Los Angeles Clippers 126, Dallas Mavericks 111
Q. Just mentally, it seemed like you guys never really got -- when they got up, especially late in the game, did you need to say anything to them or were they just mentally locked in all day?
TYRONN LUE: They were mentally locked in all day, and it was a total team effort. You know, having 30 assists in a Game 7, 126 points; Marcus making seven threes; Terance Mann in the first half, Luke Kennard coming in and making three threes; Nico the way he started the game; and PG and Kawhi having 19 assists between the two of those guys, it was a total team effort, and you know, Reggie coming up big at the end and making some big threes for us.
Like I say, it was a total team win. We wanted this moment. It was a great test for us on making us battle-tested going into the second round, and so like I said, that was a great win for us.
Q. Marcus, the game he had, what did it mean to you guys to get a spark by him in the three-point-range?
TYRONN LUE: It means a lot. We were getting shots all series we didn't make and we kept saying time and time again that we getting great looks versus their zone and versus their man; PG and Kawhi came attacking and we got open shots but we just didn't make them. We just told guys, trust your work, trust all the work you put in all season, throughout your career to get here to this point.
And like I said, Marcus is second-leading three-point shooter in the league this year. So we knew he was going to make shots and we just didn't know when, but what a great time to make 20 threes in Game 7.
Q. You have a short turnaround after a pretty taxing series, but do you feel like having gone through this experience, the ups and downs, coming back from two deficits, that this could be almost like a springboard for you guys going into a tough series?
TYRONN LUE: Yeah, I think so. Just battle tested going to seven games in the first round, coming out here, winning the game on our home floor, which we didn't play well the first three games but it just shows a lot about our team, about the resilience, about what we have done all season long.
Luke Kennard and Terance Mann, like I said, playing big games this year because of our injuries and guys being out and for those guys come in and step in to play the way they did was huge for us.
Q. You said the guys wanted this moment. How did today feel different than the last time you guys were in a Game 7 last year? How much were they just motivated to get rid of that bad taste out of their mouths from last year?
TYRONN LUE: You'd have to ask those guys that. But I know it was a tough series for us. Luka put a lot of pressure on us throughout the course of this series, which we needed. We were able to do some different things defensively that we need to see and need to do, as well, so we've got to get better with that. But you know, last year was last year.
We talked about it, you know, when the season started, that's over and we've got to look going forward. We can't keep looking behind and what happened. That's just over. So we've got to do what we've got to do, keep moving on and getting ready for the second round.
Q. Was there a moment today that you just kind of knew that these guys had it in them today?
TYRONN LUE: I mean, I guess when we had walk through guys was locked in and focused which we have been all series. We made a couple adjustments after the first two games and was able to go 4-1 after we made those adjustments. Those guys have been focused all series long, so you get down 0-2 on your home floor, and to go to a hostile environment in Dallas where their fans was out of control, you know, and to come back and win 4-1, it just says a lot about our team.
So they have been focused throughout the whole series, just we had to make some adjustments and go from there.
Q. The third quarter did not start great, you had to call a time-out; what did you tell your team in that moment and how were they able to turn it around?
TYRONN LUE: Just got to take advantage of this opportunity. You know, I said, come out and take advantage -- we can't turn the basketball over and we have to get back in transition but keep attacking. Don't get enticed by take the three-point shots because they are in the zone. We have to get back to attacking the rim and attacking the paint, and -- open threes that are open. Just a little lull coming out in the start of the third quarter, but like I said, we got back on track and we called a time-out and kept attacking and get to go where we wanted to get to offensively.
Q. Before Game 3, or after Game 2, you said you thought Dallas's shooting would come back down-to-earth and it did. You thought you were going to have a good shooting game and you did. What's your thoughts on Utah and that series?
TYRONN LUE: I mean, can we enjoy this one first? We know they are a tough team. They have made the most threes in the league this year per game, and Donovan Mitchell, who is a snake at that team. That team, they have got great coach in Quinn who does a good job, a lot of movement; Gobert who is an anchor in the middle. I'm going to go look at it today, you know, try to get as much done today as I can and tomorrow, but right now I haven't had a chance to really lock in on them.
Q. Luke Kennard gave you a big, big boost after not playing the first five games. Did you see anything in Game 6 that led you to believe he was going to be successful?
TYRONN LUE: We knew he was going to make shots but the biggest thing that was concerning was the defensive part with Luka on the floor and how they played.
But in Game 6, I saw he had great shows on Luka, he was able to guard Brunson. Got a big steal down on the floor and got a steal for us to get out in transition. So I knew defensively he wasn't going to be a problem. I saw that in Game 6.
And the way we was shooting the basketball I thought we just we needed to insert another shooter in the lineup. Especially with PG and Kawhi drawing so much attention. Game 7, same thing, he came out and made three threes for us off the bench.
Q. You have a great challenge in Utah and a goal beyond that, but what would it mean to get to a conference Finals considering this franchise's history?
TYRONN LUE: It means a lot to win and keep advancing. You play this game and prep all season long to get to this point and the playoffs and produce. Like I said first round was a tough series for us. We are battle-tested now going into Game 7. We are going into ought where they have a tough fan base and it's tough to play there but our guys are locked in. I think Dallas really good a great job of preparing us for the next series.
Q. When you guys were down 30-11 in Game 3 and you took that time-out, was there any panic in that atmosphere? You talked about how wild the crowd was, you're down 0-2 and they jumped on you. Do you think the last week has revealed some character about the team? Did you learn some things you didn't know before this?
TYRONN LUE: A lot of character, and I knew because we showed it all season long when guys were out. But our coaching staff, we did a great job just staying poised. Chauncey did a great job working with PG because PG has been playing mostly point guard for our team all year. You know, just showing him different ways to make different passes, different reads.
And just our coaching staff, Kenny Atkinson with player development working with Luke Kennard and Terance Mann, those guys get work in every day. Roy Rogers, Dan Craig and Brendan O'Connor defensively, just being able to make adjustments and make sure our guys are prepared.
And Larry Drew, what he does for me offensively has been great. And of course Jeremy Castleberry, what he does with Kawhi and just our approach I think every single day of having a workers' mentality, I think having a confidence to us not getting rattled, being poised when things go wrong and things are tough for us and our coaching staff has done a great job of doing that. I think we came through the time-out down 19, we never got rattled. Guys were saying we got to clean up our mistakes, keep attacking and keep chipping away, and we were able to do that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports