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NBA FINALS: MAVERICKS v HEATJune 6, 2011Dirk NowitzkiDALLAS, TEXAS: Practice Day Q. Dirk, there's been a lot made about LeBron not scoring much in the fourth quarter last night. How did you think he impacted the game down the stretch? DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, I think first of all, he's playing both ends of the floor. They keep sticking him on Jet in the fourth quarters, and he's been doing a good job. Jet hasn't really been a crunch-time, clutch player for us the way we need him to. So he's done a good job. Look, Wade has been great in the fourth quarter, so LeBron is being more of a facilitator. It worked so far. Q. Dirk, J-Kidd said he felt like your teammates have to step up around you, everything that you're doing. Why do you think that depth that you guys displayed all season long hasn't been there? DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, I think they do a good job on our shooters. I think our ability to spread the floor and shoot is a big reason why we made it to the Finals, to really spread the ball around and shoot and make timely and big shots. But for some reason, they're so long and athletic on the perimeter that they're able to swarm me and my post-ups, and when we swing, swing they're still athletic and quick enough to get to our shooters on the weak side and run them off, or at least contest them. You have to give them credit. We just looked at the film. We had some opportunities, and if we do -- I remember J.J. had two or three good looks in a row to start the fourth quarter. And if we get those opportunities, we got to make the most out of it. Q. Dirk, it's so tough to defend those guys, and you've held them down pretty good. But do you have to do anything on Wade? And if you do that, does that open up a chain reaction that other guys can hurt you? DIRK NOWITZKI: You know, they're a tough team to guard, obviously. They've got three superstars, and their role players are really good and spread the floor. Chalmers has hurt us with some shots. So it's tough. But actually I thought we did a good job on Wade's pick-and-roll, and then at some point he just cleared it out and went one on one. That's where he's so tough to guard, because he stays in the middle of the floor. And then it's tough to send help. And he was able to like J-Kidd up a couple times and make timely shots. Look, he's a tough player. He's a great scorer. He can go both ways. He posted some yesterday. He got to the lane a couple time early in the first quarter. Kind of set the tone. He was in attack mode all night long. He was great. Q. Dirk, you faced great defense every game, because everybody is always trying to stop you. Can you talk about the respect you built up for Udonis Haslem. He guarded you on that last play. He set a screen on you late in the game. Can you just talk about how you see him as a competitor for you? DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, he's one of the best defenders we have at the power forward spot. He's active. To me, it really hurt them him being out for so long. He's back in time. He's kind of a glue guy. He does all the little things. He sets screens, he does all the dirty work. He's a good rebounder. He's great in pick-and-rolls, showing. He does all the little things. They got him right back in time. Q. Dirk, were you ever involved in trying to get Udonis here to come to Dallas? DIRK NOWITZKI: We would have loved to have him. Unfortunately, obviously, he stayed there. I guess a good move on his part. Q. Dirk, over the course of the series at times it seemed like it's been three closers against one. What about that equation has to change? DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, like I said, we have to find a way to get Jet some freedom and get him off some movement, and he's got to make some shots for us. He's a big reason why we're here, because he's one of the great fourth-quarter players we have in this league. But they've been able to really take that away. So if we can get him going and get him off some movement and free him and get him shots, and get our shooters some better looks, so when the fourth quarter comes they're going to step in there with confidence and be ready to play a little more defensively so we don't chase them down 15 all night long, which takes a lot of energy out of everybody. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Q. Is it more LeBron or is there something Jet himself can do to overcome LeBron? DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, LeBron is tough. He's long, he's big. He guarded Rose unbelievable in the last series. So he's a very good defender. And he's big and strong, but also long to contest the shots. Like I said, we're trying to play off the movement. I think when Jet had his best fourth quarter in Game 2 when we didn't run a lot of plays, when he was able to run free in transition, we got some stops, pushed the ball up, he got some looks, got to the basket once or twice. And I think that seems to work best, if he's on the move. THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Dirk. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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