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NBA FINALS: SPURS v HEATJune 7, 2013Tim DuncanMIAMI, FLORIDA: Practice Day Q.  Tim, you guys have won seven in a row now. That's your longest winning streak since early February. Do you guys feel, especially against this level of competition, that you're hitting your stride and playing some of your best ball of the season? And if so, what do you think is the reason that you're on the seven‑game winning streak right now? TIM DUNCAN: I don't know what particular reason it is. I think we are playing our best basketball of the season so far. Just getting into that rhythm. We're healthy. We've got all our pieces together. And I think everybody understands the importance of the situation. The position that we're in. So we're being a lot more focused right now for the entire 48. We're taking it game by game. But guys are definitely locked in. Q. Tim, given the fact that this was the first real game between the two teams this year, do you think as a collective group you guys held the ball better than even you expected with the four turnovers? As a team I know Tony gets a lot of credit. It seemed like everyone was making smart decisions on the court. TIM DUNCAN: Yeah, we were prepared for it. We understand that's with a going to fuel their team and their offense. Did I expect to have only four turnovers? No. I think that was a better than expected effort in that part. That's something we need to do. That's our best chance of continuing to win games, is taking care of that ball. Hopefully we can continue to do that. Q. How would you characterize the level of Tony's play at this point in his career? And where do you think he ranks among the other guards that are in the league that may get more attention during some parts of the regular season than he has over the years? TIM DUNCAN: He's as good as anyone in the league. He has to do some different things. He has to be a complete scorer or do everything as a point guard. He's asked to do different things. We play as a team. And so his numbers are probably a little less than some of the other guys around the league. But he's as good as anyone out there. Q. How has his leadership role grown in the last few years with this team? TIM DUNCAN: Tremendously. Obviously with his role as being our go‑to guy, obviously he's taken it upon himself to be a lot more vocal, a lot more active with the younger guys. Pop and Manu and I obviously all shoulder that leadership role. He's definitely stepped it up a lot in the last year or two. Q. Tim, can you just talk about Chip Engelland's role in all this success. TIM DUNCAN: Is that a setup of some sort? Q. No, not at all. TIM DUNCAN: Chip has done a great job with a couple of different guys, helping with their confidence at the free‑throw line. As a shooting coach, I guess he does what he does. He's gotten some guys a lot of confidence and they're shooting the ball well. Q. Tim, as someone who occasionally likes to throw a length‑of‑the‑floor pass after a board, and Manu has been known to do that as well, was anything said about being more careful with those sorts of passes last night, make the easy pass or don't take chances? TIM DUNCAN: Definitely to make the easy pass, to make the first available pass. Just trying to not play into their pressure a little more. They're very good with their activity and their hands. Once they get their hands on those balls, as I said, their transition with their athleticism is one of their biggest strengths. So, yeah, cutting down the risks, the chancy passes, the long pass, whatever it may be, just trying to make the short crisp passes were more‑‑ although I started the game with a turnover. That was probably the highest‑risk pass we should have made the entire night. Q. Just to follow up on that, how amazing when you look back only four turnovers throughout the entire game, especially with the way they play defense, you guys took care of the basketball. Pretty amazing stat that's getting lost. TIM DUNCAN: Yeah, well, it was a big key to us winning the game last night. As I said, we knew coming in here that was what they needed to do. Just take care of the ball like that. Obviously a lot of credit to Tony. We attacked it the right way and we hope we can do the same going on. Q. Can you talk about any differences or similarities with how you guarded LeBron last night compared to 2007? TIM DUNCAN: It's just one game. Honestly, I don't know that there's a comparison there that I can make yet. We obviously understand that he's extended his range and he's a much different player than he was then. We're trying to make it as difficult as possible. We're not going to hold him to 18 every game. Every game we know he's going to come out real aggressive, especially this coming game and be aggressive to score, but we're going to try to make it as difficult as possible, show as many bodies as possible and make his plays so he doesn't rack up on the ones going right to the basket and try to get the easy stuff. Q. Chris Bosh said he grew up in Dallas with your poster on his wall. How is that to hear that? Have you heard anything like that before? TIM DUNCAN: It's really odd to hear that, especially playing against someone like that. It means I've been around for a very, very long time. To have him at this point‑‑ I don't know what year it is for him in the league‑‑ to have that thought in mind, I guess I'm honored by it. But we're both here for single purposes, to try to beat each other up. Q. He's also had a rough time during the playoffs. He's struggled to find his rhythm. Have you guys seen anything on film or just in terms of what's been his issue or deal? How do you sort of stop him or keep him like that? TIM DUNCAN: Continue to try to stay in front of him, I guess, and make his life as hard as possible. We don't know what he's been going through per se, but we hope his struggles continue, because he's a big part of what they have to do. Q. One more question about Tony: He promised you that you guys would get back here, and he made that shot last night. Is there anything that he can do that surprises you anymore? TIM DUNCAN: No. He's covered the gambit. After that shot last night, he's covered the gambit. He's been just an incredible force for us. He's been consistent. He's been asked to do a lot. And I can see it on his face after the game he's absolutely worn out having left everything out there. Really proud of that fact that he's really doing all that he can to get us to The Finals here, and hopefully win this whole thing. Q. Did you ever remind him of the promise? And if so, how often? TIM DUNCAN: No, sir. No. Q. Tim, I wonder just as you were in the game last night and in Game 1 and playing in The Finals again what it meant to you, if it sunk in a little bit more that you were back on the stage and producing the way that you did? Did it feel like it's been six years since you've been in this place? TIM DUNCAN: It's felt like a long time. Yeah, I definitely appreciate being back out here, to see The Finals banners all around and to see the patch on the jersey and all those little things, the last couple of days it's really been sinking in. I think I really do appreciate it more now, having been gone so long. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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