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NBA FINALS: CLEVELAND VS GOLDEN STATEJune 11, 2017Tristan ThompsonOakland, California: Practice Day Q. You guys contested a lot more shots in Game 4. How hard will it be to continue that? TRISTAN THOMPSON: We're going to try to do the same thing. I think for us, an area where we really did a good job was limiting their fast break points. I think they only had 14 points, which is the lowest all Playoffs. So that's something we definitely want to key in on. Especially with this team, when they get on the fast break and when they're pushing it in transition, their shooters run to the three-point line and with how well they shoot the ball from behind the arc, if we can take away some of those fast break points, then that's definitely in our favor. Q. How much does it open up the opportunities to crash the boards when you guys are hitting those outside shots? TRISTAN THOMPSON: It opens a lot for me. With [us] hitting outside shots, they're going out contesting, which is leaving the paint open for myself, and especially with they're smaller lineup there's usually times where it's one of their guards boxing me out. So like I said from the beginning of the series, just got to keep hitting the glass. In Game 4, the ball was going my way and I was grabbing offensive rebounds and able to create some extra possessions for my teammates. Q. What went so well as a team to shoot such high volume from the three-point line? TRISTAN THOMPSON: I think that's probably the best we have shot in the series. We hadn't been shooting the three that well. Going into the Finals we were probably the best three-point shooting team in the Playoffs. So we knew sooner or later our three ball was going to drop. But it all starts defensively for us. Us getting stops, pushing it in transition, it creates open looks for our guys like JR, Kevin, Kyle, and RJ. So it starts on the defense for us. Q. How important will it be for you guys to bring that same physicality to Game 5? TRISTAN THOMPSON: T-Lue has been saying that since Game 1, the team that has the starting lineup that comes out and sets the tone early and is more physical one through five will definitely have the advantage in the game. We did that Game 4 and we got to have that same type of effort and even more in Game 5. Q. Do you feel like you're the emotional leader of this team? You really brought it in Game 4. Do you feel like you have to do that in Game 5? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Yeah, I feel think that's just my role for this team, if I just lock in and just be active and bring that energy, who cares about what's on the stat sheet. If I just bring that energy and play hard and compete at a high level, things will come my way. So I think I'm definitely the emotional leader on this team and that's what I bring to the table and that's what I've got to bring every night. Q. Does it bring extra energy when guys on their team like Draymond are talking? TRISTAN THOMPSON: No, that's fine with me. That's fine. I don't need another man to give me energy. I don't operate like that. I can bring my own juice. Q. Did you see something in video in terms of getting to crevices and getting open looks? TRISTAN THOMPSON: In terms of just offensive rebounding-wise? Just being really active. Zaza, he's done a good job of just face guarding and putting a body on me. So my advantage is my quickness and my speed, so just staying active and just moving around a lot, just try to wear him out. If that means running into pick and rolls, running down the floor hard after a miss, just finding ways to wear on him so that when the shot does go up there is a little bit more fatigue and there's an opportunity to get some offensive rebounds. Q. Can you talk about whether this is a change in momentum or is it too early for a change of momentum? TRISTAN THOMPSON: One game at a time. We took care of business Game 4, we knew what was at stake. So tomorrow we know they're going to be a team that's going to come out ready to play. They're going to be back at home, feeling good, feeling confident, so we got to go out there with the same do-or-die approach because we know what's at stake. This is the only game that matters now. It's the only one that's guaranteed. So we got to go out and leave it all on the floor. Q. How much does it matter that you guys were already in that situation last year and you came back. How much does that help? TRISTAN THOMPSON: If you ask me about our team, we didn't want to be down 3-1, but it is what it is and we know what it's going to take to go out there and compete and play at a high level and we have to do that tomorrow. Q. How do you adjust to the way the game is being called by the referees. I'm not asking you to talk about the referees, but how does it make a difference how the referees call the game? TRISTAN THOMPSON: Just go out there and play, set the tone early. It's The Finals, the refs are going to understand the game's going to be physical and guys are going to get after it. This is all that's left of basketball, so just got to go out there and be physical, play your game and don't worry about the calls or whatever or how they're reffing the game, just go out there, be yourself and play your game. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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