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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v SPURSJune 10, 2007Manu GinobiliSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Game Two Q. When the Cavaliers were making their run in the fourth quarter, you had the four-point play. Were you, A, intent on taking that shot, and B, on tricking Daniel Gibson into fouling you in the act? MANU GINOBILI: Well, I was feeling good with my shot, so when I saw the rotation a little late, I didn't hesitate. Then I saw -- I couldn't do anything different. He jumped into me, but I had time enough to finish the shot, so of course it was a big play and I was very, very happy for it. Q. Can you talk in general about the fourth quarter comeback the Cavaliers made, and was it disappointing to you that the intensity level of the Spurs seemed to slide some? MANU GINOBILI: Yeah, it was really disappointing. We played such a great game for three quarters that seeing the team kind of stop in the fourth quarter, it was irresponsible from us. We've really got to learn from that, and we've got to finish the games. We can't allow them to make a 21-point break. We were up 27 going into the fourth, they make it to six, that's way too much. We can't allow ourselves to do that in Cleveland because they're going to kill us. Q. Coach Pop and Tony were both talking about that you guys were here two years ago that you blew out the Pistons in the first two games and then got your lunch handed to you in games 3 and 4. The experience of being here and knowing that you're far way from winning this thing, how does that help you out, the memories of two years ago? MANU GINOBILI: Hopefully it does, and I remember what happened in Games 3 and 4. It was really embarrassing. So hopefully, especially the guys that were in that Finals, learn from that and we are more humble going into those games and play a better game. Q. Do you take more of a business approach as a result so you don't get too up for those two games because you know what's waiting for you? MANU GINOBILI: As I always say, we just took what was ours. We just maintained the home court advantage. Every series that we won in the last five years, we won at least one game away. So we're going to look for it as soon as possible. Q. Do you expect the game to be kind of easy the way it was the first three quarters? MANU GINOBILI: Well, it was looking really good for us. Being up 29 at a point in an NBA Finals is not something that happens often, so we were feeling so good about ourselves. And then we stopped. We got too over-confident, and we stopped moving the ball offensively. We let LeBron get to the basket and find open guys at the three-point line. So as I said before, we've got to learn from that because we can't get so relaxed, especially in the fourth quarter against a great team like Cleveland. Q. When Bowen sits, defensive strategy on LeBron looks like it changes, and you're responsible because you're the first man on him. And then LeBron takes off. If he takes off, then it's difficult to stop him even when Bowen returns. Is that a risk going into Cleveland? MANU GINOBILI: I think that happened in the fourth quarter, that he started taking off. Q. Exactly. MANU GINOBILI: And started playing one-on-one against the big. And being so athletic, smart and capable, it's almost impossible to stop him. So we kind of changed the strategy and it didn't work. Then we came back and it kind of looked better. But now we realize that it's something that we can't do because the guy is good. Even if you make him go to the basket and you double-team once you are close, he's too athletic and can find a shooter over the top of the defender. It was too easy for him in that fourth quarter. End of FastScripts |
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