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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 30, 2019

Kevin Durant

Oakland, California: Game Two

Warriors - 115, Rockets - 109

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Guys mentioned how talented this Rockets team is. How important was it to take care of business here at Oracle before heading down to Houston?
KEVIN DURANT: Yeah, most definitely. Wanted to take care of home, especially after how last series went, losing two of them at home. I think we're a little bit more focused to finish games no matter if we're up 15 and they still cut it down.

I love how we stayed poised through it all. We only was able to do that because what we went through in the first series. Glad that we was able to finish it out at home. We know these guys even more dangerous at their crib, us on the road. Even more dangerous.

Q. How much did it work in your favor to establish that defensive block right away against James?
KEVIN DURANT: Yeah, just wanted to be there each possession on the defensive side of the ball. I think that's going to keep us in it on the offensive side even. If shots aren't falling, we got to bring it on the other side of the ball.

I liked the sense of urgency we had all night. They made some nice shots, but I think we just played hard. They're a talented team. They going to find some cracks in the defense. I like how we kept playing for 48 minutes.

Q. What is the message about this series as well as y'all played, they cut it to three, what is the message going forward?
KEVIN DURANT: They're never out of games because of the three-point shooting, guys that can penetrate, get to the free-throw line. They can stop the clock, speed the game up with their style of play. No lead is safe against this team. We know that. We know that they going to make runs, as well.

Like I said, I like how we stayed poised, didn't let that affect us on the defensive side of the ball. Take the lead from three, back up to 12. It was just going back and forth.

I like how we stayed out front.

Q. Draymond was in here talking about the chatter the last couple days made the teams realize they needed to complain a bit less. Did it feel like a pure basketball game today?
KEVIN DURANT: I felt like both teams, both coaches, just let the refs do their job I think all night. There wasn't no talks about it. Out on the court, the chatter wasn't about anything outside of just the game, what was happening between the players.

I think the refs did an amazing job tonight, players did a great job, and the coaches not letting that affect them.

Q. Obviously when James goes out, he shoulders such a big load for them, what did you see during those minutes? How was it different playing against them?
KEVIN DURANT: We were up 10 when he went out, I think. Were we? When he came back, they were down 4. I think their bench did a great job of holding off until he got back into the game.

Q. The playoffs are a pressure-packed thing. Are you at the stage in your career where you can enjoy being in a pressure-packed playoff situation?
KEVIN DURANT: Yeah. I mean, once you realize it's just basketball, the pressure that a lot of these guys go through, when they realize how they came up, what their family has been through, this is no pressure to him.

I saw a quote what Damian Lillard said. Perfect what he said. If you haven't seen it, go look at it. It was a long quote (smiling). But it summed it up perfectly what pressure means when you talk about NBA players. I think a lot of guys feel that way.

But it's just fun being out there. What's the worst that can happen to either team? We both lose and we got another game. One team lose, we play another game.

I think once everybody looks at it in more of a wider view of things, I don't think it's that much pressure.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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