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NBA FINALS: HEAT v SPURS


June 10, 2014


Tim Duncan


MIAMI, FLORIDA: Game Three

San Antonio Spurs - 111
Miami Heat - 92


Q.  It seemed like the Heat in the third quarter became much more physical and that's what enabled them to close that lead.  So my question is, what did you guys do to adjust to that?  And was there a specific moment where you felt like you got the ship righted and the game was under your control again?
TIM DUNCAN:  Unfortunately it's how basketball goes.  We knew they were going to make a run.  We were obviously trying to stay away from that, but started out the third quarter, they made a quick three‑point play and a three‑pointer in transition.  Just plays happen.  That's how it happens.
We were able to at the other end continue to take care of the ball, continue to attack.  Understand that they're going to make a run, but even with their run, we're still up double digits at that point.  And just not lose our composure and try to get it all back in one play.  So we did just that.  Finished out the quarter good, and continued in that fourth quarter to keep control.

Q.  How important was it to see guys like Kawhi and Danny Green have a solid performance on the road in a tough place like Miami?
TIM DUNCAN:  Well, they were the keys to the game.  They took over the game.  Kawhi was aggressive.  He's been getting‑‑ we've been on him about continuing to play.  Foul trouble has been a problem for him in the first couple games and it kind of took him out of his game.  And Danny's been shooting the ball well.  They really got up and tried to make him do something else, and he made some great decisions there.  Made some plays and finished them.
Defensively, he was solid, he got hands on balls and knocked them away.  Made some plays for himself, got himself in the open court and finished.
Those guys were huge for us.  They were the difference in the game tonight.

Q.  As one of the captains of this team, what can you tell them to go through the rest of the series with this type of performance?
TIM DUNCAN:  Well, you don't tell them anything.  You're either going to shoot well or you're not.  The effort that they have there, the focus they have defensively, they can bring that nightly.  They can bring that every night and they can make defensive efforts like they did tonight.  Whatever happens on the other end happens on the other end.
But it was a huge boost for us to get offensive performances like that from them.  We're not going to expect to get that from them.  But hopefully if we continue to get them shots and get them open, hopefully they'll continue to do that for us.

Q.  At what point did it hit you guys you were shooting at such an astronomical percentage?
TIM DUNCAN:  I didn't know, honestly.  I wasn't paying any attention to that.  We were just kind of pushing the ball and things were working for us, and we were kind of going with the flow.  I didn't look at a stat sheet.  I didn't look up.  I didn't look at the score.  I just wanted to get a good start in, and things were falling how they were.

Q.  What did adding Boris Diaw to the starting lineup do for you guys tonight?
TIM DUNCAN:  Boris has been great all playoffs, in the entire playoffs.  His ability to attack off the dribble, his passing ability.  When they collapsed, he made some great passes, made some great plays, and his ability to finish at the basket as well.
So just gave us another attack guy out there.  Tiago's been playing great.  He's finishing at the basket and making plays.  But to have someone like Boris who can stretch your floor and make plays like a point guard in there and make decisions and punish them for their rotation, it was big for us.

Q.  What was the difference between the first half and then the third quarter for your team?
TIM DUNCAN:  I don't know that there was much difference.  I thought the Heat just turned up their intensity for a while and they got a couple turnovers, made a couple plays and made a couple shots.  It was just the ebbs and flows of a game.  We were able to only sustain it for a short while and get right back into it.  They won that third quarter.  We couldn't score the ball, but we were still up 10 or 11 at that point, and as I said, we just don't panic.  We don't start forcing bad things, we continue to share the ball, move the ball, and get the lead back up.

Q.  When you started playing with Kawhi, what were the early impressions?  He's such a quiet guy and just goes out and does his job.  When did you feel like he understood what it was going to take to be part of this program, to be invested in the day‑to‑day, and do what had to be done?
TIM DUNCAN:  Luckily I played with him a bunch during the lockout time.  He came down and worked out with us when we were‑‑ before the team was together.  So I kind of got an early look at him.
I thought he had a lot of work to do.  He wasn't shooting the ball like he does now.  But Pop and the guys saw something in him and they allowed him to kind of develop and find his own way.  Last year I think he really got his confidence and understood what had he to do, and he continues to evolve year after year.  This year you can see when he gets in a groove like that, he can be special.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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