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NBA FINALS: MAVERICKS v HEAT

May 31, 2011

Erik Spoelstra

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Game One

Dallas Mavericks 84
Miami Heat 92

COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Well, again, that was a grind. It's tough. That's a very skilled offensive team. We didn't get into much of an offensive flow the entire game. This was more of probably a defensive battle, both teams really holding down the paint and protecting and trying to close out to get the three-point shooters. But we were able to get some defensive stops there at the end to create some distance.
But it's a challenge. It's obviously a challenge because of their skill level and shooting. It's one game and that's it. We're already moving on to Game 2. We have to continue to stay focused to defend this home court.

Q. Erik, can you talk about the contribution Chalmers and Bosh made in the first half by really keeping you in it offensively until you could get the big guys going later in the game?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: For a while it was tough for us to put points on the board. We were getting some decent looks. You have to give their defense some credit also forcing us into some tough opportunities. And those guys did give us a little bit of a spark, keep us in striking range. And then when we got to the second half, we were able to defend, cause some misses and some turnovers that gave us some extra possessions.

Q. Speaking of extra possessions, those 16 offensive boards, can you talk about how you were able to get so many second shots.
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I would have to look at it. I think a few of them happened in the zone where their bodies are off of us. That's a little bit more than we normally get. We were also missing a lot. So there were more opportunities for our guys to go up there and get the tips.
The guys were aggressive.

Q. Erik, is there anything about Dwyane Wade's game in the first half that looked unusual to you? Was there anything you can see that can sort of get him going like he was in the fourth quarter earlier in the games?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Maybe this will be something that will spark him. All I care about was he made a lot of winning plays on both ends of the court there in the fourth quarter. I'm not going to overanalyze his first half.

Q. Erik, why do you think that Dwyane and LeBron have been able to perform the way they have in fourth quarters recently, especially tonight?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Well, it's not as if we've created two new players. That's who they've been their entire careers. I think it just takes time for players to feel comfortable with each other and a new offensive system and playing with new guys and being in this situation over and over and over.
We had quite a few close games in the regular season where we failed. We had to adjust some things. Every playoff game for us has been one of these that goes down the stretch. The more times you're in it, probably the more confident you get.

Q. Erik, they scored the first seven of the second half. Then there was the quick timeout obviously. What was said? It didn't seem like a schematic change, necessarily. Obviously a lot more effort, intensity on the glass and that sort of thing.
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: They're going to make some shots. They have some of the best shot-makers in this league. Their skill level is so high. It was that last three-point shot by Stevenson. That's not us. That's not our identity, to come down in a semi transition and it gets kicked to him out in the three-point line and no one makes a rotation. He checked for the wind. He had three days to shoot that. And we didn't get anybody near him.
We're a team that has to be aggressive. We have to attack. We have to be physical, and we have to be on edge for 48 minutes. Particularly with a team like this that's so dangerous with their shooting. They'll go on runs during the game, because of their ability to put points on the board.

Q. One key sequence of the game was late in the fourth, Wade had a key block, comes back, hits a three, extends the lead to about nine at that point. Dwyane Wade is just about the best guard in terms of blocks in the history of the NBA. Can you talk about that aspect of his game a little bit.
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Two-way player. That's what we expect of him. LeBron and Chris. And our other guys. But they do that as well as anybody. Commit to both sides of the court. They know they have to be playmakers for us defensively, especially when we're a little bit small with that lineup down the stretch. And he's done it over and over. He understands the importance of defending and making plays. And sometimes it's not about the schemes. Sometimes it's about transcending that with your effort, your athleticism and your ability. And he was able to do that tonight.

Q. LeBron took 16 shots, four in the fourth quarter. Looked like he was playing largely outside. Was that by design because of the attention he draws, or his read or trying to get things --
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I think he was reading the game well. They were doing a good job of corralling him on pick-and-rolls and also protecting the paint when we did attack. So he didn't force it. But he was reading the game, getting off the ball when he needed to. I think there was only a handful of possessions in the game where the ball was sticking and it didn't get side to side. But we had some good ball movement possessions there in the fourth.

Q. Mike was wearing a very long shoulder sleeve. Is that a new injury, something that just happened? What's the extent of that and why that look for tonight's game?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Just to keep his arm warm. He's fine.

Q. Erik, is this where we're at, where defense is locked in and evolved to the point where teams are going to win games and win the series shooting under 40%?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I don't know if that's the way the league is going, but certainly both teams, you know, have committed to that side of the court. You get to this level, you've probably had to win a lot of defensive games. You can't allow teams to just run up 120 points on you. Obviously that's our identity. But sometimes we can also put points on the board. But that's a good defensive team there. We weren't able to get open looks, but we've proven in this playoff run that sometimes we have to win when it's not necessarily pretty for us offensively. We have to grind it and get defensive stops and get some timely baskets.

Q. You guys largely contained Dirk Nowitzki. Can you talk about your defense against him tonight.
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: I don't think it really matters what you do, your schematics, who is defending him, he's going to get his average at least every single game. I think it's uncanny, because of his shooting ability, his skill level. So I don't really know if we affected him that much.

Q. Erik, your bench outscored their bench 27-17. Their bench has been a strength throughout the playoffs. Your bench not always. When you outscore them by 10 with your bench, you're probably going to win, what, 95 out of 100 games against them.
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, but I never judged our bench by reading that final line on the boxscore. Our bench has been important for us all season long. A lot of times they've given us defensive energy. We've been able to change the momentum of games with that energy lineup. But also, to be frank, we're a little bit healthier now with Mike and UD.
We'll see. I don't anticipate every game that we would outscore their bench.

Q. Erik, you've said all season that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are rhythm shooters and if they feel like they have an open shot, even if it's on the three-point line you're going to let them take it in rhythm. Tonight Dwyane hit a big three-pointer again. They've been on fire from downtown. How do you balance the sustainability of them hitting those three-pointers all the time?
COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA: You have to see the flow of the offense. It's fairly easily detectible. If the ball is moving and it's getting side to side and multiple players are involved, that's a flow for us. And those guys both can make rhythm jump shots. And especially timely shots when you need them at the end of the clock.
It's at the beginning of possessions, particularly if we've struggled. We haven't had a couple of handful of good possessions and then we settle for an earlier one. That hasn't been a successful formula.
THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Coach.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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