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NBA FINALS: CELTIC v LAKERS

June 5, 2010

Kevin Garnett

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day

Q. Bynum is playing but he's limited. I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about what his impact is sort of for the Lakers out there in that condition and the impact on you guys, him being out there.
KEVIN GARNETT: Well, he's long. He's a big body. He uses his body really well, and when he's in there he's active. He's trying to block shots, showing up on pick-and-rolls, in the paint. He's effective.

Q. Can you tell how much he might be hobbled or less than 100 percent?
KEVIN GARNETT: I think the game is going so fast that you don't have time to really, you know, think in a situation to where is he hobbled or not. It's not obvious. If he is, I can't tell.

Q. As somebody who prides himself on his defense as you do, can you just talk a little bit about what Tom Thibodeau brings to the team and with the apparent likelihood that he's going to be elsewhere next season.
KEVIN GARNETT: Tibs brings a passion for defense, I think, when you think of Tom Thibodeau and what's his strengths, he's obviously a defense guy. He watches an uncountable amount of film. He's a worker. He's a guy that loves his job. He does it with passion.
If he is not with us next year, he's well deserving of it as well as anybody else on our coaching staff.

Q. Your team has been described for quite a while as a particularly proud team. Even before the championship that might have been said for yourself, Ray, some of the other veterans. Would you agree with that characterization? And if so, how does that impact the times like these when you guys have been behind in series?
KEVIN GARNETT: Well, we are proud. I don't think that you take this court and understand the history of this rival on top of putting on this jersey and the people that have come before you, so it is a sense of responsibility when putting this jersey on. So it is a sense of pride there.
You know, you learn a lot about yourself when you lose, you learn a lot about yourself when you're down, the people around you and so forth, and this shows what you're made of, to be honest.

Q. Have you been insulted at times when there have been doubts, whatever they've been, either now, down two-one in Cleveland, comments in the last few days? Do you take personal insult to that?
KEVIN GARNETT: Insult? No. "Insult" is a strong word. No. I feel like a lot of times what I'm hearing is just personal observation. I don't think it is going at my character or judging my character. Insult, no.

Q. When you lose kind of as badly as you did the other night or when you lose as badly as you did Game 3 against Cleveland, how do you tell yourself that that's not going to linger and that's not us, what we saw? How do you get past that so easily?
KEVIN GARNETT: First off, for myself, I just watch film. I try to better myself. I try to be honest with myself wholeheartedly. In practice the next day or whenever you have a chance to practice, you obviously work on some of the things that you saw and try to apply them not just in practice but try to cross it over into the game.

Q. Was it any easier to keep believing against Cleveland because you had played so well against them in Games 1 and 2 than it is to believe now, or is it all the same?
KEVIN GARNETT: It's pretty much all the same because in any situation whether it's basketball or non-basketball, I'm not a guy that's going to quit. If I have a goal in mind, that's what I'm after. I have a pretty good sense of focus to go in after something and actually try to accomplish it. "Can't" isn't a word that I use. "Quit" is not a word that I use. I feel like if you want something bad enough, then you work towards it.

Q. You've got different ways of motivating your teammates through your leadership, whether it be vocal or non-vocal. Over the last two days is there something you've done? Do you get in guys' faces and tell them about themselves as far as motivating them for Game 2? Do you do it quietly? How do you go about getting the guys together?
KEVIN GARNETT: I think in this situation you don't have to do any of that. I think we're all kind of distasteful at this time, knowing what's at stake and it being The Finals. No one here has to come out and say a heroic speech or get in anyone's face. It's all self-explanatory to this point. Everyone is motivated. Everyone knows we're motivated. Guys on the team are looking at themselves in the mirror, and I'm no different from that, and coming here to get a second day of practice and get some things done and prepare for tomorrow.

Q. You and Kobe both came out of high school and have played a lot of years. With his injuries this year and your injuries the last couple years, do you wonder how long this can last or how long your career will continue?
KEVIN GARNETT: Do I wonder how long I'll be playing?

Q. Yeah, especially because you have logged so many minutes over the years right out of high school.
KEVIN GARNETT: I have no idea. Contractually I have two more and then I'll assess it after that.

Q. What are some of those stats and numbers you look at to measure hustle and energy, effort?
KEVIN GARNETT: Rebounding, 50/50, second-chance points. All those things make up to me when I think of the intangibles or just small detail things that make up the outcome of a game, what it is. I think of those things.

Q. To what degree will you think back to Game 2?
KEVIN GARNETT: All those things, because if you're rebounding, then it cuts down a lot of the second-chance points. When you're not rebounding you've just got to basically make your shots or they're getting a rebound. All those things are detail things that don't show up necessarily on the stats sheet, the hustle, the 50/50 game. Those are very, very, very important parts of the game which make up the outcome.

End of FastScripts

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