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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v SPURSJune 12, 2007Gregg PopovichCLEVELAND, OHIO: Game Three Q. To guard against that 2-0 sort of feeling good about yourselves, what past experiences have you drawn on to talk to your players about, or has that even been necessary? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: We talked about past experiences, both ours and other teams' experiences who have been up 2-0. But very briefly. We didn't dwell on it at all. Q. In the previous series in the Western Conference Finals, it was Game 3, Tim Duncan got into foul trouble. After LeBron had -- and we know one game has nothing to do with the next, but after LeBron had foul trouble in the second game, is there anything you told Tim Duncan coming into this game about being aware of that? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Not a bit. Q. Your team has played so well on the road. You know this place is going to be really jumping tonight. They're pretty good at blocking it out. How come? How are they so good at just shutting it down wherever they go? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, I'd like to think they gained the ability to concentrate and focus by now. Most of the core people have been here a while, so they've been in a lot of situations, they've been in a lot of loud arenas, and they're able to just concentrate on playing the game. All the hoopla around it doesn't really affect them. If we play poorly tonight, it won't be because of the crowd. And if we play well, I don't think it'll be because they tuned the crowd out purposefully. I just think they come to play. Q. How important is the first quarter? You guys have really played well in the first two games in the first and really taken control of these games. How important is it to come out tonight and play well in that opening period? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, I think it would be very important on the road. We don't really have that as part of the game plan like we want to jump on somebody in the first quarter. We just talk about playing well and what we want to do, and we try to concentrate on executing what we do more than anything, and we hope that if we do that, we're at least in the ballpark by the end of the first quarter. Q. Could you reflect at all on the circumstances in 2005 after the first two games in San Antonio when Ginobili was so impressive, and then the two games when you went into Detroit? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: I've reflected on that, as you say, before, both at the time of the debacle at Games 3 and 4, after the series was over, several times during the season and in the last couple of days, and I still can't figure it out. So maybe we're in trouble again, I don't know. Q. Was there a simple difference between the times when LeBron was just ineffective, rendered ineffective versus the times he was able to get off a little bit? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Suffice it to say he was energized to some degree and he wanted to make something happen, so he deserves a good deal of credit for what he got done in the second half. And also, we guarded him in a completely different manner in the second half, and it was not good (laughter). Q. You've had a somewhat ambivalent relationship with Tony Parker since he's come to the team and over the years. Could you talk about how he's played in your view these two games? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: I'm not sure what you meant or what I should take from your prefacing statement. Q. I can explain that. Well, Tony often says, "Pop yells at me at lot." COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Is that the vein speech? The "I think Pop is crazy," that speech? Q. Yeah. COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, he's accurate, he's very accurate, he's honest and he's wonderful. He's done a great job. When he first came and we got him into training camp, we knew right away that we had a competitor, and we put him to the test, we stuck him in the frying pan, I did what he said I did, and we wanted to find out if he was going to be able to handle it, if he was going to break or if he was going to take it and show something. He showed some mettle and some fiber, and he's been great ever since. Q. You may not be aware of it, but have you done that with other players in the way you dealt with Tony Parker? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Yes. Q. How about -- COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Most of them keep it to themselves, though (laughter). Q. How about Tony in this series particularly? Has he lived up to all your expectations for him so far these first two games? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, I think throughout the season he's steadily improved himself, as I've said before, in the decision-making area. You know, we know he can score. He's a little bit underrated defensively; he takes pride in it. But his decision-making, understanding the game situation, behind, ahead, shot clock, momentum, who hasn't touched the ball lately, what might work, you know, giving me suggestions from time to time the way Avery used to do, he's starting to get into that league, and that's been great to see. Q. How confident are you in his shooting, of his outside shooting, and how much has that helped him in the last two games? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, I don't know how other coaches describe that sort of thing, but with me, when certain players shoot, I never expect it to go in. Not just my team, any team. There's certain players, and when somebody else shoots it, I think it's going to go in every single time. In the first few years, whenever he'd shoot it, I just figured it was going to be a turnover, same as a turnover; there's no way it's going in, unless he was going to the hole because he's the best finisher I've seen at the bucket I've seen since Rod Strickland for guards. But in the last year and a half when he shoots it, I actually think it's going to go in, so he's changed me quite a bit. But that's due to his work and Chip Engelland, who's really worked hard on him. Q. How much has that helped his whole game, just having that extra weapon? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, obviously it completes a player. There are a lot of athletic, quick guys in the league, but if they can't shoot it, they're rendered pretty ineffective in a lot of situations. So it makes him a complete player. Q. Going back to what you said early on, Tony came into training camp and you knew you had a competitor on your hands. What made you know that? COACH GREGG POPOVICH: Well, we did a couple of things before the draft in working him out. We set it up in a certain way to see if he could handle the physical nature of what was about to happen to him in the NBA, and he came through with flying colors on that. And then when the real training camp began, all the drills that we did with him went toward the physical side, and we had guys that understood he needed to be tested quickly, and they did, and he rose to the occasion. When we got into games, we could see that he gave no quarter to anyone. He was out to prove something, and he was just dying to be taught, dying to be pushed, because his work ethic, his practice ethic on the court, in the weight room, worked out great when he first came. And when he responded to all those sorts of things, we knew he had a chance to be something real special. End of FastScripts |
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