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NBA FINALS: HEAT v SPURSJune 5, 2014Erik SpoelstraSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Game One Q. Coach, if you had to point to one or two things that are significantly different about your team right now compared to exactly up with year ago, what would you point to? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: That will remain to be seen. Ultimately, at least physically right now we feel healthy but that could always change. But it's different. Every journey is different. This year we're starting out on the road. We talked about it from the first day of training camp that it wouldn't benefit us to try to compare too much to the previous year. Let's get on to the new journey, the new challenge and this one already feels a little bit different than last year. Q. Your team last year shot the fewest free‑throws in a seven‑game Finals ever and San Antonio is dedicated to defending without fouling. What sort of challenges does that put on your offense to score in other ways? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: We understand what they're trying to do. We're an attack, aggressive team but three‑point spacing is important to us. You get to this level, you just have to be able to find a way. Teams will take way what you're good at, you will still try to get to what you're good at, vice versa, but ultimately you have to figure it out. As the series went on, we think we started to play a little bit more confidently, but ultimately you just have to figure it out. Q. One of your sayings is your team is "built for this". When did you know that this team was built for this? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: You don't know. That's the great thing about competition. You talk about it all you want, but that's the most thrilling thing about it, it's an unknowable future. We start out in training camp, everybody is excited about it. There are six to eight to ten teams that legitimately feel like they have a chance to compete for it at the end of the year, but ultimately you don't know. And quite honestly, we feel fortunate that we have an opportunity to play for it again. A lot of things have to go in your favor. You have to have a good group. You have to have talent. You have to have trust that's earned through adversity, going through good times and bad times, but you also have to have some good bounces and things have to go your way. And our team is mature enough to understand that, to have perspective and to feel fortunate for this opportunity. Q. How big of a role does Rashard Lewis play this year? Do you expect to use him a lot more? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: He's had a big impact the last two series. Look, our team is built on sacrifice. A lot of guys have had to sacrifice in their games to do different things for us to be successful. Veteran players have had to sacrifice minutes. We talk about all the time that this team and this opportunity isn't for everybody. Rashard signed up for it two years ago knowing that it wouldn't be quite the role that he's had before, but it could still be a significant role and you could have great playoff moments. So he's kept himself ready, he's an absolute pro, the last two series he's produced for us, and we'll see what happens series. Q. Can Rashard give you the same thing that Mike Miller gave you last year‑‑ COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Again, we're not trying to compare to last year. That's a different role. Rashard plays a different position. And I know it's convenient for people to try to pigeonhole that role but our team is even different than last year. We've had to look at it with a different lens. Rashard provides many positives, a lot of them are different than what Mike provided. Q. I wanted to ask you about adjustments for Parker since he has been cleared to play for tonight. Can you talk about that? COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Well, we weren't waiting in anticipation that he wasn't going to play. We anticipated that he would play. He's great player. He has an incredible impact in his ability to get into the paint. It's a whole lot easier said than done. I would like to congratulate Bernie Bickerstaff for being honored for the Chuck Daly Award tonight. Great respect for what he's done in his career. I was a big Portland Trailblazer fan, so I didn't like the Sonics when he was coaching there but he had some great teams out there and all of his different spots (applause). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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