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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v SPURSMay 31, 2012Scott BrooksOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA: Game Three Q. What do you want to see out of your team tonight that you didn't see in the first two games? COACH BROOKS: Well, we watched a lot of film. Spent a good amount of time with all of our guys, and we've all come to the same conclusion that our adjustments need to be made, absolutely. We need to play better. I think that's the biggest adjustment; small, big, whoever is in the game doesn't matter. We just have to play much better basketball. I have a lot of faith in everybody in our team as I did all year. They know I believe in them, and vice versa. They believe in each other. But we have to play better, playing against a team that is playing as well as anybody in this game. Fourth time anybody has ever won 20 in a row, and we understand that. We have a great opportunity tonight. Q. Is there anything different that you would say to these guys knowing that they're on the brink of 3‑0? COACH BROOKS: Well, we talked about it. All we have to do is win one game. We're not trying to win two in a row. We're focusing on having a one‑game winning streak. I know they'd love to have a 21‑game winning streak, but we're focusing on a one‑game winning streak. That's all we can do. I don't coach in fear, I coach in looking forward. I'm looking at Game 1 and 2 instead of down 3‑0. That's what we're focusing on all of our guys. Our guys understand that. We know it is a big challenge ahead, but it's a great challenge. It's an opportunity for us to win on our home floor. We have a great crowd. They're going to be behind us, and they support us throughout the game 48 minutes. But we have to play great basketball to beat them. Q. To win, do you have to play a lot better than you did in San Antonio or just a little better? COACH BROOKS: I think our effort was good. That's what I love about our guys. We play hard. We have to play better. Now I don't know how much better, but we definitely have to play better. They played good basketball. They made shots. They were moving the ball. They were defending when they needed to. But we have to play much better. We talked about being a defensive team. We gave up 120 points. You're not going to win games. I don't care if we play Kevin up at 5 and Russell up to 4, and go super, super small. You have to defend in this league to be a team that is special. You have to be a good defensive team. That's what we've done all year, and we have to get back to that tonight. Q. Do you consider it healthy for the league to get two smaller market teams playing here and kind of go through the draft? COACH BROOKS: Well, you know, I really maybe I'm being naive, but I don't look at our team, I don't look at their team as small market. There are 30 great cities in this league. If you're a player that's thinking I have to go to this, I have to go to that, there are 30 great cities in this league, and tough take advantage of them. You're not entitled to make a team, you're not entitled to coach a team. It's an honor to be in this league. No matter where you are, it's a great opportunity for you to represent yourself, your family, your organization, your city. We have a group that does that every day, night‑in, night‑out, every day in practice. I'm proud of them. They don't look at themselves as we're in Oklahoma City. We're a small market team. It's a great city to live in, and our guys love it here. It's a special place to be. We don't look at it as a small market. Q. Can you compare today to when you were down 0‑2 with the Lakers coming home? Is it vastly different? Can you tell two years of maturity in your locker room? What's it like? COACH BROOKS: It's different. It's different. Both I can remember the Lakers winning the championship before, and they won the championship that year they beat us, right? So they were defending champions. We know we have a tough task tonight. We know that both teams presented a lot of problems. They're one of the best competitors in history of the game. And the Spurs are guys that have that same wiring, Ginobili, Parker, Duncan. They have that same wiring, and tough beat them. You have to beat them for 48 minutes individually, and as a team, you need 248 minutes of great basketball, and we have to do that tonight just much better. That's our major adjustment is playing better basketball. Q. You talked about not wanting to go with Durant at the 5, and super, super small lineup. But you did go Ibaka at 5, Durant at 4, and so on. Is that something you would only do down 22 coming back? Or would you do that when a game is even and you're up? COACH BROOKS: That's a great question. We've played many different ways and had success many different ways. That's putting a good team together so we have flexibility to play different styles. And we have to do that. In order to go through an NBA championship playoff run, you have to play different ways. We've been a good defensive team when we're small. I don't think we were good defensively when we were small last game. Yes, we cut the lead to 6, but we still gave up 120 points. But they scored a lot of baskets and points around the paint, and they made their threes. So defensively, it's more of a focus of playing small. I wish it was that simple. I would just play everybody 6 feet and under. You guys are going to play. We're going to run them to death. But it's not that. They're a good team. They've seen it all. Q. I get the sense you've talked to your club about getting on the court, actually, and going through X's and O's and changes. Do you sense a different feeling among your players? COACH BROOKS: In what way? Q. Well, I know they've been determined, but it sounds like they realize their backs are against the wall. COACH BROOKS: Well, there is no question their back is up against the wall. We're down 2‑0. It's not the ideal place to be, but there are 26 teams that would love to be in this position. They've got to watch the game tonight and say wow, that's how we feel. Our guys have always had an incredible will to win. An incredible will to prepare to win. They practice hard, they train, they do a lot of great things that make us a good team. We're focusing on playing good basketball tonight. We have a very difficult challenge ahead, but it's a challenge that's not impossible. We can win, but we have to play well. Q. Coach, you've been around the game forever, but can you just talk more in general‑‑ not forever, sorry? COACH BROOKS: This series, it's looking like that, huh? Q. In a general sense, how hard is the step that you're all looking to make from an up and coming young talented team to a team that's in the NBA final. It seems there's always that process. How hard is it and what's it take to make that step? COACH BROOKS: Well, it's definitely an incredible step to make. We had a great year last year. We have the ability to take it to another step. It's not easy. There are two teams competing like crazy to get the win every night. You have to be good on both ends of the floor. We understand it's definitely a big challenge. But it's a challenge that's going to be worth it. Our guys understand that. We have an ability to win this game tonight we focused on 6%. But it's still 6% to focus on winning this game tonight. Q. How'd you like the Hack‑A‑Splitter? Did you get that idea from whoever asked you that question before Game 2? COACH BROOKS: Who asked me that? I don't know. Somebody I like, I'll give them the credit. But if I don't like them, I'm not giving them the credit. No, we know the rules there. It's not something that you go into a game. He shot 68, 69% in the year. He's struggling in the playoffs. He made 6 out of 12. If it presents itself, we might try it again. But it's not like we're going into the game if he gets in. Maybe we are. I don't know. We'll find out. Sit tight. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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