Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves | 2025 NBA Playoffs Game 2 Post Game Interviews

Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves | 2025 NBA Playoffs Game 2 Post Game Interviews

P that you guys did get it within seven early in the third quarter and then you guys take off from there. What what was needed to respond in that moment and what kind of helped you guys rebuild the lead? um sense of urgency, just understanding the moment and we hit a a slack on our end on just I guess bringing the energy, playing hard, took our foot off the gas just a little bit and we were able to reather ourselves and bring back the intensity that we brought in the first half. Coach said that they challenged you guys, yes, you specifically yesterday to produce at the level that they know you can. U obviously you answered the call tonight. How do you take messages like that? And and I guess did you put anything on yourself to make sure they delivered? Just embracing it at the end of the day. They’re only saying that because they believe in my ability. And for me, can’t run from a challenge. God’s willing. Years from now, I can show my son what I was able to do. And you know, just a life lesson on how when you face adversity, you got to step up to it. You can’t back down from it. Jaden, the difference between game one and game two in terms of what you were supposed to do on defense. What What goes into that different mindset trying to stop one guy versus pretty much doing a little more switching, doing a little bit more multiple coverages? Really just got to like know the personnel for I would say just when Curry’s not on the court like his gravity is carried most of the time when he’s out there. So when I be guarding him, I got to face guard. But just guarding Jimmy, just try to make it hard for him. like he does a lot of the dirty stuff, offensive rebounds, playmaking. So, just just kind of being a shadow to him. And then on offense, uh have you gotten better at knowing when to pick your spots and uh you know, when to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive. It seems like you’re playing in the flow, but you’re also getting in the flow a lot more than you used to. Yeah, you could say that. Just knowing the people who’s guarding me. Most of the time it’s like smaller guards. So just knowing like even if they’re in front of me, I could still shoot over them and just get to my spot. So yeah. Nicole, you mentioned facing adversity. I guess like how tough or what was the toughest part of this stretch? Do you feel like I think for me being too optimistic at times and kind of heavily relying on the next game to be the game. Tonight it was just about, you know what, let me just focus on bringing the pace, rebounding, everything that didn’t require the ball going in the basket. So for me, I think that’s why it opened everything up because I was able to kind of take that pressure off of being good on that side and just doing what my team needs me to do outside of just trying to score. You know, we got guys like Jaden who’s playing in the flow and now starting to show you guys what he could do a long time ago and people are surprised by it. But J who’s making plays, Ant who’s going to be Ant. So for me it was just trying to sprinkle that in as best as I could and tonight it really opened up. Jaden, uh, coach mentioned before the game that he felt like the team was stewing in the game one losses and unhappy, upset with what happened in game one the last couple of days here. Just what was the mood like at practice kind of the last 36 hours for you guys before you took the floor tonight? I’ll say I mean we had good energy. I’ll say we had like a business approach just um even in like practice and then shoot arounds just making sure we’re getting everything right, all the coverages right and then just knowing today we had to come with energy and come with urgency in the first quarter and we almost got up 20 to zero. So, we just got to start like that every game and I feel like we can hold oursel. For both you guys, Nquila and U Jaden, you guys obviously are going to have urgency tonight coming off the loss. You going to have the home court crowd behind you. What are the most replicable aspects of tonight that you can bring to game three? Um, I’ll say our starts again as well. I feel like I guess they say we play better on the road, so like when everyone’s against us, we also play better. But just coming out with the right mindset of knowing that if we win the game two, we can run off two more. Keeping that fire lit, having a sense of urgency, knowing what each game means, and someone had asked me earlier about was tonight a must-win, but having that approach every night, you know, because you never know which game you’ll need or what can happen in the next day. So as much as is yes, there’s always going to be another day, at the same time having that sense of urgency to understand the moment and that it can’t come back. You can never get these moments back. So enjoying it and making the most out of it. Jaden, off of that, you’ve spoken before about how much you actually love playing on the road and having that road crowd. Why do you like playing on the road so much? I don’t know. Uh, everyone against us. I’ve kind of been like that like forever since high school. Like I never like playing at home. not say like I don’t like y’all or nothing, but it just I don’t know. It brings that like I don’t know that aggression or something. I really don’t know for real. For either one of you, um what was it like to what was it like to watch Jubilees perform tonight? Particularly in that second quarter after Ant went out, he kind of went on a heater there. Shoot. Yep. you know, just doing doing what he does best, being aggressive, using his strength and his force to create gravity to make the defense commit. Out of that, he made plays. He had 11 assists and he was able to finish, get to the free throw line, just kind of do a little bit of everything. You can really see that tonight the game slowed down for him, especially in that second quarter. Jane, we’ve seen it all throughout the season, but especially in these two playoff series, just the advantage you guys have with your bench. What what has it been like just to know how much you guys can rely on guys 6, seven, eight every night? Uh I mean it’s a great feeling to have even just knowing the man that’s coming in to get you can uh put in the same production that you can. So just knowing like we trust each other and even if we’re having a bad game, knowing like if you don’t finish, you still got to cheer your teammate on cuz like tonight Kil was going and he had a good night and it could be anyone’s night and we just got to be there for each other. for both of you. Uh you’ve seen Ant get hurt in games before. It looks bad and he comes back. What was your level of concern tonight when you saw him go down? Did you think he was really hurt or you think he was going to be fine? Like you never really know. Yeah. You know, you never really know. Superman for real. Yeah. Yeah. Just cuz you never know which one is like really bad, especially when you don’t get to see them. But he always finds a way. Like one thing about he’s not going to sit out like he’s got to be damn near dead. Yeah. You see? Yeah. I’ve seen him before like Yeah. He got to have his leg chopped off or some My fault. Thanks, guys. All right. And then you did ready. Okay. Julius, uh, you had 10 over here to your left. You had 10 assists by the end of the third quarter. Uh just what was the the key for you finding the right balance between scoring and playmaking tonight that maybe opened up for you as opposed to to game one? Uh yeah, I think um that was just something I looked at on film. Um you know, I felt like I made, you know, some pretty good reads last game. We just all were in a funk. Um and uh today we were in a little bit of a a better rhythm obviously, but um yeah, I felt like sometimes, you know, last game I might have overpassed when I got to my spots and could have looked to score and you know um so I tried to have a little bit of balance for both, but I mean credit credit to our guys, you know, our team and everybody knocked down shots. They were in the right place like they were last game. We just made shots. Julius, how how rare is it to see a team use like 13 14 guys in a in a playoff series and had like a revolvering door coming in and out of there in that game? You guys have to get used to different guys. How rare is that in a playoff series? Um, it’s rare, but you know, at the end of end of the day, it’s it’s also Steve Curry. He’s kind of done that all year. Uh, if you if you watch their team and you know, um, you know, you know, hats off to him. He has, you know, every guy on their bench, uh, prepared and and ready to play. So, uh, you really got to be locked into the scouting report and and know what each player does and, you know, just, um, know their tendencies cuz, you know, he’s not afraid to use anybody on his bench. Julius, it was really night and day last game versus versus this game. Do you guys feel like you were overconfident at all last game, especially coming off such a great win against the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors struggling? No, I don’t think we were overconfident. I think we were we were rusty, you know. Um, this is not the team to be overconfident verse. Uh, they’re a championship team. They have championship DNA. We we’ve said that from the beginning. So, if we want to win this series, we’re going to have to, you know, take every game seriously and we’re going to have to win every game. Um, you know, it’s not going to be handed to us. So, uh, we know who they are and what they’re about from top to bottom. And, um, you know, we just got to continue to, you know, put oursel in a position to win cuz they’re not going to beat themselves. Julius, what does it do for you guys when Nquille is knocking down shots the way he was tonight? Uh, I mean, it does exactly what it did tonight. It opens the game up, opens the floor up. Um, you know, Kill he’s a huge part of our team. Uh, he has been all year and, you know, obviously he’s, you know, struggled, uh, a little bit with his shot, but he does so many different things for our team, uh, other than just shooting the ball, intangibles, and, you know, he works his butt off every single day. you know, he’s the first one in the gym um every single day. So, uh when somebody works like that, it’s only a matter of time before things turn around and, you know, he stays, you know, true to who he is and continues to work and uh has a game like, you know, he had tonight. So, hopefully he can keep building on it cuz when he does that, like I said, it’s huge for our team. Julius, you’ve been matched up with Draymond in the regular season and of the postseason a lot. What kind of mental makeup does it take going in knowing a guy that plays defense as well as he is, but also is kind of a provocator trying to get inside your head, inside of the team’s head. Uh, I mean, I don’t know. I got a lot of respect for Dre. Um, you know, what he’s done in his career, uh, um, just who he is as a player, um, and what he means to that team. So, uh, I’ve I’ve never really experienced any any of that, you know, with him. has always been a a mutual respect uh you know between us but um I mean no matter who it is I try to focus on our team I I don’t really try to focus on you know the other player what the opposing team is doing necessarily when it comes to those things. What do you have to do to have success against him when you’re matched up with him? Uh I mean you just got to make him work you know on both ends of the floor. uh he’s, you know, obviously a gifted passer and playmaker on the offensive offensive end on the floor. So, you got to make him work. Um and then defensively, he’s all over the floor. So, you know, just continue to, you know, try to, you know, make him work, put him in multiple actions, run the floor, you know, crouch the glass, um anything to make him exert, you know, a high amount of energy. It’s no different than any other great player in this league. Julius, coach Finch said before the game he felt like the team was stewing in game one as in unhappy and but he kind of liked that that you guys were What was kind of the last just two days like moodwise going through practice, going through shoot around uh and the way you guys wanted to bounce back tonight? Yeah, he cussed us out uh pretty well. Um yeah, he was he was unhappy and you know, he let us you know, know he was unhappy and we felt that. Uh but um you know we were pretty motivated as a team and you know thing I like about Finch is you know you know personally for myself he can coach me hard. Um and I might not like it in the moment uh or or whatever it is but like you know I love you know that he can challenge me like that. You know he the other day we were in in the film room he challenged me multiple times on things that he saw from an effort standpoint. Um, so you know, I want to make a a point to come out and prove and play with a, you know, high amount of energy, high amount, high amount of effort and, you know, respond to that challenge, not really necessarily take it personal. Yeah, absolutely. I just had to get that out. I had to get that out. you know, for me like, you know, being frustrated. Obviously, he was frustrated, you know, start to start to corner corner myself personally for, you know, with two turnovers and, you know, whatever was going on with our team. And, you know, me being a competitor, I want to stay out there, you know, kind of write the ship. But, you know, uh, it didn’t necessarily go like that. But, you know, I was I was a little hot. But, uh, you know, just for me personally, that’s just another way that he challenges me. And you know, I wanted wanted to come back in when I came back in and just channel that energy for a good way in a positive way for our team. And you know, that’s what I tried to do. Julius had to ask, you spotted Michael Irvin out there in the crowd. You smiled. What’s your relationship like with him? And and yeah, that’s my guy. That’s my guy. I’ve known Mike since I was like 14 or 15 years old. You know, me being a Dallas kid, a Dallas native, a huge Cowboys fan, uh, growing up watching Mike. Uh, growing up watching prime time Dion, I used to play with Dion’s son. Um, so I used to go to Dion’s house all the time and he was a great mentor of mine uh at a young age. And then Mike uh I went to school with his son in high school. So I he used to come to my games in high school and be around all the time. So I’ve known Mike, you know, forever. So that’s like family. And you know, for him to come to Minnesota and come to the game, that’s a pretty pretty cool thing. Pretty big deal. So, uh, you know, it was it was it was amazing seeing him. Julius, you had a lot of matchup advantages on the offensive end tonight. when you’re when you guys are playing at the rhythm that you are, what’s kind of your decision-m process in initiating ball movement or just decisively going to the rim? Uh, yeah, I just read what the defense is doing. You know, it’s pretty simple. You know, to be honest, if they’re going to double team me or, you know, play in the gaps and, you know, create for my teammate and, you know, just be patient in that. And if they’re not going to do that and take my time, play me oneonone, then, you know, get to the lane, make a shot. uh if my teammates or have the ball, just move on the offensive end, find open spots, and you know, spot up, shoot threes, and you know, just catch my rhythm like that. So, I just try to simplify the game and make it easy as possible uh for myself and my teammates. Julius, um Ant was talking about the the effort and the energy that Mike Connley was playing with. He set the tone tonight. Can you just talk about what that means to get that type of energy and tone setter from, you know, the the lead vet on the team and just what it what it basically, you know, exudes because he’s been on the court, he’s he’s making all the plays defensively. He’s he’s he’s over there yelling at you guys on the bench. He’s getting into it. What does that do for you guys mentally and physically? Uh, it’s great. It’s great. he’s um to be 50 years old and still come out and and you know defend and play with the effort that he does and uh I’ve I’ve talked all year about you know the leader that he is for our team and how he just kind of keeps us balanced. um you know him uh Joe Engles, you know, those guys are like guys that like you don’t necessarily it might not even show up in the box sheet and might uh you know Mike it might not not necessarily show all the time and and numbers and all that different type of stuff, but who he is for our team as far as a veteran. How he’s able to you know pull me to the side. how Joe’s a able to pull me to the side in a moment like that when I’m frustrated in the third quarter and you know keep me level handed levelheaded you know let me get my frustration out but keep me levelheaded and know that all right when we get back in the game like you know go to work you know and you know keep the main thing the main thing and you know he keeps me focused so like those guys are huge for our team and a lot of the stuff that they do uh goes unnoticed or you guys you know because you watching the game you might not necessarily know but you know behind closed doors on the bench on the plane like you know those guys are huge for us. Yeah. Think I was going to see you today. What’s up? Think I was going to see you today. You just as son you me. So obviously you you you get minutes. Uh you go eight for eight to start. Uh, did you feel like you were back into some sort of rhythm? Did you feel like you were really into the playoffs? Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think uh once I came out uh for the first couple minutes and I went back and I feel like you know the confidence just came back you know uh especially knowing us the the way we started wasn’t uh that great you know pretty much everybody else had to step up and you know and just went out there and just try to compete and I think everything just fell in line. Can you describe that baseline drive dunk over Gobar? Uh, I think um I don’t know a lot of people didn’t see it, but Derema hit me. Uh, and I was trying to find Jimmy and Jimmy was like go cuz once he saw go bear on me it was just like go and I was like wow this the moment might as well just make something good happen. And I think, you know, just having Draymond and Jimmy telling me to go, you know, that’s a big trust and they just had to make something happen. How much easier is it for you to get in that type of offensive rhythm with more minutes? Uh, I think everything just come back, you know, together as long as you stay out there and and you know who’s who you playing with. uh just having that rhythm, you know, breaking the sweat and just stay staying locking, you know, the the rhythm kind kind of come back, you know, slowly. What has been your process for staying ready over the past month or so? Uh working out, watching film, uh uh staying strong mentally, um just those three, you know, u and I think just being a good teammate. Uh that’s the biggest things, you know, that keeps me uh ready. You said u Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were telling you go at go bear. How have the veterans helped you stay ready through this this process? Uh I know I think I don’t know maybe some of them been through this. I feel like some of them been through, you know, the ups and down, not just playing, just like, you know, sometimes you things going well or not going well. And just them seeing the matchup I had, uh, and it was a broken play and just both of them telling me to just go, you know, it just gave me more confidence. I mean, without Steph, even Steve said, it’s different. He had a formula, it’s different. Do you did you figure you would have a larger role? Do you have to have a larger role you think without Seth? Uh I think uh back then I had it he and there you know when we didn’t have Steph but you know I wasn’t focused on that really. Uh I was just focusing on just coming in there you know you don’t matter how many minutes I get to just find a way to impact. Uh and I end up getting what 16 uh 26 minute. Uh but I wasn’t going out there expecting to have so many minutes. Just anytime my name get called cuz I know one of these days my name was going to be uh called and just go out there and just impact makes the best out of you spent a lot of time guarding Ant defensively. What is that matchup like and what are the keys to slowing him down? Uh he’s one of our best players in this league. Uh, and it’s just not an easy, you know, easy match up going out there every single day. But you just got to do the best, you know, and not fouling, just staying physical and, you know, try to slow him down. You know, it’s not going to be great every time, but the more effort you put in, you know, the better it is. You said early, uh, in this press conference that your confidence came back. Um, how important is that for a basketball player? Uh, it’s very important. Um, you know, as long as your confidence is there, you know, it put something, you know, it makes you happy, you know, it put a joy cuz as long as you have joy and joy, you could do a lot of things. Uh, and I think confidence is one of those things where once you got them, you know, it don’t matter even if the ball is going through the nets, you know, you could still do other things besides score, you could still go out there and impact. Jonathan, both you and Trace gave a spark today and and you guys have been out of the rotation at times. Have you guys talked to each other this whole time of just staying ready? And what was it like both you on the court kind of doing what you guys did? At one point that you guys couldn’t miss. I think off the court we just goofy around uh that’s all I think uh things that people don’t see, but me and Trace have a really good friendship uh that off the court. you stay talking trash every time, you know, to keep us involved, you know, uh cuz you can’t be mad, you know, cuz anytime they could call your name and you mad and you go out there and mess everything up for good. Uh but we just stay talking, you know, uh keeping each other great company, you know, uh cheering for each other if you at the moment, you know, and I’m glad he got this moment. I’m glad I got the moment to go out there and play no matter uh we didn’t win, but hopefully game uh next game we we go out there and help out help our team win. Is there kind of an element as you guys are getting more minutes you guys could just play free a little bit? Uh I wouldn’t say playing free. Uh just trying to do something out there, trying to impact, you know, somehow. You got time for me, son? That’s it. All right, guys. Thank you. underneath the chair. Trace, do you think I mean obviously you get some time, Jonathan gets some time, you guys fight your way back into it. Do you think there are things to be gained from doing that? Uh, absolutely. Um, we got to make it as tough as possible on them. Um, you can’t just throw in a towel, throw in the game. um making sure that they keep playing um their guys keep playing. Um but overall, obviously with Step Out, we’re trying to find different lineups and matchups that work and um I thought um we we did a good job with that. You’ve played, you know, a lot of games against Minnesota against Goar. What What do you like about this matchup and how does it favor your game? Um honestly, just playing physical. um going out there um really the first maybe like the second time I got to play with Jimmy um and I feel like um we we have a good synergy on the ball screen um getting getting him downhill especially when Goar is guarding and so um that’s just something that’s we’re going to have to continue to do um but overall with Minnesota um I like I like playing physical um playing physical with Goar and Randall and um yeah so something JK said was you know to stay ready likes to goof off with you behind the scenes. Yeah, absolutely. Um yeah, me and JK obviously um the rotation swung away from us and so uh we’re always on the sideline um just joking, talking, but um overall he played really well tonight and we’re going to need him for the rest of the series. Trace, could you talk about Steph’s role and demeanor on the sideline? Um was he doing a little coaching, a little uh you know, just observing of what what was going on out there? Yeah, Steph is Steph. um he’s the the best teammate ever, but um overall he’s always talking um coaching um bringing energy, bringing life to the group and um that’s something we need especially from him because you see him engaged and locked in on the sidelines even though he can’t play. It just shows how much it means to him. Trace, did you did you have an idea that you guys might go 14 deep in the first half like that? Uh yeah, actually uh we did. He said, um, our, uh, our group, which was our with the group in Houston, we call ourselves a green machine. And so, because we wore green pennies the first time, like in our scout, and so he was like, “Green machine, be ready.” Um, this might be a game you guys get in. It could be two minutes in at the top of the second. So, um, we got in and just trying to cause havoc. Even when your minutes might be up and down, how have you maybe, um, improved as a finisher around the rim? because you obviously you’re really strong there tonight. Yeah. Um obviously this year I struggled. Um probably credit to Chris Paul and Klay Thompson. Last year I shot 70% and so um didn’t didn’t do that well this year. Um obviously just confidence and just got to keep working on it. But um over the time I’ve been away from the rotation, I’ve been able to practice and get in the gym, work on that stuff, and just continue to get better, continue to build my confidence. Is that with AV or different coaches? Um, it’s with all of them honestly. Um, Seth Cooper, AV, um, No High Tower, Will, uh, Shehy. Those are really my players, coaches. Um, Will’s done a uh been working on the free throws with me and so just got to continue to just get repetitions and keep building confidence. You mentioned this is maybe your first or second time really playing with Jimmy. Um, he’s not like a traditional pick and roll partner. What is it like being in the pick and roll with him? Um, it’s great. Um, he does all the work and then if two go to him, he throws a lob. And that’s what he told me. He said, “It might look like I I’m I’m going to go to the rim. Just be ready cuz you never know if I’m going to throw it up.” Kind of the same with Draymond. He’ll just kind of get a little step and he’ll see and he’ll just throw it. And so, um, it’s great for me and, uh, they make my job easy. What What do you feel like you can take from today into game three? Um, just the physicality. Um, just going in there. Um, defensively I got to be better. Um, I let guys get past me too easy, but um, other than that, just continue to bring energy for the team. What can the big big pick and roll do for the offense? I think you ran one with Draymond, got a lob. Um, yeah. Um, especially if we get under under the screen, stuff of that nature. We just got to continue to uh, see what happens. Um, Draymond’s always looking for the right read. Even if I don’t get the ball, someone helps, he’ll kick it to the corner. He’s always trying to make the right play. All right, looks like Jimmy’s ready. Thank you guys, sir. Appreciate that. Chill. Chill. What are What are some lessons you can learn from a game like this where it’s kind of experimental? Steve’s trying a bunch of different combinations out there. uh experimental or not. I still would like to win, but uh I think the biggest lesson is don’t start off in a hole like we did uh tonight in a game. Maybe could have ended up a little bit differently, but it’s hard to climb out of that hole. What did you see from JK and Trace tonight in their minutes? Uh some talented pros. Um pros pros always being ready, doing whatever you ask them to do and um doing at a high level on both sides of the ball. I think you said uh on that Kaminga on that baseline drive dunk on on Gobear, you told them go just go attack. What were you seeing? You know, with with Goar on him attack. We need as many individuals attacking um as we can. If you get in there and nobody helps, score. If you get in there and somebody helps, um pass the ball to the open guy. And a lot of the times whenever you get into the paint, um it’s wide open to go in there and and get a bucket. Obviously, I mean, Kurt said it. It’s obvious it’s so different without Steph. You have to kind of figure out a new formula. Um what is it you think? What what could what could it be without Steph? Uh it’s going to be a lot more um attacking and hitting the open guy and attacking again. Uh you know, it’s everybody knows it’s difficult to recreate or even get close to doing what he does. Um but we’re going to have to find a way. Uh, so you know, we go to the tapes, talk about it and and execute it to the best of our abilities. Steve said part of the plan tonight was not overt taxing you or Draymond. I think you finished at around 34 minutes as this sh series shifts back, but you know, it restarts quickly. How do you feel right now? And uh, you know, do you feel like it wasn’t that much of a tax tonight? Yeah. Uh, I feel I feel pretty good. Um, I get to rest. We get to take um a flight back, sleep in our own beds, get some recovery, dominoes, coffee, kids. Doesn’t change. And uh get ready to compete again. Are you still feeling the the fall from Yeah, for sure. But um believe it or not, Domino coffees and kids make it all better. Jimmy, you’re always kind of assessing and figuring out things as you were feeling out tonight without Steph. Were there some things that you might have figured out that that it’s going to work to your advantage? Be aggressive. Um, maybe even a little bit more aggressive than normal. Um, and I’m playing the same way. My guys is open. I’m passing. I don’t care what nobody says. Um, and I’m a live and die with us as a unit, us as a whole. Aggressive meaning you looking to score more? No, no, no. aggressive like get in the paint, make plays um for everybody. I feel like whenever I’m doing that, it makes everybody else job easier. They know when to shoot the ball on catch and shoots and know when to play out of closeouts. Um when I’m in attack mode, it automatically um places them in attack mode. Jimmy, when you missed the game against Houston, you were a very active participant on the bench and kind of a another coach. Did you see that from Steph? What did you see from Steph? Yeah. Uh, talking the game, what he sees, what we should be doing on both sides of the ball. Um, and even though he’s not out there, he still expects us and wants us to win. So, as often as he’s telling us, hey, this guy needs to be here and on defense, this is what everybody needs to be doing. Um, we got to listen because he’s seeing it, you know, firsthand a lot of stuff that everybody else can’t see. So, he’s definitely still out there, uh, on the bench with us. Jimmy, I know you don’t pay much attention to what’s out there, but just so you can know, everybody’s expecting this massive thing, this reputation of playoff Jimmy. What What is that like living under that that burden or expectation? Uh I don’t have a burden or expectation. I don’t um I play basketball the right way. I will continue to play basketball the right way. If that time comes where you know you’re people that are saying whatever supposed to score 40 or 43, whatever the case may be, I’m capable of it. I can do it. Um but I love making sure that uh my guys are comfortable passing the ball to them, taking the right shots um at the right time. Um but we’ll talk about it if that may be needed. Who knows? Jimmy, what did you see on the uh play where Draymond got the technical and you obviously heard what he said in the locker room. Um he’s at five technicals now. Seven is a suspension. Is that something you’re concerned about? No, I think he knows. We all know. Um I thought he got fouled and you know, maybe he’s trying to sell the call. Somebody got hit. Um but it’s just it’s crazy. every time he does something, it’s always a review and it always ends up being something of that nature. But, uh, like you said, he got five. He knows he got five. So, he knows how much we need him now more than ever. So, I don’t think he gets a seven. He very clearly thinks his reputation, you know, is costing him for sure. What do you think about that? I mean, I’m I’m in agreeance. Uh, it ain’t like he’s doing it on purpose. he’s trying to sell a call or something like that and somebody just get hit. Jimmy, you mentioned you might have to be more assertive. Um it did seem like some of your best offense tonight was you kind of as the creator, the playmaker. Could you sense that and maybe that has to be a little bit more of a path forward with you taking more initiative to set up others? Yeah. Um for sure. Um get the ball, attack, but like I said, it’s not always about scoring. Whenever I attack and and create help and get the ball to the right people, they know what to do with the ball. think that’s most important. Um, somebody close out, you get to shoot her, you get to drive that close out. Um, if I’m not getting into the paint, I think it confuses my guys more than anything. We’ve all seen the stats with you and JK, the minutes weren’t real good. Um, but you mentioned attacking. What would it would it be work with two attackers? You mentioned Kaminga can do that. Uh, how might that like benefit this team? Uh, I mean, he’s a a great basketball player. Um, I can play with anybody. He can play with anybody. It’s all about playing basketball the right way. It’s all it is. Attack to score, attack to pass. You just make the right play over and over and over again every single time. No matter who you out there with. Um, just play basketball the right way. And me and JK could thrive, can, and will thrive together on the basketball floor. Jimmy, one more Draymond question. He’s obviously been so good the last couple games and I know he’s essential to this team anyway, but how is that magnified with Steph out? I mean, people talk about the offensive burden on you, but Draymond’s been playing with Steph forever, obviously. Uh, he’d be all right. You know, we all miss Steph, not just Dre. Um, and Dre’s going to continue to do what he does on the offensive side of the ball. shoot the ball when he’s open, get the ball where the ball needs to go, set incredible screens, and of course, he’s going to do what he does on the defensive side of the ball, challenge shots at the rim, tell everybody their coverage, let everybody know what’s going to go on. Um, not too much changes. Uh, you know, if anything, he he’s going to step it up a notch. He’s being incredibly vocal, more vocal than normal, and he has to be because we don’t have um our number one guy out there, but he knows how important he is. It’s not going to change for him either. Do you feel Steve was pretty honest and Draymond was too about how he lost his poise in game six and obviously came back and kept it the last two games and given what happened tonight. Do you feel any need as a fellow veteran to remind him or reinforce what needs to be done? He a grown man. Uh he he knows um how important he is to this squad how important every game is and how important it is that he needs to be out there. So you don’t need to tell him nothing. He’s very uh capable and he’s very like observant of that. He knows. Great. Thank you. Thanks, Jimmy.

Series Tied 1-1

Source: NBA/National Basketball Association

#pressconference
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Timestamps:
0:00 Jaden McDaniels & Nickeil Alexander-Walker
7:28 Julius Randle
17:07 Jonathan Kuminga
23:22 Trayce Jackson-Davis
28:06 Jimmy Butler

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