NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SPURS v SUNS

May 29, 2005

Jim Jackson

Shawn Marion

JIM JACKSON: I don't think we played our best defensively. That's just bottom line. Like giving up layups and second shots, you will never be able to beat a team like this consistently. So, I mean, you look at all the scenarios and seeing different pictures, but the bottom line comes down to how many times you can stop them or how many times you are going -- they beat you from outside, making jump shots. And making jump shots, you can deal with that. But if they are going to get layups and second shots and go to the free throw line, you are never going to be able to beat them consistently.

JIM JACKSON: Reality sunk in to me when we lost the first game in Phoenix. Because it's tough because you want to come out at home and win that first game, especially coming off an emotional series, then we lost the second game. Reality to me sunk in earlier. This is a different series. This is a different kind of team. This is not -- and that's not taking anything away from Memphis, we played well, and Dallas we played great -- San Antonio is a whole different animal. You can't spot them anything and expect for it to all of a sudden just work.

JIM JACKSON: Just leave it all on the line. That's all you can do. Again, if they beat you -- not because they played -- they were a better team and they played better, then you can accept that. But not playing well, playing up to your capability and giving them opportunities is harder to accept. And that is what we have done in three games.

JIM JACKSON: You never know what can happen. You just got to look at it one game at a time. You win one now you go back to Phoenix. You never know, you could have a bad shooting night, San Antonio, now it's 3-2, you come back to San Antonio, the pressure now shifts to them to win the game. So, is there pressure on them to win? No, because they are up 3-0. Do I think Pop very much will have the mindset ready to go to come out strong? Yes. So it won't be as easy as somebody will say, well, they are up 3, they can afford to lose one. They are not built like that. Their coaching staff and their mindset has never been like that.

SHAWN MARION: It happens. I had good rhythm going out there. Most probably, you know, coach -- the team is getting the stops and playing and going well. Sometimes you don't want to change up, you know what I am saying, so he didn't, that's fine.

SHAWN MARION: It's not about me getting looks. It is about seeing what I can do to help the team.

SHAWN MARION: We're struggling with it because we aren't running like we're supposed to be running. I think they are taking away a lot of stuff. But at the same time, though, we're averaging more points than we was before. Regardless of what we're -- we're doing something right still. We just got to get some stops.

SHAWN MARION: Honestly, yes. Okay, he's shutting me down, okay, fine, I mean -- I am just trying to do what I can to help my team win. You all think he's shutting me down, okay, he's shutting me down.

SHAWN MARION: You have got to realize you have got to give them credit. Pop is a great coach. We only had a few stops here and a loose ball here and there away from winning the game. You can sit there and say they are blowing us out. They are not blowing us out, man. They had a lead on us last game in the fourth, but we came back. You have got to factor that in too.