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NBA FINALS: HEAT v MAVERICKS

June 18, 2006

Dwyane Wade

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Game Five

Q. Dwyane, talk about the defense and the things that that they did against you tonight, and talk about just that whole sequence during the time-out, what you were going through.
DWYANE WADE: Well, you know, the defense, I think they probably pressured me a little bit more, tried to get into my airspace a little bit more, make it hard on me.
The only difference I really seen was probably they made it -- when I went to the basket, they made sure I didn't finish too much. They knocked me down and put me on the floor, something I'm used to. So that was the biggest difference.
You know, at the end, the time-out just -- with the free throws, just thinking about, you know, all the times you stepped up there and made them, you're thinking about all the times you've been in the gym and made them and just positive thoughts. So, you know, it was no question in my mind I was going to make them. There was no question in any of my teammates minds I was going to step up there and make them.

Q. Could you just talk about you guys sweeping at home, how great that is for you guys, and now also trying to win in Dallas where it's been very tough for you to get a victory.
DWYANE WADE: Yeah, you know, we took care of business at home like we're supposed to do. Won three games, two of them in dramatic fashion. But like I said, we took care of business, took care of home court, just like they took care of their two. But, you know, we've got to win one on the road to reach our goal. We've got a challenge ahead of us, and I'm excited about this team's chances with the challenge.

Q. Pat Riley was saying there's no second option of you getting the ball; it was just you getting the ball with that last attempt at a basket in overtime. What were you thinking about wanting the ball in your hands at that point?
DWYANE WADE: Oh, no, yeah, I wanted the ball, yeah, always. Once I got it, once I seen it, it was like two or three guys coming at me, I was just trying to get a little space where I could use my quickness to get by them. Once I got by Jason, I was able to maneuver my way to the basket. And I got hit twice on my way to the basket, I heard someone say it wasn't a foul, but it was. You know, just tried to attack. Didn't want to settle for a pull-up jumper. Wanted to go to the basket, either hit it or make a foul. Man, that's what happens. I was fortunate enough to get the ball and be able to attack.

Q. Could you describe the conversation you had with your cousin last night about pressure shots?
DWYANE WADE: He was just in my ear a lot, after my workout, I was just shooting free throws and he was standing there in my ear, telling me I'm not that good, just all that stuff that cousins are supposed to do. That's what I was thinking about every time I stepped to the free throw line was him, his face, actually right there underneath the basket in my ear telling me I wasn't that good and different things like that.
So every little thing helps and every little thing gives you an edge, and that was my edge and look for another one in the next game.

Q. Jumpshots not falling early, will you talk about the importance of being able to get to the line and was hitting free throws, did that get you started from the floor later in the game?
DWYANE WADE: Yeah, no question. You know, when you make free throws, it puts you into a rhythm. Early on I hit some shots I normally hit, but give them credit, they did a good job of making me take tough shots. I kept going, kept attacking.
Second half, I came out and tried to get to the hole more, and like I said the whole thing it was they were trying to not let me get there, you see the segment, it was four hard fouls in a row. It got me into a flow and got me kind of mad at the same time. I was ready, I told Shaq, "I'm with you, man."

Q. There was a point you were underneath the basket and put your head down on the basket; do you remember that?
DWYANE WADE: Yes, sir.

Q. What were you thinking and did you ever lose confidence in yourself for a second?
DWYANE WADE: No, I didn't lose confidence, I was just thinking it was a stupid pass. I threw a lazy pass. I saw Shaq trailing, and I did a couple of those, threw a couple of lazy passes and I was just think to go myself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
I'm hard on myself. I always bounce back. I'm never going to get that frustrated where I can't come back and make the next play. That's a sign of a player maturing if you can come back and make the next play and I think I did that.

Q. To get to the free throw line 25 times, how physically draining and demanding is that?
DWYANE WADE: It's very demanding. I just was telling them in the back, I played 50 minutes and I felt good on the court, but I'm starting to feel it now. I'm a little tired.
But, you know what, it's no time to be worrying about it. We have a couple days left in the season. I have time to rest for a little while in the summer and I'll rest then. I'll continue to do what I have to do to help my teammates get better and help the Miami Heat get better. If I have to keep going to the free throw line, that's what it is.

Q. How do you push yourself to keep attacking?
DWYANE WADE: You have to have will, strong will in this game, if you want to get to where you've got to get to. That's to the end, that's to the final thing, and that's to the championship.
They put the ball in my hands, so they expect a lot out of me, so I have to come through for Coach Riley and the coaches and my teammates who put the ball in my hand, who say, "hey, Dwyane, go to work." Of course I've got to come through for them guys.

Q. Could you describe the emotional roller coaster, the mentality of you guys going from 0-2, to up 3-2, in one week's time; how you feel about the highs and the lows of it all?
DWYANE WADE: Like we said, we knew we didn't play any good games in Dallas. I mean, you know, when you go on the road and you don't play good games, then you turn the ball over, it's hard to win. But we took our two losses and came back home and got better and won a dramatic game in Game 3, and our confidence got really, really rolling after that. You know, it's just been, we've been playing on a high level. We have to continue to do it. We're up 3-2 and for us to win everything, we have to go out there and win one in Dallas. It's going to be very tough, but that's why we play this game, for these moments, so looking forward to it. Thank you.

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