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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v MAVERICKSMay 20, 2011Rick CarlisleOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA: Practice Day Q. Last night Tyson said that the team took them lightly, Jason said you guys relaxed a little bit after the lead. Did you get that sense at all and talk about the resiliency of this team all year long. RICK CARLISLE: We have been resilient. We're going to have to be resilient here. We have not played to the level in either game that we need to play to. We're fortunate to have won the first game, but we've got to go into this next game like we're down 0-2. Q. How do you improve on the defensive end? RICK CARLISLE: Well, a lot of areas. You know, our offense at times feeds their defense when we turn it over. We haven't had high turnovers, but they've been very opportunistic. We're tracking loose balls in the series, and you know, they've got 23 loose balls for 32 points, and we've got 17 for 13 points. So they've been much more opportunistic coming up being able to convert loose balls into baskets. So we've got to be more aware and scoop those up more often. And look, they've got some guys that are difficult individual match-ups that we've got to do a better job on. Durant is a terrific player and makes tough shots, and Harden got going last game, and Westbrook, all three of those guys are really difficult to deal with. Q. Kind of rare to see your bench outplayed. RICK CARLISLE: You know, we're a team that relies on everybody. It's just important that all 12 guys are ready, and we're all ready to contribute to the thing that's going to get us in a successful mode, and that's hard defense, making sure we're back in transition, down in the stance, contesting and getting rebounds. You know, these guys are a terrific offensive team, but I know we can do a lot better. Q. Do you feel like you have to make significant strategic adjustments defensively or do you need to execute what you're doing better and play with more aggression? RICK CARLISLE: There's some adjustments we need to make, and there are just some things we need to do in our coverages better just in terms of our basic execution. You know, look, we looked at that stuff today. We'll have a shoot-around tomorrow to get another brush up on it, and these games are coming every other day, so there's not much time to take a breather. Q. The loose balls, do you attribute that to athleticism, or what's been the difference? RICK CARLISLE: You know, I would just say that they're a team that's overall quicker than we are, and so we're just going to have to be more resourceful about sniffing those situations out. Sometimes it's the rub of the green, where it's just a bad bounce, and they come up with it and we don't. But I think awareness and just a resourcefulness is what we've got to have. Q. Your transition defense has been an issue. RICK CARLISLE: Well, the way the league tracks fast break points much different than the way coaching staffs track them. Q. How do you feel about your transition defense? RICK CARLISLE: Look, it can be better. It can be better. We've done some good things in that area, but it can be better, so when you're giving up 109 a game, there are things you can do better. Q. Are you surprised they got out with a win without playing Westbrook in the fourth quarter? RICK CARLISLE: Look, they've got really good depth on that team. Maynor has played well both years he's been with them, and he's gotten better and better. You know, he's a tough-minded kid that understands the game. Nothing surprises me because I know how productive our bench is. Q. (Inaudible.) RICK CARLISLE: They're doing it some, and we're going to -- we've got to recognize those situations and take better advantage of them. But it's not a major thing. It's happening a little bit, but generally we're getting the ball there, and I think the bigger issue is getting them under control offensively. That's where things are at. Q. In the fourth quarter you guys (Inaudible) anything in particular to disrupt him or -- RICK CARLISLE: Well, they've made Jet and Dirk both priorities. We've got to do some things to get Jet in some better situations. But again, we had a lot of very good opportunities in the fourth quarter. We didn't convert. We had a couple missed shots right at the rim. We had a loose ball that they came up with where we would have had a chance to just get it and put it right back in. And again, that's where -- those situations we were really opportunistic in the last series, and so far Oklahoma City has been more opportunistic in this series. Q. Do you feel like you guys lost the edge that you had against LA? RICK CARLISLE: I feel like we have got to play with a greater edge for sure, yes. I don't think we've lost it, but I think we've got to play with more of an edge, yes. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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