NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 29, 2021

Kevin Huerter

Cam Reddish

Atlanta Hawks

Game 4: Postgame

Hawks 110, Bucks 88

Q. Talk about the play of Bogdan Bogdanovic tonight.

KEVIN HUERTER: It's huge. Honestly, in a lot of ways it takes our team to another level when he's on, when he's making shots, just the ability to score the ball, to make threes in big spots. It's something that we definitely missed for a couple games, and he's feeling better as each game gets going. He's such a tough guy. We need him. The boost from him tonight was great.

Q. Now that you've been able to spend a couple months with Lou [Williams], what's it like to be around him?

KEVIN HUERTER: It's funny, man. Lou is kind of always the same. It doesn't matter if he's scoring 21 a night or if his minutes are down another game and he doesn't get much of an opportunity. He's kind of just even keeled, steady Lou. He's kind of a legend, just his way about him. It's kind of -- it's just funny. He's somebody you've got to be around, like an OG type of feel, he's walking in with his hat and his chains on and coming in with -- last game I don't know how many minutes he got, he comes in drops 21 like he's been playing 40 minutes all playoffs.

Great guy to have around. Someone who's just there when you need him, and when he's not, he's a great teammate.

Q. Along those lines, he's been in the league so long, do you sort of remember when you were a kid, do you have any recollections of when Lou Williams first popped on your radar?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, obviously growing up watching him, I remember my rookie year defending him. Like I was -- he was coming off the bench for the Clippers, I was coming off the bench here early on in my career with the Hawks, and I remember he was my matchup. He's tough to guard. It's like you can't put your hands on him, he knows how to draw fouls, he has that leaner left and back then a little more explosiveness, he was getting to the rim. I remember it was tough guarding this guy. Now it's great to have him on our team.

I mean, this is something he's been doing for us. He's stepped up. He's kind of instant offense when you put him into the game for us. He was huge tonight. We needed every point.

Q. You mentioned that you had a conversation before the game, not needing anybody to be a hero. Nate said he wanted you guys to stick to what you do, not do too much. How do you avoid doing that in a game like this when you want to pick up the slack for Trae being out?

KEVIN HUERTER: I mean, it starts off, you start the game and everyone touches the ball. The ball moves side to side. You want everybody to find a rhythm. We don't need people in transition, pulling up from the logo and offensively going one-on-one the way Trae can. It's really not anybody's game on this team. So we didn't need people to play like that.

That message was well received. Like I said, you start the game off and all five guys score before they have to call a timeout. That really set the tone for the rest of the game, and it wasn't something that we got away from.

Q. How did you guys keep them out of the paint so successfully after they were in there a lot the first games of the series?

KEVIN HUERTER: Trying to be more physical. Clint did a great job one-on-one on Giannis and trying to throw different looks at him. If he gets deep enough in the paint, trying to run another guy at him, give him different looks, be more physical on the catch. It helps when they're taking the ball out off the rim. We were keeping them out of transition and that was a lot better tonight. So a mix of everything, but their whole team, that's kind of a big strength of theirs is living in the paint and that's something we've got to try to limit.

Q. Cam, what was tonight like for you, just kind of being able to find a shooting rhythm obviously for the first time in months. What was tonight like and how did it feel out there?

CAM REDDISH: Again, it felt a little bit weird at first and then as it went on, it got better. I mean, I'm just not in game shape yet, but other than that, I felt good. I was happy to be back. I mean, Kev, the rest of my teammates were supporting me throughout the game, so it felt great to be back.

Q. Not being fully in game shape, it would be impossible for you to be fully in game shape, but kind of what's the process of climbing back to that? Is it more gradual or do you figure it out as you go?

CAM REDDISH: Obviously it's definitely a process, but just playing. Just getting back to playing more. I mean, ain't no suicides or nothing compared to a game. Obviously just getting back into the swing of things playing-wise.

Q. Cam, the other day you said that you were trusting the process that your time will come eventually. How do you keep that mindset to be a positive one, to be ready to play valuable minutes in tonight's game?

CAM REDDISH: I mean, I just didn't put too much pressure on myself tonight. Just going out there and contributing whatever it was going to be. I know I can get after it defensively. That's something I can control. So just trying to be a pest on defense, and then offensively just making the right play, and it worked out for me.

Q. Nate, since he's taken over, has told you guys to believe that you guys can win and believe that no matter who's out, you guys can win. When you see that Trae is out for the game, what is that messaging like and what is the mindset like from everybody in that locker room?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, obviously it wasn't great news. It was news that we got right before the game. Prepared this morning like he was going to play, and right away I think guys knew they had to step up, obviously. We insert Lou into the starting lineup, different guys were going to get bigger opportunity. Obviously Cam and KD [Kris Dunn] coming in today and giving us great minutes.

Like we said a couple questions ago, we didn't need anybody to be the hero. We needed people to come in and just play their game, just play really well, play at a high level, staying together. It's something we've done all year, guys filling in and playing to their strengths. It was really kind of everybody tonight. Defensively set the tone, offensively everybody touched it.

Q. Cam, two years ago and a couple days you'll have signed -- two years ago you signed your first professional contract. What have the two years been like since then? You played a full season last year and then injured for four months this year, now you're two wins away from an NBA Finals appearance. Can you describe the past two years for Cam Reddish?

CAM REDDISH: A blessing, man. I'm happy to be here. Obviously, I've been through a few injuries. That's all part of the game. Man, I'm just ecstatic to be back. That's all I can say.

Q. Kevin, who is Cam Reddish off the court? Who is he in the locker room the past four or five months when he's not on the court?

KEVIN HUERTER: I mean, Cam is a quiet guy I think at first. Once you get to know him, he's not so much. He's someone I think right away you know who's lifting when he's got his music going on in the weight room, especially the last four months, doing all his rehab and doing all his treatment. He was one of those guys who was in the gym earlier than other people and playing his music and lifting and always got a smile on his face.

It's great to have him back. We can feel his presence on the court. Guys talking to him in previous series, waiting to get him back, knowing he was getting healthier, just try to help him out, give him confidence and stepping up. It's obviously great to have him.

Q. What kind of music is he listening to in the gym?

KEVIN HUERTER: A lot of YoungBoy and a lot of people that I don't know. A lot of Philly people, at least I think. But a lot of YoungBoy.

CAM REDDISH: YoungBoy for sure.

Q. Did Clint Capela steal that shot over the backboard from you in H-O-R-S-E?

KEVIN HUERTER: The craziest part I had a feeling when the clock was going down somehow that was going to find a way in. I guess that's how the night was going. Unbelievable shot. I love his reaction. Clint always has the funniest reactions to stuff, so that was a nice moment, especially at the end of the game.

Q. Cam, Nate said a bunch of times in the last couple months that there really wasn't time for you to get five-on-five practices. You're playing for a new coach really since the last time you've played. How do you prepare yourself for this kind of live action?

CAM REDDISH: That's a good question. I mean, really just staying in the gym, doing everything I possibly can to be ready, and then just believing in myself, having faith, and then trusting God. Once you do that, life is pretty simple.

Q. They had a little bit of a wire with Nate in the locker room before the game where we actually heard him address the team about Trae not being in the lineup, and he said, Believe, men. Stay clear, calm and collected, and everybody be ready to go. Now, you've heard that when a lot of players have been out, but when you're without the head of the snake, the guy who makes the game easy for everybody else, do you hear it differently, and do you wonder at any level whether you really can believe?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, I mean, it's tough. Obviously it's tough news. We found out with 40 minutes on the clock that he was going to be out. Like I said, prepared for him to be in, and you just can't let doubt seep into your mind. A couple months ago we beat this team at home, Trae was out, similar type of guy stepped up big, Lou and Bogey. It's not like we knew we couldn't do it. This is a team that's been resilient all year and every punchline you want about being fearless and not giving up and all that stuff, but there was never really a doubt in the locker room. Guys knew what we had to do, how we had to play, just everybody playing to their strengths and stepping up where they can.

Needless to say we want Trae back for Game 5, but today was a good effort.

Q. Kevin, is this win able to change the whole momentum of the whole series for you as a team?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, in a lot of – 2-2 is a lot different than 3-1. We know we're guaranteed again to be playing at home in front of our own crowd, and yeah, definitely. 2-2 is a similar position we were last series, a long way to go, but it's a lot better than being down 3-1.

Q. Cam, what does it mean to be able to play meaningful minutes at this point of the season after four difficult months for you, and your teammates, and how prepared you for the Eastern Conference Finals?

CAM REDDISH: Just telling me to stay ready. I mean, I remember a few days watching the film with Solomon [Hill]. Nonstop, just constant encouragement from the guys. That's what I needed, to go out there and play with confidence, and got the win.

Q. Kevin, how satisfied are you with tonight's offense?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, it was great to see the ball moving, everyone touching it. It's an infectious way to play, guys playing with confidence. A really good feeling.

Q. Cam, what could you change for the team if Giannis is not available for Game 5?

CAM REDDISH: What do we change? We won. I don't know. They've got to change something.

That's a good question, though. I'm not sure. I'm sure we'll figure that out, though.

Q. Kevin, how does your role change when Trae is not on the court like tonight? Obviously you take on more of a play-making role than you usually do.

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, I think it's that play-making, being more aggressive, in some ways trying to manage the game, getting everyone touches, trying to keep us getting good shots. Kind of just all the above. When Trae goes out, I think everybody in a lot of ways has to step everything up, but overall just, I guess, aggressiveness on the offensive end.

Q. When you have a guy like Cam who can defend the perimeter so well, how does that help you guys as a team?

KEVIN HUERTER: Yeah, it's huge, it's huge. I don't think it was any big surprise tonight was one of our better defensive efforts. You enter Cam and KD, just big-time defenders making everyone else's life a lot easier. Him being able to pressure the ball, contest every shot, that's huge. Just all five guys connected. It's a big boost. You can feel it when you're out on the court.