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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HEAT v PACERSMay 24, 2014Erik SpoelstraMIAMI, FLORIDA: Game Three Indiana Pacers - 87 COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Questions? Q. Erik, I just want to ask you, you made a couple of decisions, one to go to the press a little bit, and also to put Rashard Lewis on David West. What was the thinking behind the two of those? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I mean, the first part was obviously just to get our energy going. We looked like we were stuck in mud in the first quarter. That's a big credit to how they dictated the game. We can't play this series on their terms. So that was just to get our energy going, to force us to make multiple efforts, and it activated our guys for this game, and we'll see. In terms of Rashard, we had to go deeper into our bench the second quarter, and that's what this series may require. It may require for us to play 10 guys, 11 guys, and play fresh bodies out there. It's a real credit to Rashard for keeping himself ready, and you just never know when your number's going to be called in the playoffs. Our team is about moments and having those moments and being able to produce for your team regardless of the circumstance or situation. Q. Erik, for as many moments as there were, you guys have been through a lot. I don't remember too many 19‑5 starts, and not particularly a prolonged slump for that long. What was it that kept guys together? Because all the signs were there to start pushing the panic button probably at that point. COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: We've been through situations‑‑ and a lot of our situations that we've been through where we've struggled is against this team. That's what they do to you. They're very good. It's a function of their defense, and they get you into spots where they want to get you and not where you want to go, and they make it tough to get to your game consistently. But we had no choice but to try to regather. It was a horrible first quarter. The turnovers really set the tone for the game, that we couldn't get into any kind of rhythm. Then we were playing a little bit frantically, and from there we stopped defending. We were capable of defending, certainly not with the energy we needed to, but it was good to see us bounce back in the second quarter to show some toughness. Q. First thing, how do you think Dwyane looked tonight? Second, what's the difference between this series‑‑ why is there a jump in this series as opposed to the last two scoring‑wise? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Whatever the series requires.  Each series is different. It's a different animal unto itself. Our group has been together long enough that you just try to read the game, and you try to play with a team ego. Dwyane understands that as well as anybody. With this series, it's tough to find good, open looks. We need our scorers to be aggressive, and Dwyane's feeling that, he's sensing that right now, and he's able to create some opportunities sometimes that not your average player can make. So it's whatever's needed right now. Q.  I know he's been around so long, but is there just always a feeling that Ray Allen will happen? That if you get him out there in those moments, you'll see those kinds of things? Does it even surprise you anymore when he's 4‑for‑4 like that, or do you almost need it and expect it? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: You can ask anybody in that locker room, there's so many years of pain that he caused a lot of us that it's great to have him on our side. He's inflicted a lot of that pain. There's a lot of scar tissue there for a lot of us, seeing him run around and break your back in the fourth quarter. That's why we went after him so hard. It's not necessarily just the makes, though, and I think that's obviously what everybody is looking at right now. You see him going 4‑for‑4, but it's the spacing, it's the movement, he gives you another layer of offense even if those shots weren't available. Q. Coach, can you talk a little bit about Chris Bosh? He seemed a little frustrated today, and that's not really like him. COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, you know what, it was tough for him to get into a rhythm. We're not making any excuses for it. He got in foul trouble. He hasn't had great rhythm in this series anyway, but what you like to see, probably the culmination of frustration was the technical foul, and he got himself together at that point. Collectively in the huddle, we talked about just focusing on the game. There was about three possessions right there where our minds were distracted on other things.  You know what, C.B. made four or five big plays at the end. That's all that matters. Find a way to help the team win even though it's not going your way during the course of the game, get on the next play and find a way to help us win. He made a couple of defensive plays at the rim, even one he got called on the foul; I like that. He changed the play. It could have gone either way. Offensively, obviously, he had a couple actions there at the end. If Ray's running around and he's involved in the action, that helps as well. So he understands. Q. Coach, the pressure defense, how much did that affect the other end of the floor in regard to getting early offense, getting into your game, as you'd say? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: That's our game, however we get it. And that's why this series is compelling. You have two very contrasting styles. Who can impose their style on the other team more consistently? For the most part, for the first two games and even for a large part of the first half of this game, it was played in their wheelhouse, on their terms, but the pressure at least activates our energy. Q. About midway through the fourth, they had cut you guys back to two. Paul George seemed to start getting things going. He hadn't done a whole lot up till then. Was there any concern that they might kind of jump you there? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, that's competition. That's playoffs. You have to play through things. That's a very good basketball team down there. They're going to make plays. They're going to keep coming at you. You've got to find a way to make more plays than them. Q. Coach, Norris has looked very comfortable offensively the last two games. How much has he grown as a player over the last couple of years? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Quite a bit. That's why we drafted him. He gave us a different element of speed, quickness, somebody that could put the ball on the floor and be aggressive and extend our defense. Boy, I mean, we've needed those minutes. Q. Erik, how important was it for you to see the results when you guys went small in the fourth quarter, with Ray Allen shooting those threes, with David West trying to trail them? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Look, because it worked, yeah, it's important, but if it didn't, then maybe we have to go to something else. When you're in a very competitive series like this, that's our mindset, whatever it takes. Are you able to take advantage of it tonight in the fourth? That might not be the case the next game. Q. Are you still kind of amazed how Ray can be like this secret weapon that just shows up and, boom, does some stuff to shut down a game after being quiet for three quarters? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I mean, he's earned that reputation through years of doing it, years upon years upon years. He's mentally tough, mentally stable, that he can get onto the next play. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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