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NBA FINALS: HEAT v SPURS


June 5, 2014


Gregg Popovich


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Game One

Miami Heat - 95
San Antonio Spurs - 110


Q.  Coach, congratulations on a big win.  Big game for your big three but definitely a big game and big contributions from Danny Green and Tiago Splitter.  What do you think makes for their confidence throughout the rest of the series?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  If I understood your question correctly, you know, by this time in the playoff season a player should be somewhat confident.  There is no reason not to be.  Every player on the court for both teams is confident or they wouldn't be out there performing.

Q.  How did the heat affect how you managed players' minutes or substituted?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  Yeah, I think it was probably tough on both teams.  Players were pretty dead.  So we tried to get guys in and out a little bit more than we usually do.  Kind of screws up the rhythm a little bit but it was mighty hot out there.

Q.  How were you able to overcome all those turnovers?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  That's a great question.  For us that's the Achilles heel.  When we have a game like that turnover‑wise, invariably it's a loss for us.  I haven't looked at any stats, I'm afraid to, but I guess we probably made threes.  We made a decent number of threes.  I think we rebounded pretty good from where I was sitting.
But the turnovers are usually a killer.  We feel very fortunate to have won this game tonight.

Q.  Coach, did you like what you saw from Tony Parker tonight?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  Yeah, I thought he did great, you know, for not being on the court for a while.  He actually played a little bit longer than I wanted him to play.  During the game I was concerned because he didn't look like he wanted to shoot it, really, and down the stretch he did, he came through and shot it well.

Q.  Talk about what you got from Tiago today, especially late in the third and heading into the fourth.
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  Tiago gives us what he gives us every game.  It's not really any different, he's a blue‑collar guy.  He knows what to do on offense and he knows what his limits are.  And on defense he's a hard worker, a rebounder, defender, great team player.  So what he did tonight is no different than any other night.

Q.  Pop, Danny Green 0‑5 through three quarters, 11 in the fourth, could you talk about what you think got him going late?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  Well, I'll tell you‑‑ I guess I shouldn't tell you.  That's what he does, you know.  That's his major skill.  If he's not going to do that, then we might as well play somebody else.  That's the honest to God's truth.
I thought the percentages were with him.  So we stuck him back out there and he came through.

Q.  Could you talk about the key to your strong fourth quarter?  And also did any Spurs players have any injury issues with the heat?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  What about injury?

Q.  Did any of your players have issues with the heat that bothered them at all?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  I think everybody got a little tired or dehydrated for sure.  I'm sure that both teams are going to be happy that we have a couple of days before the next game and hopefully we can pay our bills.

Q.  Boris only scored two points but talk about his contribution.
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  Boris Diaw, he's a versatile guy.  He plays several positions, he's good inside, he's good outside, good passer, so he's somebody we depend on a lot, because he's a good basketball.  He knows how to play.  In our league there are probably more good athletes than people who know how to play, and we're fortunate to have one of those guys.

Q.  Pop, obviously you don't want to see any player go out of the game but can you talk about the way your team did respond when LeBron went to the bench?
COACH GREGG POPOVICH:  We played well.  We were up four at that moment, and I thought we executed really well at the offensive end and made some stops.  And LeBron if he's down there playing D, and we got to stop him down at the other end, certainly could have been a different story, there is no question about that.
THE MODERATOR:  Thank you, Coach. 

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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