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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS VS SPURSMay 18, 2017Pau GasolOakland, California - Practice Day Q. What have you heard about Kawhi? You saw him today. How is he doing today? PAU GASOL: Well, he was sitting nicely on the sidelines. Q. How was his preparation? PAU GASOL: I think it was as well as it can go. We have a good training staff that's working with him and try to get that ankle right. So that's what I know. Q. You're not quite a doctor, huh? PAU GASOL: I'm not quite a doctor, no. Correct. I wanted to be, but didn't make it. Tried to choose a different path. Q. You're down 0-2. What's the mindset for Game 3? PAU GASOL: Man, you've got to take it to them. You've got to be the aggressor. You've got to come out with that edge. Not just come out with it, but keep it for 48 minutes, especially against a team that if you let them loose and they get comfortable, they're going to make four or five threes in a row and now you're in deep trouble. So you've got to be the aggressor. You've got to be sharp for 48 minutes and you've got to take it to them. You've got to be the most physical team, the team that wants it the most and play with that edge and that feeling the entire game. Q. LaMarcus told us sometimes he overthinks things sometimes when they're sending double teams. For a big guy, how do you walk the line between thinking and overthinking? PAU GASOL: You've got to be decisive, but at the same time, you have to read what the defense throws at you. They've done a good job of mixing it up, switching, fronting, double teaming from top to bottom, to not coming. So they've done a pretty good job. They're changing out the coverages on the post which makes it harder for the guy that has the ball to make plays and know what's coming. But at the same time, you have to read it, you have to make plays, and sometimes you're going to make mistakes. But you want to be more aggressive than less in those positions. Q. When people say just go score, it's not that simple? PAU GASOL: It's not that simple. I'm assuming the people that say that are not NBA players that do this. Q. That's a good assumption... PAU GASOL: Yeah, that's a pretty good assumption. Q. Psychologically speaking, when you're down 0-2 especially somebody that's been through this so many times with so many teams, is there sort of a psychological barrier that you have to get through? PAU GASOL: I mean, in a way it's a game that you should be the most energized and ready to play, focused and with that edge. Because you're in a desperate position. So you're a wounded animal and you should come out with everything you've got. It's kind of the easier game to prepare for if you're down in that position. And I've said at times it's a difficult position to be in, because if you lose, then you know you're pretty much out. But, again, we knew Golden State was going to be a tough, tough team, they had the home-court advantage. They won the first two games, and now we have a chance to win our home game too and tie the series up, starting on Saturday, Game 3. Q. Do you sense a sense of urgency on the team? PAU GASOL: I sense it, yes. Q. With or without Kawhi. PAU GASOL: For sure, regardless of the circumstances, we're down 2-0, and this Game 3 is critical for us. We all are very aware of that. So our life depends on it. I mean, our basketball life, not, you know. Q. How important is this timeframe, the spacing between each game is, how important is it for rest? PAU GASOL: It's important because both of our prior series got stretched out to six games, so we carry four more games than our opponents. It was a pretty quick turn around after the conference semis, and we had Game 1, it kind of got away from us, but here we are. Now we have three days in between that should allow us to recover, prepare, and be ready for Game 3 and see what happens. Q. Jonathon Simmons has really stepped up in the postseason. Are you all using him? How are you trying to incorporate him more especially after the game he you had? PAU GASOL: Yeah, he's a very versatile, dynamic, athletic player. He's been aggressive, he's been efficient, he's been confident, and he's been making a big difference for us. So I see him having a big role coming up. Q. Does it seem like they game plan to take away Patty or is that just Klay being Klay? PAU GASOL: Covering him or? Q. Yeah, it seems like they game plan to take him out? PAU GASOL: Well, we try to take out their weapons and try to make it uncomfortable for them and make it tougher. Q. No, them on Patty. PAU GASOL: Oh, them on Patty. I mean, Klay's got size, he's a pretty good defender, and I think he's underrated when it comes to his defense. But maybe he's not getting as much repetitions and attempts on offense, and we've been doing a pretty good job containing him offensively. But he has more legs on the other end, and I think he's done a good job on our guards. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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