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NBA FINALS: MAVERICKS v HEAT

June 7, 2011

Chris Bosh

DALLAS, TEXAS: Game Four

Miami Heat 83
Dallas Mavericks 86

Q. Chris, can you talk about what didn't you guys do tonight in order to execute and close out and get the victory tonight?
CHRIS BOSH: We didn't take care of the ball down the stretch. We had a pretty decent lead going in. Against a team like this when they're playing at home and they're desperate, you have to do -- we had to do a better job of closing them out. I think they just threw us some different looks. We didn't get into our offensive sets and we didn't take good shots. It was either contested jumpers or we were turning the ball over. And that kind of got the crowd back into it, and it fed their offense.

Q. Also, talk about LeBron's performance tonight. What was possibly wrong with his scoring?
CHRIS BOSH: He struggled. Point blank, period. He struggled out there. We've all done that at times in our careers, and it happens. But he's a resilient guy. For this team, I think we're back in our comfort zone - we're desperate again. We're going to have to do a better job. And the pressure is on again. This is when we're at our best.
And for LeBron, he just has to bounce back and be himself, play his game, and the great player that he is. You know, we know he'll bounce back. And, you know, we need him. So everything else will be fine after that. He just has to go and play.

Q. Chris, when you guys blew the 15-point lead the other game back in Miami, you guys said it was just one of those games, basically a fluke. Now that it's happened again, you guys were up nine, how much of a concern is it that you guys are struggling to close these games out?
CHRIS BOSH: It's not a concern. We just have to take care of the ball. You know what I'm saying? I think we had a lot of turnovers in Game 2 as well. When that happens, especially against a team like this, you can't give them continuous looks. They can't be out in the open court. They're just too good for that all the time. Sometimes we can stop them, but when they have the momentum going for themselves and they have numbers -- now we're talking about being out of rotation, and now they're getting wide open threes and offensive rebounds.
So we just have to take care of the ball down the stretch. We know every game is going to be close, so we just have to keep that in our mind, go back to the lab, watch film, break it down and just keep supporting each other. Now we've got to win two games.

Q. Chris, Dirk had a sinus infection and was battling a big fever. How aware of his illness were you guys? And did you discuss it at all?
CHRIS BOSH: No, there is not an illness report before the game or anything.

Q. During the game did anybody say he's not 100%?
CHRIS BOSH: No. I've never been out there and somebody pointed and said, he's got a fever. You know what I'm saying? (Laughter).

Q. Now, that you've played with LeBron for a season, what have you learned about his temperament that would tell you what he's going to be like for the next day or two before the next game?
CHRIS BOSH: When he has laser-like focus and he just is who he is, I want to see him aggressive again. Not to say that he was passive tonight, but I think he can turn up his aggression a notch and just really see where he can attack the creases. Because they're really clogging it up, and he's not having his usual free rein. They're making him get off the ball.
We have to tighten up our defense. We have to continue to give them one shot and we've got to get out in that open court and get some easy baskets ourselves, and really swing the momentum our way, if we're going to win in this building, whatever day it is, we're going to have to do that. And you know, that's relief for us. We have to keep our minds in it. It's ups and downs of the playoffs. It hasn't stopped yet. We just have to keep going.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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