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NBA FINALS: MAGIC v LAKERS

June 9, 2009

Rafer Alston

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Game Three

Los Angeles Lakers - 104
Orlando Magic - 108

Q. Stan went down the stretch without a point guard in the last game. You couldn't take that as a compliment. How did you feel about it and how did you bounce back?
RAFER ALSTON: Well, he told us he was looking for somebody that maybe could get out there and maybe find a rhythm, stick some shots. The first two games, myself and Jameer were struggling to do so. Stan and I have a great relationship. He understands that he's just trying to coach to win games, I'm trying to play and help him win games, help this team. Number one is don't take it personal. I think the first game I just said that it was a rhythm thing because I never had that done before, never played like that. Second game I was able to find a flow in the game but not hit shots. And tonight I was able to make shots.

Q. You and I talked this morning about the conversation you had with Stan. Stan was just in here talking about it, as well. He said that his great advice to you was "play your game." How did you play your game in this game?
RAFER ALSTON: Well, I was aggressive from start to finish. I was able to mix it up. That's what I do best, instead of just standing on the three-point line. I think that's what you guys saw in me in the first two games is standing on the three-point line as if I was Ray Allen or somebody. But tonight I was able to penetrate, get to the foul line, shoot the pull-up jumper, shoot the three, find open men.
The bad thing tonight, I had a lot of turnovers, and next game I'll try to bring that down.

Q. You guys shot an NBA record in The Finals, 62 and a half percent. What was working so well tonight for you offensive?
RAFER ALSTON: Tonight we played more speed, move energy on the offensive end. We were able to get down the floor, push it, a lot of pick-and-roll, which is our game. Find Dwight, he kicks it out, we get wide open threes. If they don't double-team, Dwight goes one-on-one. They were fouling him and he was going to the line and making.
The bad thing is we shot 62 and a half percent and almost lost the game, so we've got to find a way to defend these guys, stop fouling Kobe on three-point shots and pull-up jumpers. That's what we're going to look at film tomorrow and work on.

Q. Stan said his pep talk to you was limited to "play your game," and that was it. He said it took him two days to come up with that, and that's all it was. What did you say to yourself in terms of self-motivation to get yourself going in this game?
RAFER ALSTON: I think I told myself the same thing, especially after Game 2. It's disappointing to go out there and not play the style of play that I'm accustomed to doing, the style of play that's allowed me to get to this point in the NBA and the style of play that's allowed me to be successful individually and as a team. And I think that was the most motivating thing, not only what Coach said, what I told myself, to go out, enjoy, have fun. You're playing in the NBA Finals, a dream come true, and let it all hang out.
I was able to get out there tonight and from start to finish continue to attack, not only half-court offense but fast-break offense.

Q. Obviously next game is a must-win for the Orlando Magic. What's the locker room like after the win?
RAFER ALSTON: Believe it or not the locker room has been kind of the same as after both losses. We understand what we need to do. That's the beauty of this team. We don't hang our heads, we encourage each other, we get on each other, we're able to take constructive criticism from one another. I think that's the best thing about this team.
The locker room tonight is obviously happier because of the victory, but we understand it's still another must-win game come Thursday.

Q. A lot of people will say it's a difference playing home and away. Is there a difference for you?
RAFER ALSTON: Kind of. You're in your own bed, you can do your own thing as opposed to being on the road and hiding because of so much that we have to do on the road. You don't want to just rip and run on the road, you want to get your rest, stay off your feet. Here you want to get your rest and stay off your feet but at least you're in the confines of your own home. That's the only thing difference.
With basketball if you can play, you can play, and if you can't, you can't, and this league is full of guys that can play.

Q. In the first game how shocking was it you guys didn't shoot the ball well and was it just a matter of time?
RAFER ALSTON: It was shocking because we're a team that does shoot well. We were getting good shots. They were doubling Dwight in the Staples Center both nights, he was making good passes. Turkoglu was making good passes. Rashard found his rhythm in Game 2. Hedo Turkoglu found his rhythm, but we still needed the rest of us. Here tonight they were giving us the same shots, were making the same plays.
This league is a make-and-miss league - first two games I'm missing, I look horrible. Tonight I'm making, I look good. That's what this league is about. It's a make-and-miss league.

Q. The distribution of minutes looked a lot like what people thought before the series. How much did the continuity that you had, play the whole first quarter, come out, come back in, same thing in the second, how much did that help you throughout the course of this game?
RAFER ALSTON: I think I helped myself with that one. Making shots, he left me in the game; if I was missing shots, he'd pull me out.
We need Jameer to get going. He encourages me, I encourage him. We need him to get going, be the Jameer of old. I know it's hard psychologically because of the injury coming back after a four-and-a-half-month layoff. But the minutes, again, after the first game it was just a thing of finding a rhythm and staying in it, staying in the flow. The way the first game went, it was hard to gather a flow. But never once disappointed or upset or furious about the situation because Stan is trying to coach to win.
Tonight I was in a rhythm from start to finish. If he sat me, I don't think it would have bothered me going back in because I felt great all night.

End of FastScripts

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