	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: NUGGETS v LAKERS

May 23, 2009

Pau Gasol

DENVER, COLORADO: Game Three

Los Angeles Â– 103
Denver - 97

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Do you feel fortunate to come back in the fourth quarter like that and steal one here in Denver?
PAU GASOL: I think we worked really hard throughout the game to be able to keep them under control and control those runs they made.
So we definitely are happy about getting a win tonight. Absolutely. We didn't feel very fortunate on Game 2 at home. But tonight it was a better game. I think more all around we really competed. We played throughout to the end of the game basically and did a really good job.
Really proud of our guys the way we competed, and we got a great win.

Q. Pau, nice way you did the fourth quarter because you've been playing pretty brutal to end the quarters that was a total turnaround wasn't it?
PAU GASOL: That was definitely a big difference the way we finished off the game going a little more into the post and then getting into the line, making our free throws. That was definitely a huge thing to have in our favor. So we don't expect them to shoot in such a low percentage in our next game. It's going to be even tougher than this one to be able to win.
But we're looking forward to it. And this is what it takes. Denver is a great team. I don't think they're just going to fold and give up. They're going to come out extra hard on Game 4 and we have to be ready for it. We just can't relax. We can't be confident. We have to take advantage of opportunities and Game 4 is a huge opportunity for us to try to get another one.

Q. 43 more minutes tonight, but those two turnarounds in the fourth quarter and then the free throws, do your legs feel a little bit fresher than they did especially in Game 2 in the fourth?
PAU GASOL: They get pretty heavy down the stretch. But my mind was more aggressive tonight and I think we needed that lift and I was able to make some good moves and finish off well. But, yeah, definitely 43 minutes, two games in a row, averaging 40, it's pretty tough.
But it's what it takes. Whatever it takes at this point in time, we're in a conference finals. We can't relax, we have to give our best at all times and I'm going to continue to give my best.

Q. Why is Lamar Odom such a successful inbound pass guarder?
PAU GASOL: Well, he's got the length, obviously. He pressured well the ball and I guess forced those kind of lob passes that -- to Carmelo this time, to maybe Chauncey the other time. I don't remember if it was him that was also guarding the inbounder.
But he was active. That's what we needed to be. Guys stay with bodies and Trevor does an incredible job of avoiding the screen and getting to the ball and got another huge steal that was a difference-maker also.
So really proud, like I said, we worked really hard to get this one and it feels good.

Q. Could you describe Kobe's resolve down the stretch and the big shots he made?
PAU GASOL: Yeah, he made a big 3 and obviously got to the line very well. And he kept fighting, fighting, and that's what we need him to do at that point in time because he demands the ball. He wants the ball. He's a great clutch player, and he's gotta make things happen.
So he did. He got to the line. He made his free throws, and definitely helped us out a lot to get that W.

Q. Pau, the win aside, you whined a couple times when the whistle blew. Did you ever feel like you were on the other side of the whistle at all tonight? You made a couple faces.
PAU GASOL: Yeah, a couple times, but it's just the nature of the game. Officials are going to make calls and sometimes you think they've got them right and sometimes you think they missed them.
But that's just, like I said, the nature of the game. You've got to continue or maintain your focus for the next play and play through whatever is going on out there.
So it affects you less in your game and performance.

Q. What did you guys do to take Carmelo out of the game after the first quarter?
PAU GASOL: Well, he had pretty good looks. I think we did a better job of helping our guys on his penetration and made him shoot tough shots once he got in the lane. But we had a couple of good looks that he usually would have made, or that he made in Game 1 and 2 and didn't make them tonight, which it's hard to always make tough shots, and he makes a lot of them.
So we kept him shooting in a low percentage. Hopefully we're going to continue to do that and just help our small forwards because they have such a tough job to be able to guard him and stay on top of him, and they look for him a lot, obviously, because he's such a big part of their offense.
We did good tonight. Hopefully we'll do that again in Game 4.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297