“It’s always a chess match out there” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sounds Off After Game 1 | May 20, 2025

“It’s always a chess match out there” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sounds Off After Game 1 | May 20, 2025

>> SHAY. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT THIRD QUARTER AND THE WAY THAT YOU ALL CAME OUT OF COURSE DEFENSIVELY STILL WITH THAT SAME EDGE BUT OFFENSIVELY ABLE TO FIND YOUR SPOTS YOU AND DUB. >> YEAH WE HAVEN’T HAD THE GREATEST OF THIRD QUARTERS THIS PLAYOFF RUN SO FAR. WE WANTED TO MAKE THAT EMPHASIS LIKE COME OUT OF HALFTIME WITH A PUNCH WITH A LITTLE JOLT WITH SOME SOME ENERGY AND NOT EASE INTO IT. WE’D BE BETTER OFF TOWARDS THE END OF THE GAME. WE YEAH, WE JUST MADE THAT EMPHASIS AND WE DIDN’T LIKE WE DIDN’T PANIC, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE STRUGGLES WITH THE STRUGGLES IN THE FIRST HALF, WE MISSED A BUNCH OF LAYUPS AS A GROUP. WE MISSED FREE THROWS LIKE THE EASY ONES AND WE KNEW THAT WE STUCK WITH IT. THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY FALL AND THEY DID. >> SO YOU’VE PLAYED A HANDFUL OF SERIES NOW AS A FIRST OPTION. WHAT HAVE YOU SORT OF LEARNED ABOUT HOW TO PROCESS A GAME FROM FROM QUARTER TO QUARTER, HOW YOU VALUE EACH QUARTER UP UNTIL MAYBE THE POINT IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO CLOSE THE GAME? >> YEAH, IT’S ALWAYS A CHESS MATCH OUT THERE. LIKE YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU HAVE A BASE COVERAGE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU YOU WANT TO START WITH, AND YOU SEE HOW THE GAME GOES. AND THEN YOU JUST READ AND REACT AND ADJUST FROM THERE. THEY MAKE A MOVE. YOU MAKE A MOVE, I GUESS BACK AND FORTH, AND IT’S GOING TO BE LIKE THAT THROUGHOUT THE SERIES. THEY’RE A REALLY GOOD TEAM. THEY’LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, THEY’LL GET BETTER FOR SURE. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AS WELL. >> AS FAR AS THE BACK AND FORTH, IT SEEMED LIKE EARLY YOU WERE TRYING TO SET THAT LINE OF LIKE, WHAT SORT OF PHYSICALITY COULD GO, WHAT COULDN’T, AND THE SHOTS YOU WOULD TAKE WITH THAT, WHAT SORT OF CHANGE FROM HALF TO HALF AS FAR AS THE CAUSE YOU FELT LIKE YOU GOT AND WHAT, WHAT YOU WANTED TO SHOOT? >> I DON’T, I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T KNOW. I’M NOT TOO SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT. I WAS JUST OUT THERE BEING AGGRESSIVE, TRYING TO GET TO MY SPOTS. OBVIOUSLY IT WASN’T FALLING LIKE IT USUALLY DOES AND LIKE I WOULD LIKE IT TO, BUT IT’S PART OF THE GAME. I DIDN’T NOTHING REALLY CHANGED IN MY MINDSET. I JUST TRIED TO CONTINUE TO BE AGGRESSIVE, CONTINUE TO TRUST MY WORK, AND IT WORKED OUT FOR ME IN THE SECOND HALF. >> YEAH. SHAY MARK TALKED ABOUT MARK. WAS THIS IN HERE TALKING ABOUT HOW A GUY LIKE KENRICH, WHO DIDN’T PLAY IN LAST SERIES, COMING IN, BREATHES LIFE INTO THE TEAM AND NOT JUST HIM? ISAIAH. JOE, FIRST OFF, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT? AND THEN WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR YOU GUYS ON A NIGHT LIKE WHERE YOUR SHOTS AREN’T FALLING? >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. EVERY SERIES IS DIFFERENT. AND EVERY GAME AND EVERY SERIES IS DIFFERENT. DIFFERENT MATCHUPS NEED DIFFERENT THINGS FOR DIFFERENT OPPONENTS. SO LIKE OUR READINESS AS A GROUP HAS BEEN HAS BEEN SPECIAL. AND WE’RE GOING TO NEED IT THE FURTHER WE GO. BUT THOSE TWO GUYS WERE NOTHING SHORT OF WHO THEY’VE BEEN ALL YEAR, LIKE THEY’VE GUYS WHO PLAY ONE NIGHT, NOT PLAY THE NEXT NIGHT, PLAY 30 MINUTES A NIGHT AFTER THAT. LIKE THEY ARE ALWAYS READY. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TEAM AND THEY GO OUT THERE AND DO IT AT A HIGH LEVEL. AND THAT’S WHY THEY WERE READY FOR THEIR MOMENT TONIGHT. BUT YEAH, WE DON’T WIN THIS GAME WITHOUT THOSE TWO GUYS. AND HATS OFF TO THOSE TWO GUYS. AND THOSE TWO GUYS ARE WHO THEY’VE BEEN ALL YEAR. AND THAT’S THAT’S TOUGH TO DO THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS AND THE EMOTIONS OF LIKE PLAYING AND NOT PLAYING. SO YEAH HATS OFF TO THEM TOO FOR SURE. >> YEAH. SHAY MARK WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HE THOUGHT IT TOOK YOU GUYS A LITTLE TIME TO CALIBRATE RECALIBRATE WITH THE DIFFERENT STYLE OF OPPONENT. DID YOU FEEL THAT AT ALL DURING THE GAME THAT YOU HAVE TO REMIND YOURSELF, OH, THIS THIS ISN’T DENVER ANYMORE. >> IT FELT DIFFERENT FROM JUMP. MORE LIKE PRESSURE ORIENTED. IT FEELS LIKE A LITTLE MORE PHYSICAL. BUT AT THE END OF THE NIGHT IT’S BASKETBALL. THEY THEY THROW YOU A PROBLEM AND YOU HAVE TO SOLVE IT, WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE. AND THAT’S WHAT IT IS EVERY NIGHT. AND THAT’S THAT’S WHAT IT WAS TONIGHT. THEY HAD DIFFERENT COVERAGES, DIFFERENT PERSONNEL OUT THERE. AND WE HAVE TO ATTACK IT AND, AND WORK TOGETHER AS A UNIT TO, TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OUT THERE. AND WE DID THAT TONIGHT IN THE SECOND HALF. >> ANDREW SCHLECHT WITH THE ATHLETIC SHAY KIND OF A FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION. SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE GOING FROM PLAYING SEVEN GAMES OF A LOT OF ZONE DEFENSE TO PLAYING AGAINST MAN DEFENSE IN THIS GAME? >> YEAH, IT LIKE USUALLY IN THE NBA YOU SEE MAN WE’RE COMFORTABLE PLAYING MAN. AND THE ZONE WAS A WRINKLE. BUT IT ULTIMATELY MADE US BETTER FOR SURE. AND WE CAN FEEL THAT BY THE END OF THE SERIES WE WERE ATTACKING IT WAY BETTER. WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING TO IN THE POSSESSION THAT THEY THREW OUT. THEY THREW ZONE OUT THERE. WE GOT A DUNK LIKE RIGHT AWAY. LIKE YOU COULD JUST FEEL US GETTING BETTER AT IT. AND THAT’S WHAT THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. THAT’S WHAT THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON IS ABOUT. THAT’S WHAT THE FIRST GAME OF THE PLAYOFFS IS ABOUT. THAT’S WHAT THE LAST GAME OF THE PLAYOFFS WAS ABOUT, LIKE JUST CONTINUING TO GET BETTER THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES, AND YOU’LL LOOK UP AND BE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. AND THAT’S ALL WE CAN CONTROL. LIKE WE CAN’T CONTROL WHAT THEY THROW AT US. WE CAN JUST CONTROL HOW WE ATTACK IT AND HOW WE APPROACH IT. AND THAT’S WHAT WE THAT’S WHAT WE DID LAST SERIES. AND THIS SERIES WILL LOOK DIFFERENT AND WE’LL DO THE SAME THING. >> SHAY, YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS TEAM DIDN’T PANIC. YOU’VE BEEN A LEADER OF THIS TEAM FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THAT PROCESS HAS BEEN LIKE OF LEADING BY EXAMPLE? >> YEAH, IT’S JUST TRUE TO MY PERSONALITY. NOT ALWAYS THE LOUDEST GUY IN THE ROOM OR SAY TOO MUCH, BUT MY ENERGY AND EFFORT AND WHAT I PUT ON THE FLOOR SPEAKS LOUDER THAN ANYTHING. AND THAT’S JUST HOW I TRY TO NOT ONLY GO ABOUT THE GAME, BUT GO ABOUT LIFE. LIKE ACTIONS ALWAYS MEAN LOUDER THAN WORDS TO ME ESPECIALLY. SO THAT’S JUST HOW I GO ABOUT IT. >> SHAY. THE DEFENSE KEPT YOU GUYS IN THE GAME EARLY ON, BEFORE YOUR OFFENSE COULD REALLY FIND A HOLD. WITH THE WAY YOU GUYS WERE FORCING TURNOVERS, DO YOU THINK THERE’S SOME CORRELATION BETWEEN THEM LAUNCHING AS MANY THREES, BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DIDN’T FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BRING IT INTO THE FOR THE DEFENSE. AND THAT KIND OF THE STRATEGY YOU GUYS HAD WAS FORCING THEM TO KIND OF DO THINGS OUT OF CHARACTER. >> YEAH, I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY WERE THINKING. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT ONE. WE JUST WE TRY TO PLAY TO OUR IDENTITY ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR AND, AND THEN JUST READ AND REACT FROM THERE. I DON’T I DON’T KNOW, I CAN’T I CAN’T ANSWER THAT ONE FOR YOU. BUT YEAH WE TRY TO PLAY TO OUR IDENTITY DEFENSIVELY. AND WE DID A GOOD JOB OF THAT. AND THE DEFENSE DEFINITELY GAVE US GAVE US LIFE EARLY IN THE GAME AND KEPT US IN IT FOR SURE. >> SHAY. GAME SEVEN CASSO SETS A CAREER HIGH IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR ASSISTS TONIGHT. HE’S GOT SEVEN A NEW CAREER HIGH IN ASSISTS OFF THE BENCH. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM HIM AS A PLAYMAKER FOR YOU GUYS. AND YOU KNOW BEING ABLE TO FACILITATE FOR OTHERS. >> YEAH CASSELL PLAYED POINT GUARD IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. YOU GUYS YOU MIGHT FORGET THAT JUST HIS ROLE IN THE NBA. BUT HE’S A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER. HE KNOWS HOW TO PLAY. HE KNOWS HOW TO READ THE GAME. AND WE’RE SEEING HIM GROW AS THE GAMES GO ON. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR HIS WHOLE CAREER. HE’S HE’S A GUY THAT SOAKS THINGS UP QUICKLY. HE HAS A GREAT FEEL OUT THERE ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR, AND THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR CASSELL. I’VE SAID THAT BEFORE. HE’S HE’S A REALLY GOOD PLAYER. >> YEAH. YOU GUYS. >> YOU GUYS DIDN’T PLAY THE TWO BIGS TOGETHER AS MUCH AS YOU USUALLY DO. WENT SMALL A FAIR AMOUNT AND STILL HELD THEM TO 20 POINTS IN THE PAINT. HOW WERE WE ABLE TO KEEP THEM FROM DOING ANY KIND OF REAL DAMAGE IN THE PAINT? >> YEAH, WE WELL, CHET HOLMGREN FIRST AND FOREMOST REALLY GOOD RIM PROTECTOR HARTENSTEIN AS WELL. BUT WE SOMETHING THAT COACH HAS DONE ALL YEAR IS LIKE JUST MIX UP LINEUPS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. AND I THINK IT HAS US READY AND PREPARED FOR MOMENTS LIKE LIKE TONIGHT WHERE THE MATCHUPS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE THE PAST SEVEN GAMES, AND WE’RE GOING TO NEED A DIFFERENT LINEUP TO ADJUST. AND FOR US, IT WAS SEAMLESS BECAUSE WE’VE DONE IT ALL YEAR AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT HE PREACHES. LIKE HE DOESN’T WANT US TO GET TOO SET IN STONE IN THE LINEUP BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT AND MATCHES, MATCHUPS LIKE WE’VE SEEN RECENTLY. AND I THINK THAT’S JUST PART OF OUR DNA NOW. >> OH, YEAH. SHAY ANTHONY EDWARDS SHOT I THINK LIKE FIVE OF 12 THROUGH THREE QUARTERS. HE ONLY SHOT 13 TIMES TONIGHT. ZERO ONE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. DID NOT SCORE. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WAS IT JUST LIKE HIM JUST NOT BEING AS AGGRESSIVE IN THE FOURTH, OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WERE LIKE INTENTIONALLY DOING TO STOP HIM? >> I’M NOT I DON’T KNOW. I’M NOT TOO SURE. GOOD PLAYER THOUGH. HE’LL PLAY BETTER THAN HE PLAYED TONIGHT LIKE IT’S A LONG SERIES. WE JUST GOT TO BE READY FOR WHATEVER. >> SHAY, YOU GUYS TOOK 21 THREES TONIGHT. THOSE ARE THE FEWEST YOU’VE TAKEN ALL SEASON BY SIX. WHAT? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LED TO THAT? >> JUST US PLAYING BASKETBALL I DON’T THINK WE EVER FOCUSED ON WHAT TYPE OF SHOTS. AS LONG AS THEY’RE GOOD ONES WE TRY TO LET THEM RIP. AND I GUESS THE THREES. WE HAD LESS GOOD THREES TONIGHT, BUT WE I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. WE JUST GO OUT THERE AND PLAY PLAY TO OUR STRENGTHS AND WHATEVER THE NIGHT LOOKS LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE. >> HOW BIG DID YOU THINK CHET WAS TO OPEN THAT FOURTH QUARTER? AND THEN WHAT ARE KIND OF YOUR BIGGER PICTURE VIEW ON ON HIS SEASON AND HOW HE’S KIND OF HAD TO, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, REINTEGRATE BACK TO HIM MOVING SHIP? >> YEAH, CHAD WAS GREAT WHEN HE’S HIS BEST VERSION OF HIMSELF. WE’RE THE WE’RE THE BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES AS A UNIT. IT’S NO SURPRISE HE AFFECTS THE GAME AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL. LIKE FROM THE MOMENT HE WAS ON THIS BASKETBALL TEAM, OUR WIN COLUMN WENT UP AND IT’S NO SURPRISE LIKE HE AFFECTS THE GAME EVERY NIGHT, EVERY POSSESSION AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL. AND I THINK IT’S GONE UNDER THE RADAR A LITTLE BIT. HOW HARD IT IS TO LIKE BE A GUY AND THEN SIT OUT FOR A COUPLE MONTHS AND HAVE TO INTEGRATE YOURSELF INTO A TEAM THAT’S HAS THE BEST RECORD IN THE NBA AND NOT STEP ON ANYBODY’S TOES, BUT ALSO STILL BE YOURSELF. THAT’S LIKE, THAT’S A SUPER HARD POSITION TO BE IN. AND THE WAY HE’S HANDLED THAT HAS BEEN SPECIAL. AND I DON’T KNOW IF HE GETS ENOUGH CREDIT FOR THAT. HE HE’S HE’S A SPECIAL PERSON AND A SPECIAL TALENT. AND HE’S HE’S THE REASON

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