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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v SPURSMay 31, 2014Tim DuncanOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA: Game Six San Antonio – 112 Q. So much has been made about the mystery of these teams blowing the other one out on the home floor, so since that didn't happen tonight, could you put your finger on a few of the key factors that got that turned around for the Spurs? TIM DUNCAN: The whole series is about adjustments, and we did exactly that. We came down here and they played well. They changed some things. They got Serge back. Defensively, they were better. We went back home, made some adjustments, and won that game and knew we had a game plan that could give us a chance to win. We weren't worried about the scores in the previous games. We were worried about tonight and what would happen tonight. As I said, I thought we had a game plan that could work. Q. Can you talk about what you guys did against their defense, especially in the second half, 37 points in the third quarter, then obviously some clutch baskets in overtime, just making the plays to win the game? TIM DUNCAN: You know, we made some shots. That was kind of the difference for us. We missed a lot of threes tonight. Our shooters got pretty decent looks, but we just missed some shots early on that really made a difference. I think that third quarter is what changed for us. Our shooters started making some shots, that loosened them up a little bit. Then we were able drive the ball and get in the middle there. And through that stretch where they got back into the game, the exact same thing happened. We got some open looks, they made some turnovers, turned them into points, and they got back in the game. So that was the difference in the game. We got our guys some shots. If they knock them out, we take control. Q. Can you walk us through that final basket you made in that overtime when you found that you had a small on you and then Russell Westbrook running around trying to swipe at the ball the way he was? TIM DUNCAN: Yeah, we knew they were switching just about everything. Manu did a great job kind of coming off and took his time, got me the ball. And by the time I turned, I saw him coming, but I was already in the middle of my shot, so I just tried to get up as much as I can, and finally got a roll. Q. Talk about The Finals this year, is your team prepared for The Finals this year versus last year, in better shape going into this series as a team versus the Heat? TIM DUNCAN: We were ready last year, too. People keep talking about it like we weren't close to winning it. We were ready last year, and we just couldn't get over that hump. We're happy to be back here this year, we're happy to have another opportunity at it. We're happy that it's the Heat again. We'll be ready for them. We've got some experience, obviously, from last year against them, and we'll go back and look at some film. And we've got that bad taste in our mouths still. Hopefully, we'll be ready to take it this time. Q. How much of a factor was it that you guys had a seventh game if you had to go back? Seemed like you were playing freer and looser there. They had all the pressure in the world down the stretch. TIM DUNCAN: Well, you're in a closeout game, so all the pressure is on the team that's being closed out. But we didn't take it lightly. We weren't playing free. We weren't relying on a seventh game. We wanted to finish it here. So we were playing with as much pressure as they were. There were ups and downs and back and forths, they went up 10, we went up 10. The game went back and forth. I don't think anybody was playing with that much pressure on their shoulders, but just found enough plays to win down the stretch. Q. Pop said he was proud of this team's fortitude after The Finals last year. As the team captain, what makes you proudest of this group? TIM DUNCAN: We just had a weird year this year. We were pressing hard early on and grinding on each other, just because of what happened last year. We were able to settle ourselves down. We played with a bunch of different lineups all year long. We had guys ready to play, and it's shown throughout these Playoffs where guys just step up and step in and are ready to play. I'm proud of the team for just being ready, just not letting that weigh on us and using it as an excuse for anything. We're back here now, and we want to get it done this time. Q. Talking with Pop earlier, you guys' ball movement, it's so efficient sometimes you give up an open look to get an even better look. What do you all do so well that allows you to get everybody involved, everybody open all the time? TIM DUNCAN: Well, it's Pop's game plan. It's Pop's game plan, and it's us buying into the fact that everybody is going to be unselfish. We'll get as many shots as we need to. We don't need to force shots. If you share the ball, someone is going to share it with you. We move the ball, and on top of that, we have trust in the guys that we have out there, trust in the type of shooters we have out there, and we want to get as many looks as possible. On the flipside, those guys are going to find us underneath the rim if that be the case. Just being unselfish, trusting each other, and that's been built up over the last couple of seasons, and it's worked for us. Q. Obviously you had a whole bunch of bench players step up, but Boris in particular, 26 points from him, with Serge coming back and him being a boost for the Thunder in the post, what was it like to have help for you in the post? TIM DUNCAN: Boris was amazing.  He's had an unbelievable series all around. He's played well and he's found a way to be effective when they went small, against their small guys in the post. He's attacked Serge real well the entire series, shot the ball well, tried to pull Serge away from the basket. He made plays all around, and I think he's just gotten into a comfort zone where he knew where shots were coming from. He knew how he could attack these guys and he did exactly that tonight. He made some shots, made some big ones for us and really carried us tonight. Q. Back in October in training camp, I know Pop showed you guys film from Game 7 and 6 in Miami. In your mind, what was the point he was trying to convey to you guys with that film session? TIM DUNCAN: We were just trying to put it away, just get over that part of it, learn from it, and move forward from there. Q. In the overtime period, did you feel anything that you wanted to lead this team to a victory and not even think about a Game 7? TIM DUNCAN: I just wanted to do something to help the team. I felt like I let us down the end of that fourth quarter. I had a lay‑up that I missed that could have put us up four or five or whatever it was. I just wanted to make a play. And, honestly, after making a basket I just got a little confidence and just kind of went back to it again. Lucky to get a couple foul calls and a couple shots to go. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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