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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PISTONS v HEAT


June 2, 2006


Pat Riley


MIAMI, FLORIDA: Game Six

Q. Have you spoken to Dwyane today? Is there an update, and where does his status stand as of now.
PAT RILEY: Well, we just took him out of the ambulance. I needed to go over the game plan with him.
He's fine. We've already talked and he's replenished and he's ready to play.
Q. As far as you know, did he replenish himself overnight in the hospital? Did he spend the night at the hospital?
PAT RILEY: He was dehydrated, had some fluids just because he had a touch of the flu or virus. He sweats a lot anyhow, if you noticed. He was obviously -- he had a lot of fluids today.
Q. This morning you were talking about Shaq and how long he could be able to play, and you said you thought he could play a few more years. How much of that is based on his skills and how much he has left and how much of that is your philosophy over the years about the best way to play basketball?
PAT RILEY: Well, his skills are what they are. He's a dominant low post man. He's one of the strongest players and still is that ever played the game. It seems as though the game is beginning to go in another direction philosophically, but I'm not so sure that that is going to be something that every team is going to do. I mean, you've got a post-up player, you've got to play that game and your game, also. I just think if he's healthy and he's committed and he wants to play, he can play another four years. That's how I look at it. He'll be very effective with it.
Q. How do you plan on slowing down Tayshaun Prince tonight?
PAT RILEY: Well, we need to be more aware, and I've said this before, more conscious of where he's coming from, where he's getting his shots. He ended up with about eight or ten points the other night in effort plays, second shots, long rebounds. He was the recipient of two passes coming off of second shots that were three-point shots. You've just got to be really aware, and when he gets the basketball, he's attacking.
It isn't that they're running a multiple set that's going to confuse you as far as leaving him open. He comes right at you. You know he's coming right at you eyeball to eyeball, so we have to be prepared for that.
Q. Did Dwyane go to the hospital last night or at all this morning?
PAT RILEY: I don't know. Did he? Yeah, he was over there for a while. It's the best place to do it, to put water in you. Don't bring him to my house (laughter). I mean, you think about it, we would have sent a bunch of doctors to his house, but they would have said, "well, we didn't bring any IVs with us so we'd better take him somewhere." So we'd better be proactive and put a lot of fluids in him.
Q. Was it last night or this morning?
PAT RILEY: This morning.
Q. Given what -- Dwyane had some cramping problems in the Chicago series. Are you maybe more cognizant of that and will you protect him earlier tonight?
PAT RILEY: Well, we talked about that. We'll monitor him and let us know, but you're right. That is a thought on our part. We won't know until we know.
Q. Have you ever had this circumstance before with a guy being ill when you were with the Lakers?
PAT RILEY: Yes.
Q. Who was it?
PAT RILEY: Magic, second game against Detroit. He really had the flu.
Q. '88?
PAT RILEY: It was the year we won it. We got beat in the first game and he came in with a 102-degree temperature just before the game, didn't come to the shoot-around. We ended up winning that game that night, too, by a point or two.
Q. How did he do?
PAT RILEY: He did very well.

End of FastScripts...

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