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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: NUGGETS v LAKERSMay 22, 2009Chauncey BillupsDENVER, COLORADO: Practice Day Q. You played the Lakers shot for shot in these two games at Staple and you're one up. What's that do for you guys going home now? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: Well, when we don't have home court advantage, you just want to try to split it however you can, the best you can. We had a great opportunity in Game 1, couldn't close out. Game 2, we had lots of mistakes and closed out. So still home court advantage. And now we just want to try to be aggressive and play like we have been playing on our home floor. Q. I know you were confident in many of these series but do you gain more confidence by the way you did play in the first two games? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: Yeah, we do. Because we feel like we outplayed them most of Game 1 and they stole the game from us. And in Game 2, outside of the first 18 minutes of the game, we played really well then. We were very successful. Q. When you lose Game 1, it's a close game. And close Game 2 and you win; does that show your team is evolving? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: It does. Because I tell you the way we played that first quarter yesterday and the first part of the second quarter, a year ago this team, the Lakers would have took that lead from 14 to probably 25. The game would have been over. We showed a lot of fight. We wasn't going to give up. Although we weren't playing the way we were supposed and as tough as we were supposed to, we just never gave up; we kept fighting. Q. How does this run by you guys remind you of the '04 Pistons? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: I really haven't gave too much thought to that. I don't know. I mean, we were a great team. We were a really great team at that point. We were I think the No. 1 -- no, we were No. 2 seed, as a matter of fact, to the Pistons. So there are some pretty glaring similarities. One thing is that year our record was the same as it was this year, 54 and 28. But that's not too bad. Q. If you beat the Lakers -- CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: That would be nice. Q. Before the series started, you mentioned a little people had to step up, the way LK stepped up, do you think you'll be on track? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: That should be a huge boost for him and his confidence because he was awesome, man. He was awesome. The way that he played that game last night he hadn't played that way in a long, long time. And not just talking about him because he's a shooter. Sometimes you make them. Sometimes you don't. But his energy and his focus and the rebounds that he gave us was phenomenal. He's really not known to be a tough guarder/rebounder, but he got it in, did what he was supposed to do last night. And if it's not for him, we'd probably be 0-2 right now. Q. Do you sense J.R. as kind of being a warrior? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: J.R. is, he's fighting through a lot. We really don't expect nothing less. We know he's going to fight and beat the series, the more healthy he gets, and that's a fortunate thing for us. Q. Last night another Kobe and LeBron commercial came out. What does the team think when you see the Kobe and LeBron hype? CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: They're fine. I like looking at the commercials. They have some funny commercials. I love that; it's great. Q. Looking forward to the Chauncey -- CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: Hey, that ain't in the plans. That ain't in the plans. But I wouldn't mind. End of FastScripts |
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