TWHS

Kyle George

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 94-82 victory over Charlotte.

Click on a player to reveal quotes from their postgame press conference.

RE: Is there such a thing as “too much” ball movement:

RE: Value of keeping Al Horford or Kyrie Irving on the floor in the first half:

RE: With your skill set do you have to watch that you’re not doing too much:

RE: What was the biggest thing you learned tonight:

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That's What He Said - Hornets at Celtics

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 102-135 defeat to Cleveland.

Click on a player or coach to reveal quotes from their postgame press conference.

RE: Brad, bottom line, did your team just go as far
as it possibly could have without Isaiah and the
fact that you're playing the defending champions?

RE: You know every summer there's roster turnover.
How difficult is that going to be with the group you
had this year, considering what you guys have
built, and just how things went there?

RE: Just the series as a whole, looking back on it, do
you feel like you'll be able to gauge what you guys
are compared to the Cavs without Isaiah? And was
it discouraging how it went down in those first two
games, or will you look more at the fight in Games
3 and 4?

RE: You've talked all season long about how these
guys play with chips on their shoulders and backs
against the wall. They always respond.
Throughout this playoffs they did the same thing.
How proud are you of this group?

RE: From this series, what do you want the players
to take into the summer? I mean, it seemed like
they were a little ways away, obviously, from elite.
What do you want each individual player to take
away?

RE: Avery, just what kind of feeling are you left with
at the end of the season. Is it one that you felt the
team was inspired and could go considering Isaiah
was hurt, or are you disappointed? What's your
feeling?

RE: Avery, how would you say that you've grown as
an individual on the court this season, and what
did you learn about yourself in the series?

RE: You guys really were competitive on the road
but were blown out at home. What do you think
was the difference in the way you guys elevated
your level?

RE: Obviously a feeling of disappointment had to
have been felt in that locker room, but there must
have been some feeling of accomplishment of what
you guys have been able to do. When you look at
the season as a whole, what was just the
environment in the locker room when you guys
kind of talked to each other and in a few moments
relived what you guys were able to accomplish this
season?

RE: Avery, you know every summer that there's
turnover in any roster. Considering the way that
you guys have developed as a group, is that going
to be a little bit extra difficult this year?

RE: Not the ending you wanted… but how proud are you of this season?:

RE: Do you feel like you guys are at the beginning of something?:

RE: Were you surprised the gap was as big as it was in this series and how do you guys close that going into next year?:

RE: On what they’re learned as a group from this series, about the team and each other:

RE: Do you look forward to the offseason and the potential for moves with excitement or what could potentially happen with the guys who are a part of this core?:

RE: On Jae saying everyone can use this as motivation:

RE: Ty, the situation you were thrown into last year
and the whirlwind that you walked into going into
The Finals, I wonder now that you've had a full year
with this team and had your chance to put your
stamp on it, for you personally how does this
compare to last year at this point?

RE: Some people in your locker room downplayed
the significance of a rivalry between the Cavs and
the Warriors, but you embraced it, you accepted it.
How much have the Warriors been on your mind,
your coaching staff's mind, your mind as you go
into the first ever trilogy in NBA Finals history?

RE: I was going to ask how long you enjoy this one
before you look ahead to the Warriors.

RE: If I can go back to the previous game when
LeBron got his fourth foul, comparing how you feel
now, what were you thinking and were you worried
about the resiliency of the team at that point and
how it might all come out?

RE: Ty, just wondering, Brad talked about how the
shot making of Kyrie in the third quarter just ended
him, ended the Celtics and essentially their playoff
run. What were your thoughts of the shots he was
making to start that second half?

RE: Kyrie, you've been one of the most efficient iso
scorers in the NBA since you were drafted. Do you
feel like you're playing your best one-on-one right
now as you have at any point in your career?

RE: Can you describe the spin and step-back
against Crowder? How do you put that sequence
together?

RE: Kyrie, you talked a lot about after Game 4 about
the "why" that this team has, the purpose that you
guys have. I'm wondering from the point where
you were down 10 points at halftime of Game [4], to
any point tonight in the game where you were
running away, I was wondering in your mind how
all of that changed so quickly.

RE: Kyrie, you just touched on the challenge that the
Celtics did present to you guys. Can you just
speak now that the series is over on what
takeaways you have from your opponent?

RE: I'm wondering if this conference final title feels
any different given that you played the entire
season as the hunted, given that you won the
championship last year and people are gunning for
you this year?

RE: What does this mean to you? What's your
takeaway from this experience?

RE: Just your thoughts on LeBron James.
Obviously you know he passed Michael Jordan for
the all-time scoring leader in the postseason. Just
to be on the court with him and to witness history
tonight.

RE: Was the work and energy you put into winning
this series a good prep for what's ahead in the next
series?

RE: When you came here three years ago, is this
kind of how you saw your game fitting into the
collective and being able to express your own
talents?

RE: Speaking of people in the organization, a lot of
them say you might be the biggest difference from
a year ago going to The Finals and this year going
to The Finals. How do you feel about that and your
game and how different it is or your role right now
from a year ago?

RE: Can you just talk about that embrace you gave
Isaiah after the game on the court?

RE: LeBron, given how far the Celtics made it this
season and that they also own the No. 1 pick, how
likely do you think it is that you'll see them in a
rematch next year in this series?

RE: What goes through your mind on a night like
tonight? You become the all-time leading scorer in
the postseason, you're going to your seventh
Finals, you're going to face the Warriors for the
third time in a row. None of these things have ever
happened before. What do you pick to think
about?

RE: Going back to those guys who haven't been to
The Finals, what's the message to them as they get
ready for this journey?

RE: Richard Jefferson said in the locker room today,
he was asked about you breaking MJ's record, and
he said, I can go on record and say that when
LeBron James is done playing, his records will
never be broken. Just your thoughts on hearing
that from RJ, one of your teammates.

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That's What He Said - Cavaliers at Celtics

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 99-112 defeat to Cleveland.

RE: How do you explain the difference in the halves,
getting outscored by 23 in the second half of this
one?

RE: Did you feel like it was a missed opportunity at
all when you have LeBron on the bench in an
unusual situation for seven minutes and you didn't
extend the lead, and what did Kyrie do --

RE: What are the positives maybe or the takeaways
you're going to take back to Boston? You come
here, 1-1, and you're going home?

RE: You attributed to Irving and LeBron hitting
shots, but when Irving gets in that kind of zone, is
there something you can do? One-on-one he's
wearing everybody out.

RE: Last game you caught them in a momentum
shift and you rode it and made the plays down the
stretch. Tonight did it almost show more about
your guys because the Cavaliers knew what was
coming and you guys were still able to do what you
do?

RE: I'm curious about your own role from the
standpoint of leadership; obviously with IT [Isaiah
Thomas] not here you've assumed a mantle of
leadership. How much responsibility do you feel
and who else shares that with you within the team?

RE: Coach Lue just said you're the best on-ball
defender in the NBA. What was the hardest part
about being able to stay in front of Kyrie tonight?

RE: Just to follow up on that, what makes him so
difficult to defend in one-on-one situations?

RE:  During the first half only a few turnovers total for
the whole team and then nine during the second
half alone. What changed in that department, and
then how badly did that hurt you guys?

RE: You mentioned the team defense aspect; how
much of a balancing act is it to have team defense
on guys driving to the rim the way they are and
then still staying home on some of the three-point
shooters like Kyle Korver and the rest of the team?

RE:  LeBron, four fouls in the first half. You're down
13 at the time. Why did you decide to leave him in
there after three, and what was going through your
mind when you had to get him out at four and
you're down 13?

RE: Specifically LeBron's third foul on [Marcus]
Smart and the fourth foul, the offensive call, what
did you make of those calls?

RE: Nine turnovers in the first half, you limit that in
the second half. What was the difference in
valuing the basketball in the second half?

RE: LeBron and Kyrie with the points, a lot of people
are going to focus on that, but Kevin with 17
rebounds tonight. Talk about how important he is
in that area.

RE: What changed in particular for Kyrie Irving there
in the second half, and then seemed like he rolled
his ankle or something there late in the second
half, and then it seemed like he just kind of got
sparked again from that. What was the difference
with his game tonight?

RE: Kyrie, 42 points tonight, career playoff best for
you; what was the difference, and when did you
kind of flip that switch in the second half?

RE: Did LeBron's foul trouble force you to be a little
bit more assertive there, and how much did that
play a role in what you did there in the second
half?

RE:  In that scary third quarter moment did you feel
like you needed to get back up and keep setting the
tone, and what's your condition right now?

RE: What is it with you and big moments? Why do
you seem to flourish in those moments and rise to
the occasion?

RE: When you were on the bench with four fouls,
Kyrie just went to another level. 33 points in 19
minutes I think it was when you had your fourth.
What did he show you and the world tonight?

RE: When the Celtics were switching on you in the
fourth quarter, what were you seeing?

RE: Fourth quarter it seemed like it all came back to
you scoring the ball and shooting the ball over kind
of a difficult stretch. Is that just kind of a thawing
out thing, you're through that stretch, and return to
the player, the shooter that you were the previous
10 games, or is it something you just kind of had to
fight through?

RE: By the same token do you feel as a team that
you've kind of recovered now that you've got to go
back to Boston for Game 5?

RE:  I was going to ask about that exactly. Do you
feel like the second half was evidence of you guys
starting to understand exactly what it was they
were trying to do without Isaiah now that he's not
there?

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That's What He Said - Celtics at Cavaliers

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 111-108 victory over Cleveland.

RE: They were in control 77-56 in the third quarter.
What changed at that point to allow you guys to get
back in and then eventually get the win?

RE: Was it defense or offense do you think really got
you back in this and won the game?

RE: A lot over the course of Marcus's career has been made about what a poor shooter he is, but he always seems to hit them late. What did you see of that tonight?

RE: You've talked about it before with this team, but in this case, the way the first two games went, not
having Isaiah, down 21 with six minutes left in the third, what did you see from them on the bench? What was the mood, and how do they stay so resilient when there's every reason to not be?

RE: Did you get a sense the guys realized that and felt that as you're down 21 --

RE: First couple of games you said that when things
weren't going right, you guys seemed to get down,
seemed to deflate a little bit. Marcus seems to get
the opposite attitude when those situations arise.
How did that affect how you were able to come
back tonight just him getting angry?

RE: I was going to ask about Jonas. He came in
middle of the third quarter and the 21-point deficit
erased pretty quickly. What did he do to unlock the
side-to-side offense for you?

RE:  They had 14 threes in the first half. The second
half Tristan Thompson just kind of dominates the
offensive boards. The free-throw disparity, you had
a lot of things go against you. When you win it's
usually Isaiah hitting a lot of threes, but tonight it
seemed to be different. How did you keep the guys
from getting discouraged, and can you describe
your personal emotions, although you don't show
any visibly, when Avery's shot went in?

RE: Avery, could you walk us through the last play,
how you came to be so free?

RE: We spoke before the game and you told me that
Marcus Smart lives for these moments. What can
you say about his game?

RE: Avery and Marcus, you just mentioned Brad's
after-timeout plays. He had a couple others before
that one. What's the feeling coming out of the
huddle after Brad draws something up as a team of
what you guys are going to be able to do,
regardless if the ball goes in or not?

RE: First couple games when they made plays, made
shots, you guys seemed as a group to deflate a
little bit.
But how much does Marcus's attitude, when things
go like that, he seems to get more pissed off, how
did that help?

RE: Avery, on that play, what was the point where
you went from the layup and seeing the Cavs
collapse on you and then making the kick-out to
Jonas? What was going through your head?

RE: I'm
sure you guys were really down about Game 2,
then the Isaiah blow on Saturday, but then to come
back and do this -- can you describe how you guys
got yourselves together to be able to do this?

RE: They're in control this series, they're in control
of the game in the third quarter, up 21. What
changed at that point? How were you guys able to
find whatever it was deep down inside and come
back and win this game?

RE:  Marcus, you've known for the last 24 hours that
this moment was coming and that you were going
to start this game. Not to say that you prepared
any differently, but you had to have had some
different thoughts going through your head leading
into this game as opposed to a regular one when
you're coming off the bench. Can you walk us
through what your thoughts were and what your
mindset was coming into this game?

RE: On your last defensive possession, it seemed
like Iman and J.R. ended up -- I think it was on
Crowder, and then Avery got open. What happened
with your guys' defensive execution?

RE: Before the game I asked you about protecting
big leads and the third quarter --

RE: What happened? You were up 21 in the third
and you don't protect it and you end up losing.

RE: LeBron has been so good in the playoffs.
Tonight, only 11 points. Was it something they did
or just an off night for LeBron?

RE: You guys have had problems during the regular
season when opponents' best players go out and
you don't probably play as well as you would think
you would in that situation. Did this feel like a
regular-season game for a variety of reasons? It
kind of felt like what you struggled with at times
during the regular season.

RE: You guys were up 21 points. What happened?
What factors led to Boston coming back at you?

RE: You had a tough second half with just three
points. What were some of the factors that led to
that? Were you as aggressive as you wanted to
be?

RE: Was there a sense of surprise or shock or what
have you in the locker room afterward, just given
how well the first two games had gone and that
Isaiah was out?

RE: Did they mix up the coverage on you from what
you had seen in the first two games?

RE: Tristan, when LeBron has a night that's atypical,
how do you guys respond as teammates as the
game is going on?

RE: Tristan, what's most disappointing given the
way you guys played in the first two games and
throughout the playoffs? What's most
disappointing about this one tonight?

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Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 104-117 defeat to Cleveland.

RE: Coach, just general thoughts on that firstquarter
blitz that they put on. It seemed like from
that point out you guys were just fighting an uphill
battle.

RE: You started the game or the first half 2-for-16
from beyond the arc. Was that more of you guys
just missing open shots or was that something
they were doing defensively?

RE: Brad, something like six or seven of LeBron's
first baskets were right at the rim --

RE: Is that something you guys have to change in
the way you cover that?

RE: Jaylen had another big night for you guys,
especially on the boards. Just what did you think
of his impact and just the poise that he's showing
on this stage?

RE: Talk a little bit about just the start of this game.
It seemed from the jump you guys were kind of
fighting uphill against these guys. Aside from
LeBron James, what were some of the keys to
them getting off to such a great start?

RE: Jae, primarily how tough is it to guard LeBron
one-on-one when he's going downhill, he's getting
a head start? How tough is that, and how can you
guys make it difficult for him and for Love in Game
2, because both of them were able to be effective?

RE: Jae, you and I have talked quite a bit this year
about you being a key portion of when you guys
play a small ball lineup. During this game you
guys did that during the second half. Seemed like
you found a little bit more rhythm. What did you
see that changed for you guys when you did go
small?

RE: Jae, when LeBron is out there, how do you
balance deciding whether to double-team and knowing there's so many shooters around him?
And do you think kind of he feasts on single
coverage if he sees it sometimes?

RE: Brad was just saying how Jaylen's athleticism
could play a big impact for you guys in this series.
What did you think of impact tonight and what are
your expectations of him moving forward?

RE: I know you guys probably don't want to address
it, but was there an emotional letdown after the
Washington series and having to start this series
one day later?

RE: The combination of those guys coming out
hard, LeBron, and then you guys missing a bunch
of shots, open shots, how difficult was that
combination really to overcome?

RE: You credited the athleticism of the opposing
team, but to what do you credit the amount of time
off that they had in their performance tonight, so
many nights off, so many days off versus your one
day off?

RE: Isaiah, how would you assess what the Cavs
did, how they guarded you tonight? Did they do
anything that surprised you, or were you just out of
rhythm in the first half?

RE: On Cavs coming out with defensive intensity:

RE: What do you learn from a game like this?:

RE: What did you think of the way Jaylen Brown played tonight?:

RE: How difficult is it guarding Tristan Thompson on the offensive glass?:

RE: On Jaylen and the moment not being too big:

RE: On Cavs setting tempo on offensive glass in the first quarter:

RE: On the poise shown by Jaylen Brown in the Eastern Conference final debut:

RE: What’s behind these slow starts for you guys in general?:

RE: You’re just a rookie but the moment didn’t seem too big for you, what was it like playing in your first Eastern conference final?

RE: What was it like going up against LeBron a couple times there:

RE: Tristan Thompson/Kevin Love contributions:

RE: Similar defense from what you did to Boston in April:

RE: Rhythm tonight even after 9 days off:

RE: Playoff record just shy of 13 wins with 12 now put in perspective:

RE: LeBron scored at least 35 in five straight games and at least 30 in seven. What does just that say about him, or have you seen anything like this?

RE: Coach, why did you go with [Richard Jefferson] instead of Channing Frye tonight?

RE: They were coming off of an emotional seven-game series, and you came out on the attack. Was that something that you guys talked about at all, without revealing too much?

RE: The Celtics looked much less confident to run their high pick-and-roll than they have in past series. Was one of the objectives to really be physical up top and try to take them out of their usual offense?

RE: Right now would you say this is the most
comfortable you've felt in your entire career?

RE: LeBron, by my count they put about eight
different defenders on you. When you're having
success no matter who they're putting on you, do
you think that does anything for you momentumwise
or does it defeat them when they're trying so
many different options and none of them are
working?

RE: LeBron, I know you study the game the way you
do; are you setting up Kevin to get the best out of
him from perhaps back to his Minnesota days?
And Kevin, is this as good as you've felt in terms of
your comfort zone, year three with the team?

RE: LeBron, how did you manage with all the days
off kind of keep the discipline day in and day out,
and Kevin, too, with all the time you guys had off
and making sure the momentum was still there?

RE: LeBron, you've had a lot of playoff moments
here in this building, some great moments for you,
some disappointments, as well. There seemed to
be a relentlessness or a ruthlessness in your game
and in your approach tonight. Is that for you? Is
that for your teammates? Or is that for the
opponent?

RE: Kevin, you've obviously played here a bunch
since Game 4 of 2015, but just because it was a
playoff game and you played so well, did you have
any flashbacks to that night?

RE: Social media is making a big deal of this. I was
wondering your thoughts: It looked like Isaiah
tried to grab your ankle there when he was kind of
laying on the baseline. Did you see that, and if you
did, did you think it was malicious in any way?

RE: There was a play where he was on the ground
and it looked like he tried to grab your ankle as you
were going away.

RE: Kevin, what does it do for you to get featured
the way you were to start the second quarter? You
told us in the off week that the numbers don't
matter as long as you guys win, but when Ty says
he's going to go to you and then he goes to you,
what does that do for you?

RE: Ty said before the game that with the strategy
that you're using defensively, you're going to give
something up, and sometimes it's going to be open
shots, and you have to be okay with that. How do
you get to a point or what does it take to be okay
with giving up uncontested shots at times?

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Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 115-105 victory over Washington.

RE: Kelly Olynyk responding to the pregame message of ‘Do your job, stay in the moment, and focus on the task at-hand’:

RE: Initial thoughts on playing the Cavaliers:

RE: Smart’s big plays, aside from scoring:

RE: Winning tonight/Cleveland turnaround:

RE: Making a name for yourself in Game 7/motivating factor:

RE: Very emotional tonight/making contributions:

RE: What worked so well/hear fans chanting:

RE: On Olynyk in the start of the 3rd and 4th after Wizards rally back:

RE: On stopping Isaiah at first but letting him get back to his game in the end:

RE: Now that the season is over, is there anything you’d point to as to why you didn’t come out with a win and and what do you think you need to do to get over this hump?:

RE: On impact Markieff checking out of game:

RE: Processing loss as a franchise player:

thats-what-he-said-wizards-at-celtics-2

That's What He Said - Wizards at Celtics

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 123-101 victory over Washington.

RE: How much emphasis was placed on pushing the ball and getting out in transition:

RE: Has it been tough to get a ‘feel’ for this series:

RE: Was the mindset for players other than Thomas to be more aggressive:

RE: How do you maintain momentum going to Game 6:

RE: Already had watched film Monday/that normal for you?:

RE: Isaiah Thomas said he thought you’d have a big game/more in this for you tonight:

RE: Shooting is a barometer for this team:

RE: Does playing at home make the difference or just the mindset?:

RE: On how Celtics other than Isaiah Thomas hurt Wizards:

RE: How unexpected was Bradley’s contribution tonight?:

RE: On first quarter 15-0 fast break points:

RE: What was missing that you couldn’t make an adjustment:

RE: Why is it difficult to block out “human nature” (relaxing after 2 wins):

thats-what-he-said-wizards-at-celtics-4

Read what the players and coaches had to say following Boston's 129-119 victory over Washington.

RE: What else is there to say about Isaiah Thomas:

RE: What did they do defensively at the end of the fourth that was different:

RE: Was he conscious about the shootout between Thomas and John Wall:

RE: Putting in four guards and a center when down 14:

RE: What Isaiah can do/what he did tonight:

RE:  On stopping Isaiah and being tired in OT:

RE:  On final possession of regular time:

RE: On what Markieff Morris means to team:

RE: Did you realize to magnitude of the shoot with Isaiah Thomas?:

RE: Have you been in a battle like that before 1-on-1 against a point guard?:

RE: Did you feel you were in control up 6 with just over 2 min left?: