파이널 이브 피스톤즈-스퍼스 양측 인터뷰 공수

[Duncan&Kidd홧팅]

양의 압뷁!!!! -_-;;;;;;;

여러분의 영어실력을 믿습니다.!!

관심 있으신 분들은 읽어 보세요.

관심있더라도 관심있는 사람부터 보는 것이 좋을 듯 하군요.

출처는: http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/pregamequotes_050609.html

Pistons Coach Larry Brown

Q. Would you talk about, this is kind of a different challenge than last year, you have a deep team that are relatively healthy, and last year you faced a team that had some health issues, just talk about the different challenge now in this Final.

A: I thought last year was a challenge. You know, I think style of play is the main difference. Because when you get The Finals, you're playing against a great team, obviously, and I think we all understand that.

But the difference I think this year and last year is their style of play. You know, obviously Duncan and Shaq are two of the best players in our game. You had Kobe. I think they are deeper than the Lakers were last year, you know, because Karl (Malone) was kind of banged up and they had some issues there.

But the whole key for us is how we defend out on the perimeter because you know Duncan is going to get his. I don't think people give San Antonio enough credit for their ability to get up and down the floor. They really run the break probably as well as anybody. And when they don't run the break with numbers, they have a great way of getting it into the post on Duncan because he runs so well, either to the rim or as a trailer.

You know, we've got to figure out a way to cut down their transition baskets and dribble penetration. That's going to be the greatest challenge.

Q. You had Bruce Bowen briefly in Philadelphia, did you ever think at that point that he would evolve into this dynamic of a defender?

A: He was great with us. We made a trade hoping to get him back and screwed up on the rules. (Laughter).

You know, I remember when we made a trade, we had to put him in because of the dollars and Chicago was going to cut him, and then we were ready to pick him back up, but then they put him at the bottom of the list on the waivers and Pat (Riley) picked him up, and he had been with Pat there. He was one of the best defenders I had seen yet. He had some deficiencies offensively, but I never would have imagined he would be a starter on a championship team, but I thought he could be a defensive stopper.

No better kid and I read Pop's comments about him, you know, there are very few guys in our league that you can say have a chance to, you know, shut people down, and that's their priority, that he said, I guess, there's only a few, you can count them on one hand. You know, Bruce is certainly that, Lindsey is, you know, Lindsey has done that for us in a lot of ways, but, you know, Bruce is a little younger. He's a great story; do what you do best, he does it every night. And his coach recognizes that and rewards him for it.

Q. Can you talk about, speaking of Pop, can you talk about coaching against him, coaching against your best friend and the challenges that that puts in front of you.

A: Well, I've said this before, when I was a college coach, my dream was to play against Coach Smith only one time and that would hopefully be The Finals of the NCAA. I always felt it would be a win/win.

I could probably say the same thing for Pop. My daughter said it when we were getting ready to play Game 7 against Miami, if we lost, we go to the Hamptons, which is pretty darned good, and if we won, we get to play Pop, which is great. My son said, "I hope we win, because then it's a win/win." I feel like I did when I was a college coach. I admire him. You don't hear much about how good he is. He's great for our game, and he's been a big part of my life.

After what we went through this summer, you know, we had a hard year this year, you know, based on what happened this summer. Roy was able to win a National Championship, Oliver was able to restore Clemson, and us getting here helped a little bit, but I don't think it will help enough.

Q. I want to ask you about Rasheed Wallace. He has a pretty good outside shot as well, but a lot of people think that he's more effective with the low post. Can you talk about the latitude he has as far as where he plays and as far as the shots he takes on offense?

A: You know, for a big guy, he's probably as good a long range shooter as we have in the league. San Antonio has that in Robert. But I don't like that as our first option for him. I'm not, you know, necessarily opposed to him shooting open threes or stretching the defense because you know, when we post up Tayshaun or Rip or Chauncey, it's great to have a big guy that can stay out on the perimeter and make you pay if you double.

I think this game is played inside out, and he is a post presence, and somebody that, you know, when we are playing our best, we recognize that. He does have the ability on the post to turn around and face and put it on the floor. That's important.

And then he has the ability to make people double him, so, you know, when they respect him on the low post, and then with Tayshaun and Rip and Chauncey, we can space the floor out, as well.

Q. How do Ben and Rasheed complement each other defensively and offensively?

A: Well, Ben and Rasheed and Dyess are so active and athletic that, you know, when you have to play transition in this league and pick and roll defense, your big people have to be mobile and athletic. They cover for each other. They are both great post defenders. They are active on pick and rolls. They are very intelligent defenders, all three of them.

So a big part of our game is trying to stop people, and when your interior people can get out on the floor and cover and also correct a mistake on the perimeter, you're pretty fortunate.

Q. I know you said that you talked to Coach Popovich almost every day, can you tell us what that first conversation was like with him, describe what it was like after you won on Monday night, and also, you guys seem very different, can you describe what your relationship is like and what...

A: We're different? (Smiling).

Q. You seem different. What is it about you guys that make you such good friends?

A: Well, he left a message for my wife and kids first, and then one for me.

You've got to understand something. He wasn't rooting against Miami. When you get to this level, I don't think any coach wants to see anybody lose. I feel for Mike D'Antoni and Stan Van Gundy and their teams, because it's a journey to get here.

He was just really thrilled for us, you know, because he knows how tough it is, like I said, to put yourself in this position. Nobody probably knows it anybody better than me when you consider as much time as I've been in this league and how difficult it's been to, you know, get here.

But he was really proud of my team. He left some positive messages about our players for me to relay to them during the series. But he just knew what an accomplishment it was and he wanted to let me know that.

Our relationship goes so far back, and our backgrounds are so similar that I think it's been easy for us to be good friends. We both love the game. We both feel like we've benefitted so much by being part of this. I think if you consider who we played for, and whose influenced our lives, we've been really blessed. You know, I played for Frank McGuire, Dean Smith, John McLendon, I've been involved with Pete Newell. Our assistant coaches, you just name it, we've all had a lot of people that have looked out for us and given our support, so we're similar in that way.

Then I think we love what we do. I don't think anybody loves it any more than Pop, except maybe me.

Q. Do you remember, 1999, the ring ceremony, what your reaction was, when they got their rings for the first time and when Pop handed you his and you gave it back, do you remember your reaction?

A: Well, that's just him and who he's about. I don't know if you people realize it, but he was at Pomona Pitzer making, I don't know if he was getting paid, I don't know if they paid coaches then, Division III. He was on a sabbatical and he was supposed to go to North Carolina and then Kansas with me and then on to San Diego with Hank Egan. I got him out of Chapel Hill as fast as I could and he thought he was just going to sit around and observe and we made him a coach. Lo and behold, he ended up coming here with me to San Antonio. We scheduled Pomona Pitzer Division III school because they didn't make much money. We gave them a big guarantee, and I gave his team the pregame speech in our locker room, and I told them to enjoy the moment, "We're going to kick your ass. Let's move on."

But, you know, we established that kind of relationship. It was his way of maybe thanking me, but I've benefitted it more than he has with this relationship.

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Pistons Guard Chauncey Billups

Q. How does Rasheed make a difference on this team and can you give an example of something that he has said or has done during the playoff that has made a difference for you guys?

A: Rasheed, I mean, he makes a great difference on this team. I mean, I've always said, I think he's our most talented player. He's our most unselfish player, and when you have those two, when you're the most talented player and the most unselfish player, I think it reciprocates all the way through the rest of the team..

He doesn't have any ego at all, and for a guy who has really been considered as one of the top players in the game for a lot of years, to not have all of those components, it's rare, and because of that, it makes us a much better team. We know that when the ball is in his hands, we feel confident and feel confident that he's going to score or make the right play with the ball. It just puts our whole team at ease when he has those opportunities.

Q. Can he be too unselfish?

A: I think sometimes I get a little mad with him because he's sometimes a little too unselfish, you know, because I feel like he has a mismatch every night, I really do. So when we go to him and he's not looking to score, sometimes I have to get on him, you know, and say, you know, "What are you doing man? Come on now, that's what we want."

He'll say, "Okay, I got you, I got you." And then he'll be very aggressive from then on. Sometimes he can be a little too unselfish.

Q. Even though the first one is supposed to be the best one, would winning this year be even better, just considering everything you guys had to go through this season with Coach's illness and everything?

A: We've definitely overcome a lot this season compared to last season. Winning that first one was, you know, like I said, I don't know, I can't even put the words together to describe the way we all felt.

But I think having a chance to win this one, you know, and if we can get going and win this one, I think it might be sweeter just because of the mountains that we had to climb this season and, you know, the road that we have all been on since day one really this season, will make it sweeter.

But, you know, I think we're facing a tougher team this year in The Finals. This Spurs team is similar to us, like a very good team can beat you from so many different angles, as a defensive minded team. So it's going to be a lot tougher this year. But we don't expect nothing less, you know, and it's been a lot tougher season, anyway.

Q. Just want to ask you, you guys talk about the inherent toughness you had, would you compare it to how you were last year and this type of toughness, how much tougher you have to get to go through the season and get through the rest of the stuff?

A: I think we're tougher this season. Like I said last year we faced a lot of adversities going through the playoffs, we climbed a lot of mountains in the playoffs, being down 3 2 and being down 2 1. In a couple different series this year, we faced adversities throughout the whole season and the playoffs knowing how tough it is already. You come into this season knowing how tough it is to get back and you still go through all of that and it's still a tough, tough challenge. I think we are a lot tougher this season.

Q. You mentioned a lot of things about Rasheed and being selfless and stuff and a lot of those same things can be said about you, you're a scorer who has to play point guard and distributing the ball and you picked your spots in the last series to shoot, can you talk about the balance that you constantly have? A lot of times you pass up shots and you could score more and maybe make the All Star team, stuff like that and you give it up for the team.

A: Yeah, you know, I can remember when Coach Brown first started with us, that was my biggest struggle was knowing when to try to take it over and scoring the ball and when to kind of fall back a little bit and distribute and get everybody else involved. Now it's kind of become second nature to me and playing for Coach Brown for so long and learning so much from him, it's become second nature to me. It's been tough, you know, it's been tough knowing that, you know, I've always really just been a scorer, knowing how to distribute and when to distribute and who to get it to at what time, you know, it's been tough to learn but I think I'm doing a good job of it now through a lot of experience.

You know, I think as a point guard, you've got to kind of pick your spots and know when, you know, the team is kind of dragging a little bit and when we're in a rut, if I can try to pull them out or pull us out of it with some baskets or make some plays maybe for other people, I think that's the key. I think that's definitely the key. I think my ability to be able to score, you know, makes it look easier than it really is. A lot of people feel the same way, but, you know, don't have that, can't score in so many ways like I can.

Q. You didn't make the All Star team this year, because you were playoff MVP and obviously you take the Championship ring over the All Star team and stuff, is there a certain quiet pride you have about that and knowing in your own mind and your teammates know, maybe you could score and make All Star teams and you're giving it up maybe for others?

A: Yeah, I'm not I never play this game to be in the All Star Game. Of course, that would be nice. That would be nice, I think everybody would love to be in the All Star Game, but, you know, I play to win and I play for my team and for my teammates. I think if I was shooting the ball 20 something times a game, I'm sure I could be in the All Star Game, you know, with what I can do. But I don't want to do that. I think it would demoralize my team and I don't think we would win as much.

I like the way that I play right now. Sometimes I shoot the ball seven, eight times and sometimes I'm a little more aggressive and shoot 15, 16 times. I take a lot of pride in being that way and being unselfish, and I think my teammates realize that.

Q. When you guys, no matter what sort of adversity you guys face, you guys seem to overcome, does this team almost like having their backs against the wall and just "us against the world" mentality?

A: In a strange sort of way we do, and I've said it so many times that I don't really like that we're like that, because at some point, you know, we pull ourselves out of the hole so many times that at some point, that one time that we don't pull ourselves out, we're going to be wondering, you know what I mean, like, what happened.

We're just so good, though, under pressure and with our backs against the wall and, you know, when it seems like we're down and out, but we never are, you know what I'm saying. I've never been around a team like that, I've never been around a group of guys like that. I think the makeup of our team is the reason why we're like that. We've got so many guys on our team that have been given up on and been traded a lot or undrafted or been through so many different things, to get to where we're at right now that, we all know how it feels to be on the other side, you know what I mean, and that keeps us hungry in these kind of situations.

Q. Talk about your road: 1997 you're drafted in the same class as Tim (Duncan), and you guys have taken very different roads to get here. How did you persevere through all the stops and did you think that here you are, you'd be going for your second championship?

A: Well, I thought that right when I was getting drafted, you know what I mean, after so many stops and so many trades and injuries, you know, my vision got a little blurred a couple of times, you know what I mean, thinking maybe this ain't really for me, maybe it wasn't for me. But I never gave up, you know what I mean, I always felt that with the talent that I have, it just took one person or one team to believe in me and get me that legitimate chance. I just always felt that, I've always been very confident in my abilities and my talents. It was crazy, Joe Dumars has had that same confidence in me from afar, not really knowing me, just watching my game, and I always said if one guy or one team believed in me, I was going to show them well, you know what I mean. I got that opportunity here in Detroit.

Ever since, I just, I haven't looked back. I haven't looked back. It's crazy what I went through, I sit here in my eighth season after my first five or six seasons being with five or six different

teams and I sit here in my eighth here now in The Finals for the second year in a row, it's crazy and surreal.

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Pistons Center Elden Campbell

Q. How do you view your role on this team?

A: I just fill in the blanks and the gaps. I can do a lot of things on the defensive end and even at times on the offensive end as well. I just fill in the gaps where it's needed.

Q. These guys have so much respect for you, did you understand before you came back the role that you played in that locker room and how much they wanted you back?

A: You know, I kept in contact with the guys the whole time. Like when you're there, some of the guys who don't even play there anymore, once you're there and you go somewhere else it's not the same. It's such a family unit.

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Pistons Guard Richard Hamilton

Q. Rasheed, when he scores 20 or more you're 8 0 in the playoffs. Why is it so important for him to score for you guys to be successful?

A: I think it's very important for Sheed to score because I think he's definitely, you know, I believe that he's one of the best power forwards in this game. I believe that if we get our inside presence going, you know, it makes it easier for our guards. I think that if he's down there, you know, posting up, getting baskets, hitting low range, sometimes hitting threes, it takes a lot of pressure off everybody else because now when teams guard us, they have to worry about our big fellas inside and it makes it easier for our guards.

Q. What are the specific skills that Bruce Bowen has that make it so challenging for you when he's defending against you?

A: One thing about Bruce, he's a guy that really takes pride in his defense. He's not worried about offense at all. He's a guy that really comes out and tries to use every part of his body. He's not a guy that just wants to reach and try to get steals and things like that. He'll try to bump you with his hips, his legs, his knees and everything else. You know, it's definitely a challenge.

Q. Bruce says he's got DVDs and tapes of you that he's taken home and studied. Will you do the same thing and will you watch what he has done in the playoffs up to this point defensively?

A: I know what he has done. It was something that, you know, when you're a guard in this league, you kind of figure out and you try to watch every guard in the NBA. To play in the NBA Finals, you know, like I said, any great defender, everybody can guard, you know, guys that want to post up, guys that want to play one on one with all of the rules changes and things like that. They can be guarded.

But when you've got to chase a guy and run and try to chase guys off screens and play against a guy that moves without the ball and things like that, like when I played against Reggie (Miller), it's tough to guard because you can't ever set your feet. You can't really ever relax and things like that. So I definitely think it's going to be a challenge.

Q. Can you talk about how winning this year might even be better than last year just considering everything you've had to overcome this season.

A: It definitely would be a great feeling. Winning last year was unbelievable. You know, we were all excited and things like that. Nobody believed that we could do it.

This year, you know, now everybody was coming after us and, you know, it took us a while to understand that we were the champs and every team that we played against, it's their championship game, with the melee that happened in Detroit, with Coach being out, being sick and guys being hurt and things like that. At the end of the day, you can say that we're right back here again for another chance to win a world championship, you know, I would not replace all of that stuff we did earlier for nothing, because we grew up. You know, the one thing that we learned from that is that we all had each other's back. We stayed connected through it all and we're right back here again.

Q. You guys have had a short turnaround in the playoffs, what's the challenge of preparing for a series with only a couple of days off?

A: The challenge for us with our team is that we want to play. We would rather play. You know, it's good that, you know, we won last year and now we get the opportunity to come back and lay it on the line again. We look at it as a challenge. You know, they had about a week off or something like that. We just feel as though, you know, we're in a nice little groove right now, so we want to continue to stay in that groove.

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Pistons Guard Lindsey Hunter

Q. The whole concept of these two teams playing basketball the right way, and it may not be that glamorous with the megastars but these two teams are going to play a pure series.

A: I think it will be a good series. True basketball enthusiasts who know how the game should be played, I think they will love it. Other people that want, you know, the star studded, all of the underlying stories and all that, they probably won't be too intrigued, but ultimately, everybody will be entertained.

Q. Probably an interesting matchup, you on your side, Bruce on the other side.

A: A little I guess. We've watched him throughout the season and we've seen the job that Bruce has done in the playoffs. He has his hands full with Rip now.

Q. People say that Chauncey, he's a quiet leader; does he ever talk to your team in a forceful way?

A: Oh, yeah, we all do. It's amazing how many guys that you wouldn't think would speak up on this team, but we've got, I mean, our whole team, everybody speaks up and everybody listens. That's what's really unique, regardless of who it is, people speak up and guys respect it.

Q. Any concern from the team's perspective, eight days' rest, seven days' rest for the Spurs, and you only had one day to get over Monday night. Any concern there?

A: No, no concern for us. I think we had a tough series, and we're expecting no less right now. You know, rest really isn't I think the Spurs probably needed that and are itching to play. I don't think it means anything one way or the other.

Q. Do the Pistons as a team respect the challenge of taking on the Lakers last year, the Spurs this year, the best coming into the Finals?

A: That's what you want. The Lakers, everybody had crowned them the champs already last year, and then it was only fitting for us to want to play the team that everybody thought was the best. It's the same this year.

You know, everybody I think for the most part is picking the Spurs to win it. I haven't heard anybody picking us yet, but, you know, they are a great team and you can't take anything away from them. We feel as though we are a good team and we deserve to be here.

Q. Talk about the challenges, the differences in preparing for Miami, as opposed to an San Antonio?

A: Well, they don't have Shaq, but they have Tim Duncan, and so he poses a lot of the similar problems as far as low post play. They don't have Dwyane Wade but they have Ginobli, and they have Tony Parker. So they pose a lot of different problems. We have to as a defensive unit really pay more attention to a lot more guys than we did in Miami and it will be a big challenge for us.

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Pistons Forward Antonio McDyess

Q. How has your game changed since before the injuries, you get by a lot more on smarts and stuff now, can you talk about how different your game is?

A: Totally. You know, I try to, you know, take a little more on the outside, making shots on the outside. I'm not as explosive as I used to be. I just try to play a little more smarter, knowing when to shoot, knowing when to drive the ball. Certain points on the floor I just try to pick and choose what to do. Before I used to try to jump over people and go in the lane.

Q. Has this been the perfect fit for you at Detroit; you don't have to start and you can monitor your minutes and all that?

A: Of course. No question. I think I couldn't ask for anything better than where I'm at now, coming off the bench and the guys have a lot of confidence in me when I step out on the court. All credit to Larry, it's great when a coach tells you to go out and relax; you can play.

Q. The give your thoughts on the 2003 champions playing the 2004 champions?

A: I don't know, I never thought about it that way. I think for us, for me personally, I'm just happy to be The Finals. For them they are happy just to be back again. A lot of people probably counted us out, but it's kind of funny because I looked at it as two No. 2 seeds going against each other.

Q. This series doesn't have the megastars, but a lot of people are touting it as a series that's played "the right way," pure basketball. Your thoughts on that?

A: It's going to be a tough series this series, like, you know, Miami and Detroit last series.

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Pistons Forward Tayshaun Prince

Q. This team is pretty tight, isn’t it?

A: We all came from some long roads, Ben in Orlando and now here, Chauncey I say pretty much that I'm the only guy to be drafted by the Pistons, but everybody else had to take a different road to get here.

We're united, period. It doesn't necessarily mean that on the floor, you know, we're a group of guys off the floor, and we always hang out with each other. It doesn't matter if it's on the floor, we're always united.

This is a team full of veterans that know what they want and we know what we've got to do when we go out on the floor. We can go out and make practical jokes and all that stuff on the floor, but once we're on the court, it's different.

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Pistons Center Ben Wallace

Q. Ben, Bruce Bowen is known as being a great defender, you two, I guess, different kind of styles or do you think you're equivalent?

A: A good defender is a good defender, so that's the bottom line regardless of where you're at where you're playing at or what position you're playing. He's a good defender, you just have to defend.

Q. Any worries about being prepared?

A: We had all year to get prepared for this. It's not going to be no surprises in these games, so, you know, we're prepared. So we're not worried. We're ready to play.

Q. Talk about the challenges.

A: Tim Duncan presents a challenge that's unique. He's different from pretty much any other big man in the league. He can bring both the power game and he can defend if he needs to. He's a big challenge for us and for the most part, everybody here, we need to step it up.

Q. Nobody is easy, but in some way, does he provide an easier assignment than Shaq was or not?

A: As far as the physical aspects of the game, yeah, he's going to be a lot easier to guard as far as the competition that level and the will to win and coming out and competing every night is going to be pretty much the same.

Q. Do you think it's appropriate the two best defensive teams in the league end up here?

A: No, it's no accident at all. You know, this league has built itself on, you know, on offense, on the offensive ends and usually the teams that win, you know, are the guys that can come down and get stops when we need them and make plays when they need them on both ends of the floor. It's no accident that we're here.

Q. Some guys have written that there's no glitz and glamour in this thing, is that offensive to you?

A: No, not really because there's no glitz and glamour in my game. I find ways to win.

Q. Not personally but team to team they are saying that as well.

A: Like I said, it doesn't bother me one way or the other. We just come out and play. Basketball don't always have to be pretty.

Q. Is there a rallying point for this team this year, no matter what the adversity, you overcome it no matter where you are?

A: We have a nice group of guys here that care about each other. We have a veteran cast here, we have a veteran coaching staff and everybody knows what it takes to win in games. Everybody knows when, you know, you've got somebody on the team that's down or not in the fight with you. You know, everybody knows that you've got to step it up and pull together and play as a team as one unit.

You know, it's no surprise the way that we've been able to handle this adversity.

Q. You almost seem to like the "us against the world" mentality because you seem to play your best that way.

A: Like I said, it didn't bother us what people think about this team or what people say about this team. We're going to come out and we only know how to play one way and that's all out, both ends of the floor. So regardless of what people say, what people call us, we're going to be who we are.

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Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich

Q. Could you describe how you felt last year when Larry got that title.

A: I was really thrilled for him, like you would be for anybody in that situation. But since we have done so much together, and he's been coaching so long and done such a great job in so many places, for him to finally have circumstances work out so that he could get that, was a real thrill. So I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Q. Can you describe your impressions, your very first impressions of Tim and how exactly he's either matured or changed from those first impressions, if at all.

A: He hasn't changed a lick, very honestly. He's exactly the same person that I laid on the sand with down in St. Croix when we drafted him and we talked basketball and tried to figure out who each other was and what we were thinking and what the future might hold, just to see if we got along or see if we clicked at all.

He really hasn't changed much since then and he's basically an introverted, quite humorous, highly intelligent, easy going guy, who has gotten over himself. He's not that impressed with himself. He just likes playing ball and he goes home and does whatever he does. That's him.

Q. Can you talk about Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, as far as their defensive ability and how that plays in helping the Pistons?

A: Sure. Obviously, they are both very good defenders. But beyond that, they give you different looks. They are always going to be there, Ben does it a little bit more with strength, and constant motion and an believable drive and Rasheed does it with his length and his talent. His length is really troublesome. He's got great timing. He anticipates well. He knows how to get from A to B on the court in an efficient manner.

Ben, he's like Manu in a big man's body. He's everywhere. He's going to lay it on the line every minute, a competitor at the highest level for every minute of the game, and so when you've got both of those guys on the court at the same time, it's quite an awesome defensive front.

Q. Just curious about the story of you, the year you spent on sabbatical at Kansas, can you maybe fill in the dots there in terms of what happened.

A: Do I have to tell you everything? Sabbatical is a long time.

Q. What you learned from it and how you spent the whole time on campus?

A: Well, I guess the quick and dirty would be I was able to go away for a whole year, which is pretty remarkable. I was dumb and happy as a professor teaching and coaching and nobody cared and I was happy with that. I spent the year at Carolina and at Kansas. I had known Coach Brown a little bit in the past because I had worked for Coach Egan, who was a coach at the Air Force Academy, I was an assistant and Larry was at Denver, the head coach there and I got to know him in that respect. Coach Smith came through Bob Spear, who was our first coach in the Air Force Academy and Coach Smith worked for him. And so he allowed me to come there and so you can imagine for a whole season, I was with those two guys, you know, in the film room, at practice well, that's not totally true, at Kansas I was at practice. But in the film rooms and stealing as much as I could steal and absorbing and just being with those guys in practice meetings and traveled with the team at Kansas and then went back to Pamona Pitzer, you know, grateful that I had such a great professional year and able to learn from people like that.

Then the following year, Larry came to San Antonio and asked me to come with him, and that was 16 years ago or so.

Q. From your perspective, what's the appeal of this series, the matchup between these two teams?

A: I think, I'm going to try to stay away from that phrase that got really old last year, so I'm not going to say, "The right way".

I think both teams predicate what they do on defense, they are pretty demanding in that sense. Players' limits are predicated on that to a great degree. I think they are both good examples of the parts creating a whole that works, having pieces that fit, some pieces talented, some pieces not so talented but the whole allows it to happen because of those pieces.

So I think in that sense, it's fun to watch how it comes together. But the other part of it is I think both teams have individuals that are really fun to watch. You know, you watch.

Chauncey's strength and the way he uses it on the court to get things done. You see the talent of Rasheed or the hustle of Ben Wallace or a Richard Hamilton and you look at Tayshaun and you look at that long skinny body and wonder how he gets all that stuff done, but he does it because he's a real basketball player.

On our team, we have four or five guys that are the same way and they are really fun to watch. I think either on an individual bases or a team basis, I think there's a lot to see.

Q. Are you at more of a disadvantage because you've had more downtime between the Western Finals and the Finals?

A: I have absolutely no idea. I wouldn't give it any idea. You all would give thought because those are stories and you have to have stories or you'll get fired. I could care less. We're either sharp and in shape or we're not, I have no idea. We're just doing the best we can.

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Spurs Guard Brent Barry

Q. Are they the best defensive team in the league do you think?

A: I think you have the two best defensive teams in the championship. Probably.

Q. How do you feel?

A: Banged up.

Q. How do you feel? Banged up a little bit?

A: I mean, nobody at this point in the season is healthy. Much is made about Miami and the ailments they had. I'm sure the guys from Detroit are banged up and that stuff all gets put aside, and tomorrow night everybody will be ready to go and everybody will be playing on adrenaline.

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Spurs Forward Bruce Bowen

Q. Talk about guarding Rip.

A: For me, I think that you know what he's capable of. So with a guy that's capable of knocking down the shots he knocks down, you don't want him to get anything wide open. I think that's just leading him to a big night when you allow him to get shots that's wide open.

My thing is I try to make sure that I get a hand up or contest as many shots as I can, so I don't want him taking wide open shots. If he takes a wide open shot and he missed two before, that's enough for him to put him into his rhythm.

Q. Can you talk about how much each round he has gotten better (Tim Duncan), the level of play?

A: I think Tim is Tim. He's what makes us go. It's no big secret. I think the media tries to come up with something new and improved to say about Tim and I think he's a wonderful player and that's who he is.

Q. Is this week off the best thing that could have happened for Tim?

A: You'd have to ask Tim that.

Q. Is there something about Tim? Is he maybe one of the secrets to your defensive success because you always know he's behind you?

A: He is, I'd have to say yes. But when I'm defending somebody, you know, it's nice to know that you do have somebody that's able to help you. He really helps out when I do something wrong.

Q. Can you talk about your evolution at the defensive end.

A: A whole lot over the past five years. I look forward to getting better, you know, in different aspects of the game, and knowing better where my guy is and maybe I can help out someone else, so be it. But at the same time I think it's just I'm committed to doing what I have to do to stay on the court and if that's what helps our team win, then so be it.

Q. Do you like this better?

A: I'm in the NBA Finals. I think anybody, you take any type of scorer or anything and you put them in a certain role as I have now, the things that we have accomplished, I think they would do this over anything.

Q. Do you think this will be a good series for basketball? Both teams are very team oriented, not a lot of glitz on either side.

A: I think those who really understand the game are really going to enjoy this series. It's not a matter of one team dominating another. It's not about the flash or anything like that or who is putting up the most points so to speak, or certain players going 40 or 50 or things of that nature. It's a matter of two good basketball teams that are well coached and both of them understand the defensive aspect of the game.

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Spurs Forward/Center Tim Duncan

Q. Can you talk about how much the layoff, I assume, has helped your ankle?

A: Yeah, it's helped it tremendously. It's good to have a little time off in between, not only myself but Manu had a couple dings and Tony with his knee hurting a little bit. So just a lot of different guys with things, so time to heal, it was a good little break. You have to fight against the rust and whatever else, but I think we'll break through that pretty soon and really get back into our flow.

Q. Can you reflect on when you injured it in Detroit, and that was probably the worst.

A: Yeah, I don't know what to say about that, just trying not to think about it as much as possible. It happened, kind of a freak thing and hopefully it will never happen again.

Q. Can you talk about the problems or the challenge facing two active defenders like Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace poses for you.

A: Their entire team are a bunch of great defenders because they really work as a unit. I think Ben and Rasheed do an exceptional job with that because they are so active and they help each other on the weak side. They are both very good weak side shot blockers, and they use that defensive ability to really help each other. So you can't just account for one, you can't just say, "okay, I know where one guy is and I can work on him." You also have to open keep your eye open for the other guy coming in. That in itself is a big challenge.

Q. As someone who has been through knee rehab can you even speculate or imagine what it must be like to come back from multiple major knee surgeries?

A: No, not at all. Not at all. Antonio is an exceptional guy. I can't believe he is where he is and playing the way he is. He's gone through so much, and from the minor injuries that I've had, my knee scope and my ankle problems throughout the year, and just getting back on the floor and trying to regain that confidence, I can't imagine going through something that major and getting back on the court and trying to regain the confidence of your body and your movements and people around you and all of that. It's amazing what he's done.

Q. You were talking a minute ago about Ben and Rasheed as defenders, but Rasheed specifically, what's the toughest thing about playing against a guy like that on the floor?

A: His athleticism, he understands defense, he understands the game, so he'll he's a strong defender, but he uses his length, he uses his jumping ability and he can get away from your body and really affect shots. Just accounting for his body and trying to take away some of that, that spring, and as I said, he understands what he's doing with it, so he allows himself the space and the ability to recover.

Q. When you look at what he's done for that team, how much of an X factor is he?

A: I don't consider him an X factor. He's a huge part of what they do. I don't think you can consider a guy like that an X factor. He's an integral part of them winning and last year, I think you can rule out the X factor talk. He's a part of their team, he needs to play well for them to play well and that's just the bottom line.

Q. Losing last year like you did to the Lakers and then at the Olympics, did it make you gain a greater appreciation for the two years that you did win and did it serve as extra motivation?

A: No. I appreciated those years for what they were. I appreciated them at the time. I've always wanted to get back The Finals and have another opportunity to win.

Things happen, you go through situations, you're not going to win every game, whether it be every season or in a situation in the Olympics. Unfortunate situation. But I don't expect to win everything. I want to give myself the best opportunity and be in the best situation to challenge for a title, challenge for something like that. But I don't expect to win, so I appreciate it as it is now, being here now and being in the moment.

Q. Given the connection with Pop and Larry, how similar are the defensive approaches and philosophies between the two teams?

A: Very similar. I think the major difference is the personnel. They do it different because of the different guys that they have with Rasheed and Ben anchoring it, and a lot of the big bodies that they have anchoring their defense. We do a lot of the same with us, but they also have some big guards, some big, strong guards. I don't think we have the same principles, but we do predicate a lot of what we do on making stops and being able to limit people's offense.

Q. Because of the way Manu and Tony have developed, do you feel more so than the last few times you've been the Finals that if you had a stretch where you don't score or offensively you are not doing it, you are better able to withstand that now because of them?

A: Absolutely. We have not only them playing that much better, but the understanding of our offense, the execution of our offense is a lot better. And it's not just coming down and throwing it to me and making things happen. We're moving the ball, we're pushing up the floor, we're running. Tony and Manu are both exceptional offensive players, but you get people in there like Bruce in the corners and Rob and Brent and guys that can really shoot the ball, they can create for other people, and I think that's what we've been relying on this entire post season, really getting to the point where our execution and our ball movement makes everybody a weapon.

Q. Can you think back to when you were drafted here in '97, it probably does seem like quite some time ago, but what were your goals then and could you have imagined that you would be in position to win your third title within seven years?

A: Absolutely not, no. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I know I was coming to a great situation, a great opportunity to learn with David (Robinson) and the rest of those guys. But I had no idea that at this point in my career I would have an opportunity to be in the third Finals and try for a third championship. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that. I would have hoped that I would be at some point be able to get there and win one. You look at guys that have been in the league for ten, 12, 14 years, and have never been The Finals or never won a championship. And you understand that it's not given to you, it's not something that as soon as you get here, it's promised to you.

And in that, that's why I appreciate and I love being in this situation now because I know it's not always going to be here.

Q. Bruce Bowen had some tough defensive challenges in the playoffs, what do you expect him to bring against Rip Hamilton?

A: Same thing he always brings, just that focus, that intensity on defense where he locks in on someone, whether it be Rip or someone else. It doesn't really matter. He's going to lock in on that guy and he's going to do his best job and he's going to make adjustments throughout the game because I think Rip is one of the best at making adjustments in the game, with his activity, with his movement, he's not going to let a defender lock into him and play one way. I think Bruce is able to make those adjustments, also.

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Spurs Guard Manu Ginobili

Q. In this era, there's 30 teams in the NBA, 420 players, do you realize there are 35 players around that are left handed, that's one of the things I see that makes you special. What are some of the things that you see that make you special and have made you been able to be dominant in these playoffs?

A: I think it helps for some reason, it really helps. I don't feel that when I'm guarding a left handed, or right handed. I just think in my career, it's always been something special that I had. I try to use it.

Q. At the beginning of the playoffs, Carlos Delfino was a little bit upset that he was not on the playoff roster, and he made that kind of public and players on his team calmed him down. Have you spoken to him throughout the post season about that at all?

A: No, I didn't. I read what he said. I would have been upset, you get ink instead of blood. But what I think that he should have said to the press and talk straight to coaches and teams or whoever.

But he's new in this league. He learned. But what I think is great is that he showed everybody he was upset, because you've definitely got to be upset. Nobody likes that.

Q. Can you talk a little about Tony Parker's maturation process, the difference between Tony in The Finals in 2005 versus 2003, and whether or not you guys have more confidence in him as a floor leader than two years ago?

A: Yeah, of course we have way more confidence now. Remember that he was 19 when we won the first championship. Even though he was still a great player, leading us in many games, now he went through a lot of things. This is his fourth year, so he's way more mature. I have no doubt that it's going to be a great match up against.

Chauncey. He's a great player, very experienced, too. Tony is on the way to get that experience. He's so fast, he is so talented that he's going to find his way through.

Q. Your playoff numbers are up so dramatically offensively in each of the three years you've been in, can you just talk about, one, how much pride you take in that, and two, what are the main things that you're doing this year that you're better at than you've done in the past?

A: I think that the numbers are relative. Of course, if you play, your numbers are going to go up, the team is going to score 100, 115, you're going to get more points, more assists and get more boards and stuff like that. I don't really care that much about that. Of course it's good to see your numbers improving but this series is going to be a whole different thing. Games are probably going to be around 85 to 90 points and it's going to be harder to score. And I don't really care. Nobody does. The goal is to do the little things, make a key shot that probably you're going to score eight points, but if you make an important one and get a steal or grab a rebound, so numbers sometimes are very relative, especially at this stage. I don't think that anybody in the whole team cares about that.

Q. You've made some incredible plays throughout the playoffs, some of the drives, some of the layups, and your teammates have said when the ball is in his hand, we don't know what's going to happen. What is your mindset on some of those plays as you're driving in a lane or switching hands?

A: I don't know what is going to happen either. (Laughter).

I'm a slasher. Slasher, I always try to go by the first defensive line. Once I am on the paint, we'll see, I don't know. Sometimes it's going to be an open teammate, sometimes I'm going to be trying to draw a foul or finish.

You know, sometimes there's got to be something that people talks about, about the way I penetrate, but for me it's normal, the same way I've always done it, so for me it's nothing that funny about it, in particular.

Q. I read something last round that you said the Olympics kind of helped your confidence and maybe helped Popovich allow you some more of that freedom, can you expand on that a little bit?

A: Well, I think it did. My confidence, it really helped, because once you feel like you are the Olympic champion and chosen MVP or stuff like that, you start believing even more in yourself, knowing that you've got to be doing something well.

So, it was like a carry over from Athens. Then it really helped me the fact that Pop told me since the beginning that he was going to try to use me more, give me the ball a little bit more.

So I had a nice beginning, I started very confidently and it was a carry over. I think it was the beginning of the change that I made in the last two or three seasons.

Q. Can you talk about the relationship between the two coaches and what that adds to this series?

A: Of course it's got to be pretty special for them. You always hear Pop talking about Larry. You see them always together in the summers. I knew the last year for The Finals, Pop was so excited for Larry and talking to him on the phone all the time, helping each other.

So they are good friends. But, you know, at this stage, you want to win so bad, you really don't care much about who is on the other side, even if my brother is playing for the Pistons, I wouldn't care, I'm going to try to win, beat him, make him score fewer points. They are probably in the same spot.

Q. Can you talk about what makes the Pistons a great team in this era of free agency and also do you consider three championships in seven years a dynasty?

A: They are good, because they play like a team. Many of the teams in this league just don't, and you know that.

Q. Yes, I do. (Laughter)

A: So they know what it takes. They have been adding pieces to that team that really fit. Larry is a great coach, makes them play well. And they have guys that can play defense, move the ball, smart players.

I think we are very similar franchises. We both care a lot about defense and we both base our games on that. Offensively, you know, they have got some scorers.

Chauncey, Tayshaun or Rasheed or even Rip, they can all score. They move the ball very well. It's pretty hard to guard them all.

Q. Will you take us back briefly to the early days in your basketball career, how you started in basketball as a career, what got you into it and how you developed your style, the people you patterned yourself after.

A: How I started?

Q. Yeah.

A: Well, I was 14 and my two brothers were already playing as a pro in Argentina. So I wasn't even thinking about any other option; I wanted to make it there, too.

What I didn't know is that I was going to make it this far. And of course when I started playing, I probably was their, you know, way to improve and get better and then the best players in Argentina then Europe and then the best in the NBA.

You don't try to imitate or play like them, but, you know, you get some things, you admire them, you want to be where they were, so I think that was, I think that helped me to keep improving and looking forward.

Q. What does Robert Horry mean to a team with so many young guys like yourself, you guys have won some championships in the past, but this guy has won wherever he has gone.

A: He's a guy that transmits tranquility. He makes you feel comfortable, confident, knowing that you're going to get there, that he's going to be there to help you out. If you're going to depend on him for a shot, he's going to make it.

Even for a big player, people talk a lot about his, you know, big shots, but he's giving us a lot of big rebounds, steals, blocked shots. So, he's one of those guys that you need to have around for the end because he's going to maybe get a great play.

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Spurs Forward Robert Horry

Q. Robert, this is The Finals and it always seems to be a money time of the year for you. What is it about getting to the big game time and time again?

A: I think I like the pressure. The pressure kind of makes me focus more during the season, and it's not that much pressure. During this time, it's a little bit more pressure, a lot more pressure and you're able to focus more. You need to you keep watching basketball constantly so your basketball knowledge or whatever you want to call it kinds of heightens, so you just go out and you just play basketball and you have fun at it.

Q. Almost more of a mental focus than when you go through the regular season, it's not the end of the world but here it's a little more of a desperate time?

A: Exactly. Plus, I take about six or seven months to get in shape. (Laughter).

Q. Do you ever think about how incredibly lucky you are that wherever you go you end up playing in the NBA Finals?

A: I think about it, my friends tell me about it. I know I'm very lucky, very fortunate. I think that all of the staffs I've been on and all of the teams I've been on, the coaching staffs, they have all had the confidence to put me on the court because I know other times and other situations the teams I've been on are phenomenal. The guys I play with are phenomenal. You look at the players I've played with, I've played with probably six or seven Hall of Famers.

Q. It's not just the teams but you feel you're a big part of the teams, because you've made some big shots over the years.

A: You want to feel that way but I'm just every team I've been on, we had major stars that come in and step up. You look at the things I do, that's just minor to what they do. My stuff happens to be in a game where it's focused more, but those guys are leaders and the main parts to the machine.

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Spurs Center Nazr Mohammed

Q. You won a national championship here in San Antonio on a pretty big stage in the Final Four. Does this compare to that?

A: I can tell you that if I win another one, if I win another one here.

Q. You won a national championship here in San Antonio on a pretty big stage in the Final Four. Does this compare to that?

A: I can tell you that if I win another one, if I win another one here.

Q. The atmosphere?

A: The atmosphere is similar as far as a lot of media and, you know, our focus is just as it's even more focused as it was in '98 when we won the Championship.

Q. Now, if you talk about the difference in attack with Phoenix's front line, the more athletic front lines up and down through Detroit, even though you have a couple of seven footers you can shoot from the outside like Rasheed Wallace, it's a more physical group.

A: It's going to be more physical. The biggest change is that, you know, someone like Shawn Marion who was athletic and ran and they have someone like Rasheed who is 6 11 and long and he can run. That's the biggest difference. They are a little bit deeper coming off the bench with their bigs.

You know, it's a long season and you experience things like that throughout the season.

Q. Did you watch Game 7, couple minutes to go, going up against Shaq and getting ready for that

A: I honestly didn't know who we would be playing. I was just watching the game and I noted Detroit's defense always keeps them in games. I was watching the game and I was open to playing either team. But, you know, now it's Detroit and that's who we're worried about.

Q. Talk about the defense these team play?

A: It can get ugly. As long as we have one more point, I don't care what it is, these are two great defensive teams and they are both going to try to stop each other's offensive output, but I think they are pretty good at scoring, too, and we proved that playing against Phoenix that we can get up and down and put some points up.

Q. The atmosphere?

A: The atmosphere is similar as far as a lot of media and, you know, our focus is just as it's even more focused as it was in '98 when we won the Championship.

Q. Now, if you talk about the difference in attack with Phoenix's front line, the more athletic front lines up and down through Detroit, even though you have a couple of seven footers you can shoot from the outside like Rasheed Wallace, it's a more physical group.

A: It's going to be more physical. The biggest change is that, you know, someone like Shawn Marion who was athletic and ran and they have someone like Rasheed who is 6 11 and long and he can run. That's the biggest difference. They are a little bit deeper coming off the bench with their bigs.

You know, it's a long season and you experience things like that throughout the season.

Q. Did you watch Game 7, couple minutes to go, going up against Shaq and getting ready for that .

A: I honestly didn't know who we would be playing. I was just watching the game and I noted Detroit's defense always keeps them in games. I was watching the game and I was open to playing either team. But, you know, now it's Detroit and that's who we're worried about.

Q. Talk about the defense these team play?

A: It can get ugly. As long as we have one more point, I don't care what it is, these are two great defensive teams and they are both going to try to stop each other's offensive output, but I think they are pretty good at scoring, too, and we proved that playing against Phoenix that we can get up and down and put some points up.

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Spurs Center Rasho Nesterovic

Q. Rasho, are you worried about the long layoff?

A: No, this is Finals. For most of the players, it's the first time, so we're excited. We're going to come out and give our best with everything we have.

Q. How frustrating is it over the last couple of series to play not as much as you're used to playing?

A: A little bit because I wasn't used to it, but with injury and rotation, but we're The Finals, so there's nothing to complain about.

Q. With their front line as big as it is, you know, there will be some fouls and stuff out there, do you expect you'll get more playing time in this series than the last couple?

A: I'm going to be ready and give everything I have. I just feel that we're going to come out like a winner and that's the most important.

Q. Talk about those guys, the Wallaces?

A: It's not just Wallace and Wallace, all of the front Pistons are very good, pick and roll position, they are good players. This is their second year after last year and they play together. They are definitely a very good team.

Q. Is it hard to sit and watch?

A: Yes. I mean, I think I could never be a bench, that's for sure. You watch the game and you try to change something but you can't so it's pretty hard, just sitting so close.

Q. Other than you being on the floor a whole lot more, what would you change?

A: Oh, at least you're on the floor on the bench you see more things than you see on the floor.

Q. What have you seen that you think gives you guys an edge right now from that perspective?

A: No, it's just a different point of view. The game, you watch your guys, a couple other guys, it's very fast and you don't see that much on the bench, you'll see what was wrong on pick and rolls and rebounds and anything. So you're actually seeing what works from a different perspective.

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Spurs Guard Tony Parker

Q. Tony, you guys played incredible in that Phoenix series, do you think you need to play better to beat this Detroit team?

A: Well, I think we need to play better. It's going to be tough against Detroit. They are a very good team and they match up very good against us, a great defense and they play a little bit like us and so we just have to play even better. I think we can play better defense. Against Phoenix, we played pretty good D but I think we can do better.

Q. Watching that Game 7 the other night, was there anything that stood out to you like, "man, we have to really step up," any particulars?

A: It was fun to watch. It was a great game and two great teams and I think they came out very focused with a great mentality. They fought through the whole series and Game 7 in Miami, that showed character and so we know they are going to come ready against us.

Q. What do you think about Detroit's defense?

A: I think they played great defense. Very solid and, you know, they don't have any weaknesses. They play a little bit like us. They have a very good mentality. They want to play defense, they want to make shots and we know the Detroit defense, that's how they get their offense going.

Q. Two great defensive teams …

A: We know it's not going to be like Phoenix; it's not going to be 120 115. We're not going to see scores like that in The Finals. It's going to be a halfcourt game and every possession is going to be very important and both teams are, I think, going we are going to take care of the ball. So it's not going to be a lot of points, I think.

Q. It's not going to be pretty though, is it?

A: It's going to be very physical. You have Rasheed and Ben Wallace inside, they are going to play good D and they are going to play very aggressive and very physical.

[BIGJT]

관심이 있습니다만 저는 GG입니다 ㅠㅠ 해석부탁드려용~;;;

[Duncan&Kidd홧팅]

스퍼스 꺼라도 해보도록 노력해보죠. ^^;;

[Live2000]

전부다 부탁드려용~~~ (퍽... 끌려간다...)

[Black Lavens]

ㅎㅎㅎ/// 수비팀들끼리 경기라 재미없겠다...하지만 래리 vs 포포비치의 싸움은 정말 리그에서 가장 치열한 싸움이 될듯...

[T-MacTime!]

좋은 글 감사합니다 ^^; 좋은 내용이군요. 선수들의 투지가 엿보입니다(-_-a) 믿어줘요 -_- 진짜예요

[스틸왕야오밍]

글도 많고 영어에다가..-_-;; 관심가는 선수 인터뷰만 읽었는데 립의 보웬에 대한 He's not a guy that just wants to reach and try to get steals and things like that. He'll try to bump you with his hips, his legs, his knees and everything else. 이 말이 인상깊네요; 보웬의 수비가 어떤지 한 번에;

[D.Bergkamp]

NBA게시판에서 옮겨왔습니다