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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HEAT v PACERSMay 22, 2014Erik SpoelstraMIAMI, FLORIDA: Practice Day Q. [No microphone] Erring on the side of caution sort of always when you go on that kind of throw? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: You just have to listen to your staff. Go with the flow when itÂ’s called for. Q. Erik, you have LeBron, D‑Wade with big points in Game 2. Are you looking for more from other members of the team [No microphone]? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: It depends. What we're saying is whatever's needed. We had great contributions from our fans the other night. So it's not all about scoring points. Those guys have a great ability to be able to put the ball in the basket in pressure situations. But next game may be totally different. Different guys may have to step up. You have to be ready for whatever the game calls for and not predetermine. Q. Four years ago when you brought this group together, you talked about creating an identity at home. You guys have been able to do that, obviously, in these playoffs and over the years. What is the true impact of that that's tangible, that leads to maybe a mindset, a confidence, what have you? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: You have to have a great sense of urgency to be able to defend your title, but it doesn't guarantee you anything. That's probably what our group has learned more than anything. While you play with great comfort and confidence at home, you still have to put together a great basketball game, and it has to be with all the things that we continually talk about. The effort we brought the other night, we didn't necessarily play a great basketball game, but from our effort and focus standpoint, it was much better, and it gave us what we needed. What that is is a chance to play for it at the end because anything else likely won't even give you a chance, like we saw in Game 1. Q. Erik, your decision for Norris to guard Stephenson after LeBron said he suggested it, can you talk about the consensus that is built in the heat of games where decisions are made like that? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: A lot of times that's flow in the moment decision. LeBron wanted to guard George Hill. We had put Norris on Stephenson in a game before with the second unit. We did the same thing in the first half this game. The first couple possessions of that unit, he didn't‑‑ they wanted to make a change, I'm fine with it. As long as it's not something crazy, then I'm always fine looking at something for a possession. If I feel comfortable with it and we need to make a change from there, then we will. But those guys have a feel for what's going on on the court, maybe more so than us because they're out there experiencing it. We'll see what happens next game. The point that we've made‑‑ and it's a point that we really had to take note of after the first game‑‑ at some point, you're going to be matched up on multiple people. It's not just going to be one person. You have to take the challenge on whoever that matchup is initially. A lot of our guys are going to be playing not only different players but different positions, sometimes three, four, five positions. That's the most important thing, not to get wrapped up in just one matchup. Q. What's most distinct about Norris' defensive position and desire? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: We understand what Norris brings to the table. We're not making something out of it more than it is. He was competitive on the ball. Stephenson was off to a tremendous game, and he had a very impactful third quarter. We needed to do something to try to get him out of rhythm. It may be something next game, and we'll just have to see, and it might be a different player that has to step up. It might be multiple guys. We have to be ready for whatever it brings. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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