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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PACERS v HEATJune 1, 2013Erik SpoelstraINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: Game Six Miami Heat77 COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: This is where you have to compartmentalize in the playoffs and focus on the main thing. And we work all season long for a Game 7, home court, regardless of how you get to that point; play well, don't play well, win a game, lose a game, and it all builds up to this. It's an incredible opportunity as a professional athlete to be part of a Game 7. And that's why our guys are looking forward to this, even after a disappointing loss like tonight. Q. Erik, can you explain the third quarter? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: All across the board, they just flat‑out beat us. In every facet of the game, they outclassed us that quarter. And it started off with basically two turnovers on one possession. We got lucky, and then a loose ball led to a three, and then offensive rebounds. Beaten off the dribble. Basically everything we have to do to win this series, we gave up. And obviously we struggled with some open shots, open lay‑ups, opportunities in the open court, and those affected us on the other end. Q. Coach, LeBron at the end of the ballgame, buzzer sounded, he was out almost being a cheerleader, greeting his teammates. COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: That's the thing about our locker room. We understand‑‑ we've been through so much together that these are the times you reveal yourself, when there's a little bit of adversity, and things don't necessarily go your way. This is where your brotherhood gets strengthened. And so our guys gathered ourselves, by the time we got in the locker room, even though all of us were very disappointed about this game and letting this opportunity slip through our hands. You have to move on immediately. And again, Game 7s are a treasure in pro sports. Obviously we would have liked to have closed this out earlier. But Game 7s are the ones you'll remember 20 years from now. Q. Erik, when your team got that down to four, did you feel like they had enough, especially with Indiana sort of opening the door? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Sure. Yeah. I thought the momentum shifted. We hit some threes. Got it to that point, at least now we're in striking range. Figured we could get some stops and possibly start to execute a little better offensively. We were never really fluid offensively the entire night. You have to give them credit for that. But they made some big plays. We missed an open one, an open three, and then came down and had a good trap on Hibbert, but out of the rotations, Paul George was able to break free for that open three. Q. Coach, when Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are struggling together like that, how does that change your offense? And does it put too much pressureon LeBron‑‑ COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: It's all on us. They're our brothers. We're all behind them. If anything, it's on me. I got to find ways to get those guys comfortable in areas where they can be aggressive. And that will be my focus the next 48 hours. They're obviously a major part of what we do, and I need to find a way to get them in places where they can be really aggressive. Now Game 7s, adversity and backs against the wall, I know those two men's character. This is when they come up big in these moments. Q. Erik, even with Joel giving you eight rebounds (Indiscernible). COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: The biggest part of it was in the third quarter. And it's the same deal. We know how we give them up against a very good rebounding team. But they got some tip‑ins from some non‑blockouts. It seemed as if every tipped ball that went out to the free‑throw line, loose ball, ended up in their hands. Those extra possessions in a possession series will dictate often the outcome of the game. That was the big thing in the third quarter, the possessions. Q. Erik, four‑plus minutes to go, LeBron, Hibbert, the offensive foul was called. He sprints down the court. He and Fizdale hit with technicals. What are you thinking about that in terms of how these guys are reacting to the pressure of that moment? And you go from down nine to down 13? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Look, we don't want the focus to be on officiating. They made the call. It doesn't matter whether we agree or disagree on how they get a call. We just want the focus to be on the players and the game. This is a very compelling series with contrasting styles, and now it comes down to a Game 7, and may the best team win. That's what it's about. Q. D‑Wade's defense has been better and the offense another story. Can you talk about his progress? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Right now he's giving us what he's got. Physically we know what he's going through right now. And for him to be out there competing and giving us what he's got, I have incredible respect for him as a professional athlete, and especially now the spotlight is on him and everything. But it's on me as well. I've got to get both those guys in places where they can be aggressive and comfortable. Q. (No microphone). COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: After the game, no, but there will be. Q. You went with Mike Miller in the fourth quarter, what was the reason for that? And can we see more of him in Game 7? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Tell you what, Game 7 everything is on the table. Our rotation had been similar to what we've been doing. We were up in this series. So it's been going back and forth. We were down by 15, 17 maybe at that point. It caused drastic measures at that point. And Mike keeps himself ready. It changed the dynamic for us. We almost had an opportunity to get back in the game. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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