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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND ONE: WARRIORS v CLIPPERSApril 27, 2014Blake GriffinOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Game Four Warriors – 118 Q. Blake, how much, if any, did the Warriors going small in their starting lineup affect the result tonight? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I thought it was just kind of the attitude. I thought they came out with the right attitude, and I thought we didn't. I thought from the beginning they played with patience, they played with force. They did the things that we wanted to do. So I wouldn't say that it was all that. But obviously they found something that worked for them. Q. Blake, you don't want to think this way as an athlete, I know, but a team‑‑ as you know, good offense beats good defense in the NBA, and a team such as the Warriors, you kept them down pretty much throughout the series. Did you expect in the back of your mind? I know you don't want to think this way, that it's going to be sooner or later they're going to have a quarter like they had in the first quarter? BLAKE GRIFFIN:  You know they're going to go for a run. They're going to score. That's what we've been saying this whole series is they're going to score. I mean, they're one of the best scoring teams in the NBA for a reason. They've got a lot of guys that can score. We know they're going to score points. They're going to go on a run, have a good quarter here, whatever it is. But we have to do a better job withstanding that, and we have to do a better job of messing up the rhythm of that and bothering that, which we didn't do tonight in the first quarter. Q. Blake, how difficult was it to play this game? BLAKE GRIFFIN: Just like every other game. It really was. That's not sugarcoating anything. Every day, like I said yesterday, there's distractions all the time. All the time there's distractions. And you just go out and play basketball. I just thought we didn't do what we were supposed to do and we didn't stick to the things that made us successful in Game 2 and 3. Q. Blake, that being said, any way you can sum up your feelings in the last 48 hours, what you guys have been through and been asked to do and to set it aside? BLAKE GRIFFIN: We just have to lock it in and get ready for Game 5. That's all there is to it, really. I mean, that's our feelings is we gotta correct our mistakes and get better. Q. DeAndre didn't have one of his customary games and he was one of the first players to speak out about this matter. Do you think the surrounding events impacted what happened or was it just a random bad game? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I really can't speak on that. I don't know. I couldn't tell you. Everybody has games that aren't as good as others. I think honestly I think we all really had one of those games tonight. So I can't really‑‑ I couldn't really tell you. Q. Could you just talk about the mental fortitude that's necessary, the focus that's necessary to have in the playoffs to win games? BLAKE GRIFFIN: Especially on the road. I mean, your mental fortitude, like you said, has got to be strong. It's a great environment in there and it's a great place to play. Even for us, it's fun to play in an arena like this. So we just gotta do a little bit better job of really staying together. After one or two turnovers, you have to kind of look at each other and say, All right, that's enough. Really take care of the ball, do the small things, because those small things are what adds to a 3 there or a 3 there, offensive rebound, another two points, and all of a sudden you're down 11, down 15, whatever it is. Q. Blake, you talked about the series going back. What kind of atmosphere you're expecting on Tuesday night? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I mean, I hope the fans are great. I think our home crowd can be even better. I really do. I think that really helps us out when we have a great crowd and a rowdy crowd. Just like you see how they looked playing here. We can't lose the sight we had to come here and get one because we gave up one there. And we got that. But now we have to obviously finish it out. Q. Blake, obviously we know what a great coach Doc Rivers is. How important is it and how much do you appreciate having a guy like him, and can you talk about how he kind of helped to keep you guys focused these last 48 hours, because I know he's an intense guy. He feels just as strongly as you do. Maybe that age. Maybe that experience. It kind of helps? BLAKE GRIFFIN: Both. He's been through a lot as a player and a coach and, honestly, as a person. I mean, the stories he has from growing up back in the day, the things he talks to us about are big. And I think that helps. I mean, I've said this several times throughout the season, but every time Doc speaks, it's a learning experience for me. And I really believe that. You learn from people that have been in situations, and I think he does a great job of being in this situation and then taking from that situation what you need to and really learning from that. And that's a special thing. So we just gotta trust him. We gotta trust each other, trust him, trust our coaching staff, and go from there. Q. Blake, at what one point does it click over, you touched on this, that this trip basketball‑wise was a success and that you got the game you needed? When does that start coming up between you guys as players? BLAKE GRIFFIN: I think guys know it. But the sting of that loss is still there. And I think it should be there. I don't think we should just be like, Hey, it's all right; we got a win, it's fine. I think we should let this sink in. But at the same time it's a three‑game series now. We have home court advantage, and we just gotta get it done. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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