, we'll just have to see how the game goes. You know, Tayshaun is a great defender. You use your bench the way you need to, and Lindsey came in, gave us a huge lift. I thought Rip defended really well. You know, Rip got after it. But we'll have to see. Foul trouble, you know, I never anticipated having all the big guys in foul trouble. That dictated how we played a little bit, but the bottom line is Shaq has played great, Dwyane has played great, and they've had people really contribute. I thought Eddie Jones and Butler made some huge plays when they really needed it, you know, in crucial parts of the game. The last two games we haven't been the team that made the big plays.

COACH LARRY BROWN: No, I don't worry about confidence. We've been through a lot. We haven't always done it the easy way. Give Miami credit; they're a great team. When you've got Shaq, who's coming back and been able to play as well as he has, and then you've got Zo making a contribution and their bench helping, you know, and guys playing at a high level, they're a tough out, and we understand that. But with all that said, we've gotten the lead being down in both Games 2 and 3 and didn't finish, and that's not like us, and we've got to do a better job in that respect.