Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Media Availability | June 21, 2025

Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Media Availability | June 21, 2025

take first question over here on the right side Hey Tyrese what’s up Um last game seven in the finals Caps against Warriors LeBron James against Stephen Curry You always said that you are a LeBron James fan What do you remember from that game Uh you remember watching it How was that day for you
Uh the day I don’t necessarily remember but uh yeah I remember where I was Um you know I remember what the the game was like the energy of the game being with my friends and watching it all together And you know there’s a mixture of there’s a mixture of Cavs fans a mixture of Warriors fans But I think that that’s probably one of the greatest games I’ve ever been able to watch as a basketball fan And that’s what makes game seven so you know so fun And I think that especially for people around my age that is the the peak game seven you know So uh yeah I’m excited to add to uh you know the storied history of game sevens and um you know add to you know just the history of our game
over here on the left
Clarice now that you’ve they’ve obviously been really good at home all throughout the playoffs You guys have now played a couple games in this building Um just how would you describe it Sort of trying to win a game here and and sort of how do you overcome the kind of homec court advantage that you’ve been having so far
Yeah I I think um like I’ve like we’ve said over and over I think the controllables are the most important thing here you know taking care of the ball rebounding you know playing with the right energy I think something that’s a underrated aspect of the game of basketball is momentum And you know when you’re on your home floor um and a you know you make a tough shot or have a you know an alleyoop dunk or make a highlight play of some sort it gets the crowd involved That’s momentum that goes your way you know and um you know I feel like we have that with our homecourt advantage as well in Indie They have that here as well So uh you got to be able to weather the storm with with those momentum swinging plays try to create you know momentum stopping plays when you’re on the road That’s important as well Uh but I think just controlling what we can is the most important thing
Dustin Tyres just how did you come out of game seven physically basically What have you had to have had to do over the last you know two three days since to kind of maintain uh the conditioning with the calf
Yeah I’m pretty pretty much in the same standpoint I was uh before game six You know still a little stiff you know a little sore rather Um you know a good thing I only had to play like 23 minutes so been able to get even even more treatment and do more things So uh just trying to take care of it the best I can Um but I’ll be ready to go for game seven
Max roll back
Uh Tyresese you’ve been here for the last seven games asking you a bunch of questions Uh but during the games we do the playbyplay for ESPN in Portuguese and after you hit the game uh the game winner in game one I said there’s something special about those Pacers Uh I’m trying to figure out what is so special about those spaces when you look back to the playoff run the game winners the epic game the clutch times What is so special about those spacers
Yeah I I think as a group uh we’ve just been very resilient throughout the playoffs Um you know we’re a group of guys that get along really well and are trying to do something special you know and I think uh the expectations for this group from you know an external viewpoint coming into the year weren’t very high They weren’t very high coming into the playoffs They weren’t very high going into the second round of the playoffs They weren’t very high going to third round They aren’t very high now you know So u I think we just have done a great job of just staying together and uh yeah there’s not not a group of guys I’d rather go to war with I’m really excited to compete with these guys in a in a game seven and it’s going to be a lot of fun
Next roll back on the left
Tyrese Chris Hagen Fox 59 Indianapolis A lot of naysayers coming into this series about what to expect from the outside looking in How would you rate this series Obviously one more big chapter to write but great games thoroughly entertaining and ultra competitive
Yeah I uh I won’t be able to give you a real rating until it’s till it’s over Uh but I I I think that uh you know this has been a joy to compete against these guys and play in this environment I’m having a lot of fun with with what I’m doing and what we’re doing as a group Um you know so as a basketball player and being a part of it it’s been a lot of fun And uh I would assume from a basketball fan perspective it’s been a joy to watch So um you know I think that’s the good part about this series
Alvaro in the middle
Alder Martine of Ridmo Uh last year your defense was seventh worst in the league in terms of efficiency This year went up to 19th In the last month of the season you were the ninth best But then when you see your efficiency in the series it’s better than Oklahoma City’s as a defense And when you look at the your games against the top 10 teams in the league in the regular season the number one defense was Indiana’s Oklahoma’s was third How do you explain that for the bigger games your defense all of a sudden turns up 15 notches
Yeah I think we just do a great job of sticking with our system uh not trying to move it from from game to game Um you know I think uh Jim and Jenny who run our defense have done a great job of just establishing you know kind of our blueprint in into what we do Um and we’re competitive guys We want to compete against the best And uh I think the buyin from our group has been you know amazing Obviously Drew Aaron and Miles kind of set the tone for what we do defensively Pascal has been on elite defensive teams before Um I feel like I’ve really taken a big step on the defensive end myself personally and we just had a lot of different guys who uh who want to compete on that end And I think you know last year we could score the ball really well but we couldn’t stop a running no could stop anybody you know So I feel like we’ve done a good job of buying in on that end And uh that’s that’s called for more success but uh there’s still a lot to go Joe here in the front
Hey Ty Uh two follow-ups from the the question that was about just the crazy run the comebacks that you’ve been involved with how have they become part of your team identity and then also when you are a team that maybe outside of Indianapolis like you have surprised the league again but you guys never talk about lack of respect or anything like that You just seem to sort of go about it So I guess the the identity question and then also maybe why you you guys aren’t outwardly talking about you know we deserve respect
Yeah I think from our group uh as far as like comebacks and stuff I think we just have done a really good job of staying at games for 48 minutes Um not giving up understanding that no lead is really safe in the NBA and uh just continuing to to fight through the course of games I think that’s become part of our identity as far as like outward calls for respect Like respect isn’t something that we can just like talk about and then receive you know it’s like a it’s a earned thing you know So um you know I still think no matter what happens it’s still probably not going to be where you know necessarily it it should be or what we think it should be It doesn’t really matter though You know I think from our standpoint when we compete and you know teams we compete against they respect us and I think that’s the most important thing as far as what the media has to say about our group You know it it is what it is You know we are in a great a great point right now in our organization’s history and for our our team specifically Uh you know you got to be really excited about the chance to compete one game to win a championship So just looking forward to that man I think all the outside narratives and all those things uh they come with winning and they come with uh success So you know we uh we got the ultimate test coming up and I’m really excited about it
Last one standing on the right
Harris Hi How are you
Good How you doing
Good Uh for the pass of uh three game sevens in the uh finals you know LeBron went twice Kobe won once right So knowing those names Kobe Bryant LeBron James that is was the winner of the game seven And do you feel like let’s say if you guys win this time do you feel like you can just being in that name list It just such an honor or how do you feel about it being the name on that name list
I just think as a group I think the important part about winning a championship is you know you at your at your name in history as a group You know I think that’s the most important thing But um as far as like thinking about anything like that I I mean I don’t really think about what’s to come after the game you know success or not uh just fully focused on game seven and u trying to take it just a moment at a time Really enjoying what we’re doing and understanding like this is uh you know going to be one of the biggest if not the biggest game most of us ever play in our lives and for our organization is from a historical standpoint as well and that’s something that you don’t take for granted and you enjoy as a competitor So I’m really looking forward to it
Thank you Tyrese game seven And I want to ask you about a lot of people in social media and platforms are comparing the TJ McConnell role with the JJ Barrera role back in the 2011 championship run with the Mets What do you think about that And how important is TJ McConnell for you guys Very important And I do see similarities Steve up in the front on the right side Steve Ashman NBA.com A couple games ago Mark was asked about you know have have you run out of adjustments yet And he said no I’m wondering now on the on the brink of a game seven Um have both teams seen pretty much everything the other team has and it’s all on the table now for execution or do you think there’s still things up your sleeve
Oh there are more adjustments that can be made for sure Um so we’ll see Barry straight ahead
Yeah Barry Traml Tulsa World We talk a lot a lot about the game seven pressure on the players Do you feel any pressure as a coach to coach any different or make better decisions or how do how do you how do you approach and and what kind of an advantage is your experience over Dagnol in a game seven
I love pressure I mean I you know as as you as you go on in your competitive life in in sport what you what you learn is that these moments um are rare and trying to duplicate this kind of situation is something that you look to do in in in everyday life And um um it’s not easy to do that It’s not easy to do that So um I I’m very much looking forward to game seven Um you know these are the last time we’ve had one of these in the finals I think was 16 I’ve seen I’ve seen some things about that And uh these are these are special moments for uh certainly for both teams but for our league uh for the game um you know for the worldwide interest in the game And so u you know it’s a it’s a time to celebrate
Fourth row on the left over here
Rick over here Uh before the series you talked about how you expected a very exciting series and here we are three games a piece a differential of just seven points Uh has it gone the way you expected as far as that excitement level And is it something that you saw that a lot of others perhaps didn’t see in this series I mean you never know um how it’s going to go I I I I’d be lying if I said this has gone exactly as I expected I you know because each playoff series you know each game is a different thing and um each game takes on a different personality has different characteristics Um different guys step up different situations happen etc So um the truth is that nothing else previous to this matters at all now and we’re just down to one one game and one opportunity and so uh you know we’re really we’re really looking forward to it
Standing on the right side
obviously coach besides you uh how similar is this group and this play of run to the one you had with the Mavericks back in 2011 and how much do you use it as a motivation for your group nowadays Well there are some similarities Um certainly the the character level of the players on the team um is a there’s there great similarities there I mean both both of those these groups the 11 Mavericks and the 25 Pacers just have great people I I I see Oklahoma as having a similar type team Um you know the Mavericks team was was more veteran than we are We have veterans but uh we had a lot we had more guys in their 30s who had been in a lot of playoff runs and stuff like that There’s a there’s a little there’s a difference there but um yeah I mean but you know when it comes down to it you know it’s 48 minutes It’s 48 minutes And um once again I you know we’re just we’re very grateful for our fans We’re very grateful for our organization Um our staff is very grateful for you know the guys we have on our team and and the collaborative spirit that we’ve had all year and and now it’s now it’s one game
Aurelia down here on the left Rick over here Um there’s a lot of talking at the moment how how Obi Topphen developed as a player especially when it comes to the defense side when he was with the Knicks we saw him as a great dunker but never really playing that great defense but now he became such an important role also not just dunking also having this impact on a defense side So what can you share about what approach did you have to actually bring so much more out of a player not just scoring also being on the defense side Well when we uh when we acquired him two years ago um in the trade with New York um the first thing we talked to him about were was the fact that we were thrilled to have him Uh we saw a lot of special qualities in him um as a young player that still had development to do Um we talked to him about defense and rebounding that those are two areas where you know he he still has significant upside and that we were going to we were going to commit to um helping him develop in those two areas Um what we’ve learned about Obie is that he’s a great teammate He’s a great worker U he wants to be a part of something that isn’t just about him And so he’s worked extremely hard and he’s improved in both of those areas And so um you know at at certain points of the year he he’s been one of our better defensive rebounding rebounders and that’s been that had been one of his weaknesses So um look I’m I’m proud of all of our guys Um but him in particular he’s he’s really come a long way
Zack Wright
Yeah Uh Cliff Brunt Associated Press Uh Chad Homegrren’s been somewhat limited in this series uh from an offensive and scoring standpoint What’s worked and how critical of a piece has that been in getting you guys to the point that you are He’s a great young player and he’s he’s had a lot of stretches where we’ve have not dealt with him well Um and so you know like all their other guys I mean they’ve got a lot of great great players on this team Um we’ve just we’ve got to do everything we can to make it as difficult as possible
Joe right here
I know this is a tough time for reflection with one more big one to go but you go so far back in the state of Indiana and Indianapolis This your third stint here obviously What What has this run up to now meant to you just to be a part of it and ahead of it just given your your long history in the state Yeah I you know haven’t been doing a lot of reminiscing about that Um you know when you when you are are part of a playoff run that gets going and you can keep it going you know um there’s there’s a part of you and I I I’m speaking myself personally You you want to avoid thinking thinking about warm fuzzy things You’ve got to really you’ve got to really concentrate on process Um you got to keep trying to think of little tiny things that that you know you can do as a coach to help enhance your players um abilities to play their best and and things like that But um I will say that you know the three games of this series at Gamebridge Fieldhouse have been have been the loudest that I’ve ever heard that place And you know my first stint in Indiana in the ‘9s with Larry you know we were in we were in Market Square for two years and that was very loud too Um and then we were we were in it was Conco at the time um in the inaugural year and made a an unexpected run to the finals that year and u you know that was that was extremely loud too I remember particularly game three you know after we had dropped the first two games to the Lakers um my second stint as a head coach you know we we got to the conference finals um that first year and and um the place was rocking you know um and but I you know I I have never heard it as loud as I’ve heard it this year So I I know that that means it’s meant an awful lot to our fan base Um you know the story of this franchise is is interesting because um the franchise was almost lost at one point It was a there was a teleathon to bring it back to life Um and they had to raise a certain amount of money and sell certain number of of tickets to so the bank would foreclose on the on the on the franchise And so um you know Nancy and Slick Leonard had a lot to do with that And then the Simons came in and and purchased the team And then from there it’s been 40 40 40 41 maybe it’s going on 42 years now I don’t know So but it’s it’s it’s a it’s it’s a long um storied journey and um I know all this right now means a lot to our fans and so um you know we’ve just got to focus on one game Last qu question in the middle
Martin Ritmo Few years ago you installed an offense that relied heavily on passing heavy passing and that whether it’s causal or not ended up with you not having a single or two single sources of scoring Scoring was spread out as well Um to to what extent was that a decision made philosophically by you given the material you had the players you had or to what extent did you think it’s going to be very hard for the best defense in basketball to cover all these guys Um yeah I mean I’m not exactly sure what time frame you’re talking about or what year or whatever but um I just you know our our roster is built in a way where we need balance Um when we traded for Tyrese it was pretty clear that we needed to play with tempo And so Kevin Pritchard and Chad Buchanan have have built the roster with um guys that can run and defend around him Um and so but I you know in today’s game you know roster construction is seems to be changing and um a lot of the a lot of the the the best rosters now are built on balance and that’s that’s certainly what we’re trying to do I think that’s what Oklahoma’s doing too Thank you Statistically the diff the bigger difference between your wins and your losses in this series has been on their end of the floor I’m wondering if like in how efficiently the Thunder have scored I’m wondering do you feel like the level at which you guys have defended has fluctuated from game to game Do you think that’s just random Like what do you think that is I mean I think it’s it’s a long series Um and you know sometimes you’re going to get people with best shots and you know sometimes shots going to go in sometimes they’re not You know I mean I think our process is the same but um it’s happen in basketball You happen to lose games So that’s just that’s what it is
Michael here on the left
Pascal Michael Graange Rogers Sportsnet Toronto Um couple of questions One you had a front row seat for Kawhi Leonard winning a finals MVP just that performance Um do you find yourself drawing on on any of those lessons you maybe absorbed unconsciously or not And two um your comfort level just talking to your teammates There’s been moments in this series in this playoff where you’ve really asserted yourself offensively others where you’ve stepped back let other guys do what they need to do And just maybe those two things just that experience watching Kawhai and then just your comfort going
Yeah Um I mean I think well Kawhai obviously incredible player Um I think for me um if if it’s one thing that I learned from like him and even that team is just um being even killed like I I think I think Kawhai no matter what happened he always was the same like um that’s something that I try to like um have in you know for me it’s like no matter good or bad make shots miss shots like it doesn’t really matter like just be yourself um at all times and and and um and that’s something I learned from that and and and I think for our team it’s just um we we it’s it’s all about team like that’s that’s what we are um and and anything that I can do to help my team win like that’s what I’m going to do Um and like there’s not no real thinking about like myself and like oh what I need to like at that moment It’s just about how we can what we can do as a team to win And sometimes is it’s defending sometime is getting a rebound sometimes it’s getting a steal sometimes is scoring So whatever I need to do to help my team win that’s what I’m going to do
Straight ahead Barry Barry Traml Tulsa World You’re playing for a coach that’s won over a thousand games won a ton of playoff games been won an NBA championship What has his experience done for you guys especially in these finals
Yeah he’s been a definitely a calming presence Um again like um his communication and and and like you said he has the experience um he does a good job of preparing us for games not only just like in terms of game plan but but um mentally and like you know he’s um he’s definitely one one of those coaches that again like talking to him and and he can just like give you a good perspective on certain things and and maybe make me look at things a little differently than I I look at or or whatever But um I think he’s he’s been so great with us um in that just preparing us for games and also um putting us in a mindset like ready to just go out there and and be ourselves Dustin here on the left
Hey Pascal I know you uh reacted to this on social media already but uh what the uh the picture of you from uh the uh the huddle Dustin you’re going to be the one asking that bro
Yeah why not
All right Um
what what was your thoughts of what happened and uh what did you you know
Yeah Well I didn’t see it until well they showed me in the locker room I haven’t been on social media so I I don’t I don’t really know Um but and yeah my team has showed me So um yeah we’re in a like we’re praying and I try to close my eyes I have this problem where like I can’t really close my eyes Like sometime I be thinking that I’m closing my eyes but they’re not really closed Um and even even just like having conversations sometime I would like look up and it’s like it feels like you know I’m thinking and I my eyes just go up But um but yeah it’s it’s definitely just some natural Usually I try to do this so I could make sure I close my eyes Um but that time I didn’t and it got caught on camera But um I mean I’m glad people are enjoying it and having fun with it or whatever But um but yeah it’s just literally I was praying and I was trying to close my eyes and I’m thinking in my head my eyes are closed but clearly they weren’t closed So um and um yeah that’s it’s just all it is really I got to again like my agent told me one time in a in a doing the national anthem that like he saw that and I was like oh man like I got to make sure I close my eyes like cuz I always this those are the moments where I usually pray So it’s like when I do that I’m thinking I’m closing my eyes but I’m not So yeah I got to I got to do better I got to start doing this I’ll put my head down like y’all can look at me no more And the camera all these the NBA with all these cameras too Like it’s too it’s too much man Get the cameras away from us
Couple of rows back towards the center
Pascal um Milan from Waybo China Um it’s a long three You It’s a long series and you play against a great team for seven consecutive games and you you won the championship before and then you are an all-star and at this level it seems like your maturity has come to another level How would you describe your personal growth like throughout the series in the playoffs
Um like how to describe what Sorry just it did Huh Sorry Maturity Okay Um I mean I think I just um from experience from being in these situations before um I I think just trying to pull from all the the the the experiences in my life and knowing that this is an amazing opportunity and like we we are the biggest stage um taking not taking it for granted and also just like knowing like how hard it is to get here And and I think for me just the fact that I can appreciate that makes me um just go out there um not get too down on myself when things are going wrong and not getting too excited when things are going well Um just understanding that um it’s you know this is this is the game It’s basketball but it’s also life and and you know sometime you have good games sometime you have bad games And I think just that whole understanding for me like just makes me um relax and and um and go out there and just do my job because at the end of the day that’s what it is Um we playing basketball and um obviously all the other things make it like look bigger than what it is but it’s just ball
Last question Aurelia on left
Hi Pastel How are you Right
Um we love talking about especially LeBron also loves to talk about you know he brought the first championship to um the Cavs and you obviously you someone who brought the first championship to Toronto and now maybe the second time to the Pacers and we don’t really give them much appreciation Like we just heard the question before it’s sometimes it’s Kawaii now it’s also Hallebert and of course you’re a team but how much we should give you more flowers and talk about what you actually do to a team that you are someone who’s maybe now the two-time guy bringing a championship to teams who never had a championship before
Oh well first I appreciate that Um thank you But um I think for me like again I’m I I really don’t look at it that way Um I I just feel like um I’m I’m in a position where I am today man Like from someone like from where I’m from like to get here um it’s it’s pretty crazy Like so for me like I feel like I’ve already achieved like everything You know what I mean like just because of like I’m here now and like nobody could really see this path for me and and except you know God and and like I’m I’m here now and and and to me it’s just like about going out there every single day um putting the work in and and just trusting God and just giving everything that I have on the floor for my team um for myself for my family um like my dad watching me like and and just hoping that he’s proud of me and everything that I’ve accomplished and um and having you know his name like everywhere you know like that to me like that’s that’s what’s more important like and all the other things like when I’m done like I look at it and be like oh man like this is I did this and it was great but like for me right now it’s just like about a journey um and going out there continue to do do my job and and doing everything that I can and and and I’ll say that like I’m not supposed to be here like a kid like from where I’m from not supposed to be here so I’m just so blessed and and Um and again it’s it’s it might be cliche but like I I just don’t really care about all that I just care about going out there and do my job and and maybe one day you know I’ll get the recognition and and it’ll be great then but right now I’m still writing that story So like I’m just focused on that
Thank you Pascal Thanks everybody
Thank you What’s the mentality going into tomorrow as far as the team Is it different from game six to game seven
It’s championship game bro Do or die So mentality just uh you know you you shouldn’t have to get hyped to play this game and I think it’s just uh the situation is what it is Biggest game you’ve ever played in Yeah Um I would say so you know I um you know I played I played in the FIA World Cup you know as far as a world stage but you know this is the stage you know of all stages So I definitely would say so Next 24 hours how tough is it to get to sleep and not think about it but think about it Um man just I fall into a routine you know something just I guess in my years that’s that’s really helped me So just uh keep doing my same routine I’m doing all playoffs and then um yeah you know the anticipation is obviously going to be there but just roll with it You won a game one here so you know what it’s like to win here Do you kind of lean on that to kind of help you out tomorrow night
Uh we just we got to lean on everything we’ve learned throughout the series and just playoffs as a whole You know I think um you know we take everything by a game byame basis but it’s been it’s been a long growing you know two months in the playoffs so we just our experience Miles you won a game seven on the road last year against a different team different year Can you draw anything from that experience that might help out
You have to just the the environment the stakes um you know everything that comes with it So um we draw on the experience that we learned and uh just you know just roll the punches
What do you make of Pascal’s kind of two-way performance You know uh just being able to deliver on both ends and this whole series
Yeah he’s a champion you know he’s he’s been here before you know he’s he’s been he can draw from his own experiences lead by example and I think he’s done an amazing job of you know being that you know vocal leader and just uh you know being someone that we can lean into and um um when the moments are you know get a little tight sometimes
Miles I know we’ve asked you this a little bit but just this journey for you 10 years I know we’ve had you reflect on this a little bit but now to be in a game seven can you take a step back and just look at this journey for us
Um I don’t have enough time I’ll keep it a stack with you bro It’s been 10 years of of experience but um it’s all for you know a moment like such So you know I just um you know everything I’ve been through everything’s you know it’s all worth it and I’ll be able to play you know at 7:00 tomorrow
Miles I’m I’m curious You guys are one of the more interesting screen setting teams in the league When you say the screen is your is your first goal to just impede the path and and make contact on the screen I know it depends on the type of screen Is your first goal depending to like do you want to make contact with the defender or are you just trying to make sure he can’t run the coverage Um I don’t know I can’t give you all my secrets bro I feel like the whole world just uh watching a little bit want to accept what we do Um to answer your question as a whole I mean of course your ultimate goal is to you know create some kind of contact You know at some point you know we’re just trying to free up space You know I think that’s you know the goal with any of the screens Miles talk to me about your co is that colorway is amazing It’s a personal edition only for you
Uh no These are actually PJ Tuckers you know another another form of Longhorn So um yeah No I’ve always I’ve worn the Kobes for the past Kobe 6 for the past like five years or so They’re just the most comfortable shoe for me and this pattern just uh uh happened to um I don’t know just uh just nice and vibrant
Well how much have you leaned on Rick just knowing that he has one of India type Um you have to you know actually I watched a documentary It’s on um it’s on YouTube of their championship run 2011 You know obviously you know I grew up watching that but you just don’t know what really goes into you know building a championship team what goes into the mentality and just how grueling the process is So you know it’s um you have to lean on his experience and um yeah man You know this is the most fun time of the year
You haven’t played 16 but do you expect any kind of like you know early game jitters for both teams coming out tomorrow knowing the weight of the game
No it just depends You know I think that guys you know you dream of these moments or whatnot but you know guys like ourselves we’ve been in game sevens before so or you know game seven before So um the stakes weren’t quite as high but you know you have to just lean on that do or die mentality And honestly the past three games for us have been game sevens So you know I think that um you know and now it’s just off the marbles Hi
Um are you sometimes even surprising yourself with the performance you’re giving here in this final
Um Honestly not trying to think about it too much Um you guys have probably heard me say this a thousand times
I’m just trying to go out there and do my job and and that’s really it I’m not going out there and listening to the external noise I’m just doing whatever it takes to help our team win
But how does it feel to be this important for the team at this stage at this moment
Um you know I just got to give credit to my teammates and and his coaching staff Rick and his staff have empowered me to just play my game And when you got teammates like I do it’s it’s easy to go out there and just play basketball
That might might be the easy part but the hard part is maybe to get two feet on the ground and don’t the stadium goes wild and then all the conversations start even the MVP final conversation starts about you Like how is it to keep your feet on the ground like that
Just blocking out the noise Um I I don’t pay attention to any of that stuff Like I said just try to go out there and inject energy into the game and and and get our guys going and and do my job So
Jay how much have you enjoyed the kind of the chess match especially defensively and has a mind of a coach Like how much enjoyment do you get out of those tweaks Yeah I mean I think that’s the best part about playoff basketball and especially playing in the finals just the adjustments and and the changes that teams make um when you’ve got two amazing head coaches going against each other like Mark and Rick um you know they’re obviously going to make adjustments and and they’re great at doing it So it’s uh you know it’s as a fan of basketball it’s it’s it’s cool to see
Do you have a favorite game seven memory that taught you about this moment Um not really um kind of just trying to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead not look behind and um just trying to prepare for tomorrow
TJ just how much of a dream is it though to be in a game seven on this stage I mean it’s something I think all of us dream about as kids obviously And um you know I I I think for me just not getting ahead of myself or and and for our team not getting ahead of ourselves just like I said staying in the moment and preparing for the moment tomorrow
Can you take anything from that game seven win at New York one year ago Can that experience help you at all
Yeah I mean I think experiences can obviously help but um we’re a different team um we’re playing against a different team so we kind of just can’t really pay attention to that type of stuff and and like I said just prepare for tomorrow
Is there a difference in creating turnovers at home versus on the road What’s what’s the challenge in doing so on the road versus
I mean I just think the atmosphere [Music] we’re we’re going to be practically alone tomorrow Um you know this crowd here in Oklahoma City is amazing Um it’s going to be really loud so we’re gonna have to be ready TJ we we caught you walking out with Thomas Bryant You guys were praying I think looking at How important has faith been for you throughout this whole
Um it’s something that I’ve leaned on very heavily um something that means a lot to me and my family and um you know wouldn’t be here without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ So um it’s something that I lean on on a daily basis
Have you seen Rick Jenny all the coaches take take their game to another level in what ways Yeah I mean there I just I think we have a great staff in general um who do a great job of fixing things that we need to fix but also empowering us to do what we do well Um and it’s it’s it’s been amazing to see just how you know the growth of not only our players but our staff Um I just I can’t say enough good things about them DJ DJ you are a living proof that the fundamentals of the game are very important What advice can you give it to all the kids that are trying to do fancy things in the basketball court
Um I mean I think for me it’s just blocking out all the negativity not only in basketball but in life People are going to say you’re not good enough to do something And you kind of just got to block that out put your head down and go to work on a daily basis and outwork everybody
You talked about staying in the moment in a moment like this but like it’s NBA finals game seven it’s as big as it gets How intentional do you catch yourself having to be about that if your mind wanders thinking about what could be or could not be
Yeah I mean I feel like if someone says that their mind doesn’t wander I think they’re they’re lying obviously Um it’s about reeling yourself back in and and and getting yourself back to the preparation and all the stuff we’re trying to do um to try to go out and win Um obviously your mind’s going to wander You’re human But just bringing yourself back in and and staying you know the moment stay in the moment right now and and worry about the future when it’s there
What did that moment with your dad after game six mean to you
Um I wouldn’t be here without my dad So uh it was it was a special moment Um cool to see him um you know kind of be out there and be a proud dad He wasn’t truthful in what he was saying but um it’s that’s my dad So I’m I love him and I’m just happy that he gets to experience this
TJ your team you know doesn’t really have that quintessential 1A guy Um Pascal’s leading you guys in scoring but and he’s had some huge games but just maybe his ability to kind of assert himself when he need when you guys need it like you did in the first half and other games you know hook it off the ball and and let other people do their job I think that’s the best thing about Pascal is what you just said You know when we need him to be assertive and go get us a bucket he has the capabilities to do so and he does it at a high level But if he sees someone else is is playing really well he you know willingly takes a backseat and lets them go and and that’s the type of person and teammate Pascal is Um and it’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough He’s an amazing teammate amazing player and you know when you talk about a team team player That’s who he is
because sometimes you know maybe he doesn’t you know people are looking for 28 points a game guys that’s got to be the guy but doesn’t obviously have to be
Yeah I feel like he he also understands on this team it could be anyone’s night on any night And when you got a selfless guy like that who also is leading you in scoring it’s it’s you can’t put a price on that You talked a little about the experience of playing in game seven how it is different but what are some things that you have to experience about playing in one that you wouldn’t know if you don’t do it at least once What are kind of the universal things I guess about
I mean it’s just I think how important each possession is Um I mean you obviously know in playoff basketball in the finals every possession matters but um we got to leave everything we have on the floor give everything we have and um let the chips fall
We’ll take one more TJ I know you’re not looking ahead but what would it mean just to win this thing and hoist that trophy considering what you guys have all gone through as a group
Yeah I mean I don’t I don’t want to sound like a jerk but we’re really not trying to to look ahead to that Um obviously a great feeling but just trying to stay in the moment and get prepared for tomorrow Um just going out there and playing playing as hard as I can
You guys have won here before It’s not like you haven’t What can you take from that game if anything And I mean you know Aeron’s talking about it’s going to take 48 minutes just being who you guys are Is that kind of Sure
Um like no matter what happens after the game everybody gets to go home Uh it’s whether you going to be sad or you going to be happy You know I’m trying to go home happy which means that um you know we got we got to give it our all We got 48 minutes to to play business basketball and we won’t be changed the match Ben just what does it mean to be in this situation knowing that what you guys have gone through just to have this opportunity in a situation like this Uh it means it means everything you know as much as I want to enjoy the experience you know I have one more game to stay to stay focused and then I can brag about everything else I want But you know it’s really really 48 minutes We got one more day One more day Um get to go home get to you know get back to the hotel get my rest and be ready for the games more
With the mental and physical demands of this series how has your approach to the game changed you know you get to you get to live and experience a lot a lot of things you know as long as you stay in the playoffs Um you get to live those those moments and you don’t take nothing for granted So you get to learn and that’s the most important thing for me is just growth you know growth and learning
And when you’re like at that brink of exhaustion mentally and physically what is keeping you going
Just knowing that u people will kill to be in this situation
The bench has been such a lift for this team not just this series but the whole postseason How much pride do you take in that Um you know we it’s been great man I think I think I uh everybody get to to go out there and and perform You know it can be anybody’s night Um and I think that’s we have to take it we have to take this to our advantage Um Just over the next one [Music] In what ways has Rick and the coaching staff stood up in the way they’ve elevated their game in these most important times just like you guys You know I think we have uh we have the right coaches staff for it You know we have a lot of a lot of people that we can go to and ask questions if we’re unsure of certain things And I think that uh everybody’s willing to to help and everybody’s committed to this to the same goal
Dan I think you guys are the first team in the playoffs in NBA history to have eight guys who have scored 200 points started postseason How much is that a microcosm of the mentality that you guys have had where everyone can step up
You know you just asked me this question in French Uh I mean it’s great Like I said you know we have to we have to use it to our advantage you know Um we have a lot of guys It it can really be anybody’s night you know just to go out there and perform And um you know we have to we have to keep the main thing the main thing which is winning And I think that the rest the rest will take care of itself
What’s the next 24 hours look like for you personally mentally physically nutrition sleep Uh you say yourself man Sleep eat uh wake up and be ready to play No nothing too crazy
Then what would it mean to hoist that trophy here tomorrow night It’d be great man Um I’ll be glad to to answer all your questions tomorrow after I hold it but for now I’m just trying to live in the moment
Ben have you been in touch with Lou or Andrew at all during this series
You say Andrew
Andrew or Lou Either the
I think
Andrew Nhard or
Oh yeah My teammate Sorry my bad Sh
Sorry Shay
Oh my bad
No no no no no
Hard to keep track of
Yeah no words man Uh
no not at all man We just This is about us This is about the team
Are you looking forward to maybe reconnecting one way or the other afterwards Um for sure For sure I mean 100% You know as as much as this is a competitive era this is a competitive moment um you know loose my brother you know he’s not my brother till you know playing still 48 minutes but as soon as we’re done uh no matter the results you know I I’ll be glad to to give him a big hug and know that you know we we achieved history and and this is a great moment for um for for our community
How big is this for Quebec
This is very huge man This is you know this has never happened before to have you know two two Montreal guys two Haitian kids you know and be in the NBA finals So um no matter what happens you know it’s going to be one of us to win to win the championship [Music] You know Ben I know you guys all want to win it for each other but for Miles in particular with his journey now to have a chance in a game seven how special would that be to win it for him
It would be amazing man You know he’s been in the league for 10 years He’s he’s never been this far in this um in in his career So I told him that um you just forget about everything that happened before This is the the game of your life you know and not trying to put pressure on him but trying to make him understand that um you know you get to get to achieve his game seven here What are your feelings mindset after game six and just going into this
Excited Ready for game seven Ready to go out there and leave it all out there 40 minutes
What What did you learn about this team after last game I mean you know about this team and what it’s all about but that was pretty resilient
Um you know we’re a resilient group and we just understand that we got to go play our game and do us and you know everything will work out
What’s it going to take You you felt how it feels to win in this building It’s not like you haven’t but what what’s it going to take I mean
48 minutes man Full 48 minutes of hard play effort doing the little things and just understand it’s just going to be us in the building
It’s been nine years since the last uh game seven in the NBA finals as a a lover of basketball like what does it represent for you to to play in such a a big stage Uh it’s amazing Um you know yesterday I went back and watched some of the Cavs Warriors in game seven just to like just to feel the moment and understand how special opportunity that we have tomorrow
Do you have a favorite game seven memory Something that can prepare you for tomorrow
Uh I just I mean I just watched the game seven Cavs Warriors so you know obviously the Kyrie shot is huge At what moment do you remember when you realized that Andrew as like an early moment
Yeah first year I mean first year we played together you know Andrew just brings the same demeanor every day in in and out So you know he’s just doing what he’s been doing for a long time
You think people underestimate him Doesn’t look like a guy like that
Yeah he just he’s quiet nice guy but yeah he’s a killer I don’t know if you have to pick just one moment of the whole finals probably you have another one to pick tomorrow much better but until now which one would be
um
can be on the court or off the court too
of the final I mean it would be game one and game one that one and our you know dominant uh dominant win in game six
and now I notice your tattoo can you explain me this tattoo the 1% battery
uh yeah so it’s a for those who can’t see it it’s a battery it says 1% uh battery is cuz they call me double A here in Indie so double A battery and then the 1% saying is just be 1% better today uh than you were yesterday in 100 days you’ll be 100% better
Thank you
Can you show us again real the the tell us again what that’s about
Uh so it’s a battery double A is what they call me in Indiana So AA battery and then the 1% is be 1% better today than yesterday and in 100 days you’ll be 100% better
How is your battery
Uh uh it’s 100% Yeah it’s ready to go
Yeah We need to do another one% Yeah we won
Yeah we win I don’t know One of the bigger storylines of the playoffs finals of your team is the 2020 draft It wasn’t uh there weren’t so much hype around it beforehand but now you guys proved that you know it’s better draft last year What would you say about it And also who’s the most underrated guy from that draft in your opinion
Um most underrated guy Tyrese obviously Um and it was just you know it was a it was an interesting year cuz it was a co year so we didn’t as a class we didn’t really get to you know hang out and compete against each other at draft workouts But uh yeah man we you know we just prove that we were a good class I don’t know what else to say Anybody from the draft that you didn’t play with not on the faces that you kind of really like
Um I’m a real uh probably how do you deal with the pressure of a game seven I know every finals game is big but this is for a chance to lift the trophy up And I’m sure it’s probably different for everybody handling pressure like this right
Oh that’s what we live for You know this is basketball at the end of the day Um and just understanding the moment and realize you just can go out there and play 48 minutes and 48 minutes will come and go like that and we just got to give you all for that
It’s that simple You’re able to block out what this game means Uh for now yeah I mean I’ll feel the jitters um you know before tip off and once the arena fills up but you know I just I’m gonna enjoy it
How about that game seven against the Knicks last year on the road that you won
Can that factor in Can that help you guys Can you draw anything from something like that
Uh it’s just experience You know we’ve been here before Um like I said just understanding the moment and understand we’re going to be the only ones in here rooting for us and you know we thrive in that environment We like that Defensively speaking what impressed you most about last game You guys have been flustered forced a lot of turnovers and played to your favor
Um and we just talked to our game plan and we were we did it for
being the first team I mean like eight guys with at least 200 points in the playoffs Um how cool is that that you know you know that if somebody has enough night like there’s bunch of guys who can take over How good is that for the confidence
Um yeah Yeah I think that’s what makes it special Like just anybody on our team is capable of having a good night and making it their night and we continue to play and let them you know have their night and that’s what makes it so tough What did you guys really like when you went back through the film and what are some things you could even do maybe even a little better I think we like the the connectivity of our group I think we we we did a good job with extending the series and um playing together and playing full 48 games Anything you saw that maybe improve in game Um anything you saw we can improve upon in game seven
I think there’s always there’s always little adjustments on on little mistakes we made in coverages Um just got to clean those little things up How much have you seen Rick and his staff elevate their game as much as you guys have whole playoff experience Um yeah I think I think they’ve been elite ever since I’ve gotten here Um uh their adjustments are huge and we we trust them a lot How much were you looking forward to maybe this this challenge of being the primary defender on Shay and the spotlight Did you let yourself think of of uh what time that might be feel like and what’s it been like
Yeah I knew it was going to be a very very tough challenge Um he’s a guy who’s been
one of my toughest guards in the league and um I’m always excited about those competitive match ups you know and these are the times we get to show those types of things and um yeah it’s fun for me I was just ask I was just asking TJ just um you know typically when you talk about 1A guys on championship teams and putting up giant numbers and all that Pascal is leading you in scoring
and he’s had some big games in your run but maybe just that ability to assert himself like he did in the first half versus other games he’s allowed other guys to step up What’s what’s that say about him No
I think I think it says that he’s all about winning I mean he will put his his personal agenda aside at any time to win the game And I think that’s what he’s shown ever since he’s gotten here And he’s done a great job of shining as well as letting all of us shine together I think that’s when we’re at our best
We see shooting like seven eight balls a game but how many of those you take practicing that we don’t see like three-pointers
Um how many times am I practicing my shot
Yeah How many shots to practice How many three-pointers do you practice for practicing Oh my I mean every day I think I’m trying to trying to get in the gym and practice Um it’s coming to fruition now Do you have a favorite game to have a memory Yeah I’d say ours I mean us against us against the the Knicks in Madison Square Garden That was an incredible atmosphere and a moment that I love playing
Yeah How normal do you feel right now going into a game game seven of the finals Does it feel normal at all Have you been able to keep away any unwanted emotions No it feels good It feels um as normal as normal could be I mean I’m excited about this opportunity I know it’s going to be a big environment and it’s going to be a lot of emotions but um I think we’re all just ready to hoop and just enjoy the hoops
Since you mentioned last year’s game seven how much does that experience help going into this I mean how important is it even if it’s not in the finals how much important is it to experience a game seven just to know what that means
No definitely definitely with some rising emotions and just feelings towards a game seven like last year and I think it does Experience always helps you know in these situations Has this been the loudest road bin you’ve been during the playoffs Yeah it’s up there It’s up there Cleveland is pretty good a lot of these teams are really good I think Indy’s the best
You look at um what’s been the difference or difficulty in creating turnovers at home versus on the road
Say it again
The difference in creating turnovers at home versus on the road
for them
For for you what’s what’s been what’s been the difficult part of that Um I think in those games they allowed us to get sped up you know little little things just just just not getting maybe playing a little emotional with the crowd Um we just got to be we just got to be you know even kill throughout the whole game
What do you think made you guys good at doing in game six and creating turnovers
Creating turnovers Um I don’t necessarily think our our plan is to like create turnovers We just got to be solid and um kind of flew around and end up falling into those you know a little bit What about dealing with pressure I know every game pressure Can you put put it out of your mind what you’re actually going to be playing for tomorrow which is like 48 minutes
Yeah I think so I mean um I don’t think a lot of us feel as much pressure as you think you could Andrew the athletic did an anonymous players poll and we asked players what teams they thought would make it to the finals and you guys weren’t in the top eight let alone to win
What did everyone get wrong about this team Um I think they just they don’t they don’t feel togetherness and connectivity and the the continuity we’ve had over the last two three years I think that that plays a big role in us having success You know our coaching staff does a great job of putting us in the right positions and um we play hard we play together and I I mean I think I think teams around the league the players actually that play against us they they know how tough it is to play What can you draw from that Knicks seven game series last year You were able to win on the roads Yeah a lot of highs and lows A lot of times where it seemed like we were out of it they went up two almost 3 0 um and we came back Um just just the way we stayed together and and played hard and and didn’t really look up at the clock Just just just played together and and let the 48 minutes be for us Shay was asked about an hour ago Is there anything you’ve learned about you having to go against you He said I really knew all this about you Is there anything you’ve learned about him at all this series or this pretty much what you expected
Yes sir Obie describe this wild ride of this team in the playoffs that took you all the way to game seven and the feelings that go with it
Um we feel good but uh we got one more game left last game of the season Um and we just got to go in here and get the job done
That game seven you mentioned it You feel lucky to live How many players get this opportunity but also how do you manage the anxiety that you might go with it
Um I don’t think it’s anxiety I excitement more anxiety Uh we just we can’t wait to get to this game tomorrow Um like grow up our whole lives wanting to play in the game seven and NBA final So uh it’s going to be it’s going to be fun tomorrow
Obie always very exciting Of course two most exciting words in basketball game seven even when you have a championship on the line
Uh wait say that again What was the question
Okay So uh greatest words in basketball game seven Okay Even when you have a championship on the line
Uh I don’t know Like we just
we just got to go out here tomorrow get the job done Uh we we worked really hard to allow ours to be in this position So just got to go out there and get the job done tomorrow What will it take tomorrow to get this last win And how do you expect this match up in the last game to be How is it going to be Is it going to be a
Yeah not pretty game
right Uh it’s going to be two teams two great teams playing really hard to get a win Um like I said it’s been a while since both teams got a got a championship So uh for us to play against each other in the game seven it’s going to be good basketball How helpful was it to already have like an elimination game for you guys You know now that you’re both here you’re both it’s win all take all but you guys already have an elimination game win under your belt
Yeah Um that game last game uh we didn’t want them celebrating on our court So we we understood that Simon We understood we had to come in here beat dogs and and get that job done Um and now it’s on to game seven We got we got to do the same thing we did in game six and and get the job done They now have that mentality They don’t want you guys celebrating in this building Are you expecting them to to bring even more than they typically would
For sure Uh they’re in their building They definitely going to have the crowd’s energy Uh but we want to we want to celebrate on their floor We want to we want to be the be the guys that celebrate on their floor So uh we got to go in there with the same mentality as we had in in game six and get the job done
Do you have a favorite game seven memory Um do I have a favorite 2016 That was Kyrie Stepback right On the win Yeah that was probably coldest one for sure
For sure You’d say silencing New York
Knicks last year
Oh wait I thought you was talking about the final ending game seven
Ending game seven
Oh Oh Uh yeah Probably probably New York last year then
Appreciate that You’re sitting here three games a piece The point differential total is just seven and it’s been ultra competitive What kind of respect do you have for them and this series knowing that so many people are watching and this is going to go down as one of the best series ever
Yeah Uh I mean they’re a great team We’re a great team Um it’s two young teams Uh like I feel like we’re kind of we’re kind of showing the world It’s like different basketball now Uh it’s about uh Hey TJ It’s about it’s about two teams just going out there playing extremely hard and and everybody including the guys on the bench coming in here and uh making an impact So uh yeah it’ll be well earned whoever takes this championship one for sure
Oh you will have pride the bench unit You mentioned it has given this team such a lift this series whole playoffs too How much pride do you take in that
Uh a lot of pride Um we we can’t wait to get in the game and and bring the energy that we do and and impact the game in in a great way Um like having great guys like TJ and and Ben Chef and Matin everybody coming off the bench like we come in the game and and know the type of impact we can make and so we just go out there and play good basketball
Andrew is a really
he is a six foot And Andrew is a really
Andrew is a really uh quiet guy Nice guy But but how is he built You know him behind the scenes
Yeah Yeah Yeah He’s quiet to the world but uh he be talking his No let me stop He uh No he’s a great guy He’s a great guy Uh he’s definitely like a silent assassin though Uh you don’t hear him until you get out there on the court Um when he’s out there on the court everybody knows what he’s doing out there So uh he he’s huge for this team And got one more game Got to get the jump When did you realize he was a guy that
you could go to war with He was He was a guy
Andrew when did you realize he was one of them guys you could go you can go to war with
Yeah for sure Uh he’s always going to guard the best player He’s always going to take the charges Um do little things that’s just going to help this team win Like he doesn’t have to go out there and score 30 to to help the team Like he he always does the little things that that helps us get through And so uh we appreciate him a lot Reflecting on your journey you’re one win away from a championship You must have done so many things right What do you congratulate the most about What are you the proudest of and what’s your advice to kids and people who dream one day to be here
Uh most proud of just being here uh obviously in the finals and doing it with this team um advice just work extremely hard at whatever you love uh and keep doing it until until you get to what you what your uh goal is But um yeah we just super proud to be in this in this uh environment and and definitely hopefully get that win Shooting the tree really good this series What did you do in the off season to be a really good shooting this finals Uh I don’t know I just feel like put up a lot of shots Uh I don’t feel like I changed anything It’s just put up a lot of shots shoot with confidence and uh uh earn the trust of players coaches uh so I can go out there and just do what I do Yeah repetition That’s it
You only can pick one moment of the whole finals Just one Which one
Uh it hasn’t happened yet that
n
hasn’t happened yet So
but until now I ain’t gonna change that answer It’s whatever is gonna happen in game seven it’s going to be the greatest the last two months Yeah
Your squad has provided a ton of dramatic moments but I wonder beyond your team how much of the playoffs did you watch along the way And is there a moment or a series outcome or or a game that that had you just beh like that I played in
No No
In general Yeah Yeah
Uh I ain’t going to lie being a part of it and playing in it has has opened my eyes about about the playoffs and and finals and stuff like you learn more being in the being in the fire So uh I’ve learned a lot uh especially in these playoffs what it what it takes to to be great and and move on So um we just going to continue this trend and hopefully get this win tomorrow
Favorite pregame meal How do you envision tomorrow Best way to take care of your body too
Favorite pregame meal Uh I don’t know I have a great chef Shout out Chef Josh Uh he he just cooks amazing meals every every game day So uh I don’t have a favorite We really change it up a lot Usually some pasta something uh gets me going Uh good carbs But um yeah
Last question
Hey at the at the end of the anthem you always go and rock the rim Is that a superstition And when did you start doing that Does it get you hyped up or what
I had this question before I don’t know when I started doing that but uh it’s been a while now since I was doing it And yeah every every time the national anthem’s about to end I just jump up there just to get the the legs warm and going Yeah I try to get the bottom of the net Yeah it’s great Um it’s a great feeling Um everyone feels so blessed to be in this position and um I feel like any young kid who grows up playing basketball dreams moments like this So um just living in the moment having fun and um just enjoying everything So
and it’s a rare opportunity to play at game seven Not many players get it How is it even more special for you
Super special Um like you said not a lot of players get the opportunity to play something like this So yeah just having fun and being in the moment being What do you expect about game seven Terres said it’s not going to be pretty hard
Yes there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs Um we’re in Oklahoma and great fans It’s going to be swings of the game So just playing our game and being ourselves
Your advice to any kid who’s dreaming to be one day in this seat what do they need to do What how did you make it all possible
Uh just keep working Um be a good person stick to what you know and um
yeah just keep working and believe in yourself
How tough is to manage the all the emotions that you had after Thursday to to start to be focused on game seven but try to to release all the emotions that you have
Yeah it was good that we won but um ultimately that game doesn’t really matter in the grand grand scheme of things So we got one more and we’re not too worried about last game or what else happened in the series So we’re just focused on this one game Did you do anything different or special during these two days or just routine The same routine that other same routine
You played in game sevens before You’ve played in six finals games now but this is the combination of the two It’s the biggest stage possible Does it feel any different to you How are you trying to keep yourself even ke that that moment Um I feel like I don’t let moments get too big or too small So um just being where my feet are and approaching every game the same way that I do And um yeah where’d that mentality go Have you always had it or is that something you’ve had to learn over the years
I mean it’s just so so enjoyable playing in the NBA playoffs So it’s hard to like worry about anything or feel anxious about anything I mean all these guys have worked their whole lives to be in a position like this So um yeah just enjoying it and uh taking it as it comes How much have you enjoyed the chess match especially defensively of you guys both making moves and it’s been successful It’s been really fun um as a competitor watching a game go seven series or seven games is really cool to be a part of and um yeah we’ll see what happens tomorrow
How are you expecting the Thunder to respond based on what you’ve seen from them this season
Yeah I mean they’re a great team Um number one in the West We’re going to expect um punches from them tomorrow and just them playing hard and competing It’s game seven so um yeah see how it goes And I apologize if you’ve already issued this already but how do you tune out an arena like this How do you lock in and focus when it’s as loud as it gets in here
Um I’d say just all the players got to be extra vocal on the court Um looking to our coaches and our staff and um just keeping everything internal Um it’s a loud arena Um crowds are super into it and um it is loud So just focusing on what you can do and how you can um affect the game in a positive way
Benny you have to pick just one moment of the whole finals Just one moment The highlight of the final for you or probably you have another one better tomorrow But until now which one
Um personally like
you can choose inside the C or off the C or
um diamonds that do you you will remember forever I’d probably say um Tyrese Halvin game winner for game one
That was pretty cool First game in the finals setting the tone and um yeah it’s been really cool to watch um what we’ve been able to accomplish and just us and the Thunder going back and forth
How impressive has Coach Carile’s performance been throughout the playoffs with just his game plans his adjustments everything he’s done with this team
Yeah it’s been great Um his veteran leadership I think pops in series like this um what he’s done um and what he’s accomplished in the NBA playoffs as a coach has been great and I feel like all his leadership and everything that he passes on to us trickles down to us and just gives us confidence because he’s been in these situations and uh as a young player I’m just kind of stoked all
and how comfortable or how much does it help with comfort in a game seven big moment like this knowing you have a veteran coach
Yeah Um he’s got a super stoked uh personality to him So looking at him just in heat of battle and ups and downs just seeing how stonefaced he is um definitely trickles down to all of us Did you like that he came out to many men last game though
We always come out to that I think they just had the camera on him but uh yeah it was pretty cool I saw that online So
how about Jenny in particular too giving the defensive changes as Has her voice maybe been a little bit louder recently
Yeah her leadership has been awesome and um especially going up a team that’s um so offensively dynamic as they are um she has to be especially vocal and um she’s done a great job of leading us So um yeah super super blessed out of staff that we do
During this run how much do you take a moment to like look I may never be back here that type of thing and enjoy it versus hey narrow-minded I got to focus on whatever is tomorrow Yeah Um I mean it’s game seven It’s hard to not feel any anxiety or anything like that So um yeah just having fun enjoying it A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to play in games like this So yeah just taking every moment as it comes and feel like after the season I’ll be able to reflect on the season and how everything went But just right now I’m just focused What about Pascal Seak I mean I mean he always flies under the radar Never gets enough attention it feels like Um how how how much has his steady hand been beneficial in this finals
It’s been great Um just his vocal leadership and what he’s been able to accomplish on the court trickles down to us And um he’s been in situations like this as well He’s an NBA champion in Toronto So um yeah just looking at him during the ups and downs and just seeing everything he’s uh given to us it’s pretty cool
You feel like this moment kind of started at his place down in Orlando where you know it’s an optional thing and everybody shows up and and it sets the tone for where you are taker
Definitely Um I think that mini camp that we had in Orlando was a great start to the season and just setting all the um whatever you call it like successes for the season down there I feel like we had a little um more bigger moments in Paris and stuff like that Just team camaraderie just getting together as a team and just focusing on what we have at stake and our goals for the season So um yeah it was a big part
Was there a moment in Paris or you just saying the whole experience
I’m just saying the whole experience We’ve had a lot of team experiences this year that have helped us and it’s been pretty cool to see the success of our team
Time for one more All right Thanks man And

Tyrese Haliburton, Rick Carlisle, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, T.J. McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin spoke with the media after practice on Saturday.

0:00 – Tyrese Haliburton
8:34 – Rick Carlisle
20:10 – Pascal Siakam
29:08 – Myles Turner
33:16 – T.J. McConnell
40:49 – Bennedict Mathurin
47:48 – Aaron Nesmith
52:42 – Andrew Nembhard
58:44 – Obi Toppin