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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CAVALIERS v PISTONSJune 2, 2007Flip SaundersCLEVELAND, OHIO: Practice Day Q. Could you talk about what, if anything, you guys can build off of from Game 5, assuming you guys did a lot of good things and obviously the outcome wasn't what you wanted? COACH SAUNDERS: Defensively there were some things that we did pretty positive, we just have to be more consistent with it, and not give up on a few things as much as we did as far as in Game 5, and the main thing being that we can't let LeBron dominate the ball and put him in a situation where he's in too much a one-on-one type situation. Q. What is your sense when the players have players only meetings? Is that a good sign to you? COACH SAUNDERS: We had them last year, so I think that -- what it was, it was more of a film session than it was a meeting. I think more than anything, it was the players looking at an edit tape that we had made up and them understanding what we need to do at both ends, and I think more than anything else, I think what players meetings are, they're basically telling each other, we have too hold each other accountable and we have things we have to do in order to get through a difficult situation. Q. At what point, Flip, does that kind of cross the line to players pointing fingers at each other instead of it being constructive? And are you concerned a little bit about that? COACH SAUNDERS: No, I don't -- I mean, the way our team is, it's always been one to point fingers at each other. It's important for players to not be afraid to hold another player accountable and that's part of what -- I think what a team is at times, is that everyone has to know that they have a responsibility as far as to live up to, as far as to that responsibility, and if you have assignments that you have to do, it's important for you to do that. I mean, we're built differently than, say, even like a Cleveland, where LeBron does so much for them. We're built as a five-man unit a lot, so when one of our players breaks down in a five-man unit, either offensively or defensively, we can look really bad because we don't have, per se, the one guy that can bail you out. So that as much as anything else is trying to make -- they're just trying to make the team better, and so I think it was a good thing. Q. Have you talked to Chris Webber? He's expressed his frustration both openly, I suppose to coaches, and also a little bit guardedly with us, just about his role and minutes. COACH SAUNDERS: We talked a little bit the other day, as far as before the game. You know, a lot depends on situations. Sometimes his minutes have been cut because of lack of -- he's gotten in foul trouble and that's cut some of his minutes, and the other thing is that, as we've done all series long and all through the playoffs, when we go against teams that are pick-and-roll teams, like Cleveland, we try to put our pick-and-roll defenders out there, and that a lot of times is Antonio McDyess and Jason Maxiell. And so you try to do a lot of offense, defense, as far as at the end of games. But where he's at is where he's going to be; 22, 28, 29 minutes. Q. That bickering, and finger-pointing discussion, stuff that goes on behind closed doors is one thing but when it's happening during the game, is that a different concern for you at all? COACH SAUNDERS: I mean, to a certain point it might be if it becomes counterproductive. These guys have been together so much that they have done that a lot of times. It's just a matter of being on the same page. Sometimes they have been -- and sometimes as far as they haven't through their frustration and that's why it's very important that you can have that, but you always have to maintain as far as your composure and we know -- and tonight that's definitely what's going to have to happen. But I think sometimes when it happens it's the competitiveness of the players in that they want success. Q. Do you think in Game 5 you crossed that line at all to where it was detrimental? COACH SAUNDERS: I couldn't tell you that. End of FastScripts |
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