Get a day.

You're talking about how the locker room is kind of a sacred place.

What's your general message, guys After after a game today?

It's a sacred place, man.

You just said it.

I'm proud of the guys.

They left it out there and I'll just say I'm very proud of them.

And, um, give credit to Miami.

Give credit to Erik Spoelstra, the players, you know, they did a fabulous job.

Um, you know a lot of respect for Miami and their program, their players, their coaches.

Eso credit to those guys for what they did in this Siri's and what they did tonight.

Eric name Indeed, for after falling in the postseason last year, you guys largely came back with similar strategies and tactics, and you guys made some tweaks and adjustments.

But fun in the postseason again.

Does it feel like you need to make more drastic changes toe what it is that you guys do offensively and defensively?

Going forward way just We just played a five game Siri's had a health oven effort tonight, the way the guys competed and played, you know there's gonna be time to look at and think, and I think we're always trying to find ways to get better, and we'll do that again.

But right now, way just had our season come to a conclusion and just got to digest that in this game.

Obviously, you guys leaned on Chris a lot in game four.

Uh, had some jumpers that were short tonight.

Obviously, I think you could see his legs were feeling a little bit.

How do you feel about his effort?

And then, you know, guys like Brooke and Eric that also played a Yeah, Chris.

Chris laid everything out there.

The whole group, they left everything they had.

Um, you know, it's it's it's tough, you know?

They're trying to do everything they can for each other.

Uh, moving, playing fast, defending guarding, and you got to do it all on.

I think Chris Chris felt good.

He wants he actually never wanted to come out.

So, um, you know, blood, Brooke, they all They all did what we expected of them.

They competed.

They stay together, they played together.

Um, and we weren't, you know, we couldn't get it done tonight.

Jeff Zilkha.

Why did you think there was a discernible difference in the way you guys played in the restart compared to few March 11th and maybe what you account for the difference in play and was that 4.5 month lay off just a little bit too much for your Well, the 4.5 month layoff for our team wasn't any different than any other teams that came here to Orlando to compete and try and be the last team standing.

So, um, you know, we had a heck of a year, you know, through March 11th a lot, a lot of good things, a lot of positives.

Um, you know, we had our moments here in Orlando, but ultimately way just we weren't able Thio to get it done, So e think everybody's got dealing with same circumstances Eric would here because you've always been the guy that, you know, accept responsibility.

You never run from excuses or anything like that.

But do you feel like guys were, you know, fully prepared just what?

Everything that was going on outside the court, You know, the social justice and stances and everything like that.

Uh, you still like guys?

We're fully prepared.

Thio really locked in mentally to play in the playoffs, the shit like where do you see?

Like you know, God's mindset.

You know, this year you feel like they were going to be Yeah, no, I mean, I think, you know, there's no doubt that, you know, every I think every player, every coach, every team, every organization came down here with, you know, two things that were important to him and keeping you know, the voice and the light fighting for social justice and all those things.

We're not any different.

Every team has been fighting for it.

Everybody's been making it a priority.

And then you gotta go on when and compete and get your mind where it's supposed to be for the game.

And I thought our guys did that.

Um, you know, they're fully capable of doing both, and that's what's required of us today on our guys mindset, their focus, their effort.

I can only commend them Sam Amick.

But the one difference with your squad, you guys were the ones where George wasn't comfortable playing with team.

Is that decided not to play?

I know you're not a psychologist, but do you feel like the team was able to recover from the uniqueness of that choice.

In the gravity of it.

Get back to playing the count.

Bollywood's.

Yeah.

There's no doubt that that was a big moment.

You know, we feel like, um, you know, the entire league, All the players are team, You know, it was on the right side of history, and for our group, it was significant.

But I think you know it.

Could you know if if all of a sudden we played well and won a bunch of games that could have been are rallying point, right?

That would probably be the question if we'd won.

I think both things air overplayed and overstated.

And you gotta go out and play.

You gotta you gotta defend.

You gotta rebound.

You gotta take care of the ball.

You gotta make shots and you gotta fight for social justice.

You gotta find for things you believe in.

And so certainly we were in the middle of it.

It was significant, but it's just part of life.

I would say it could have helped us and may have helped us.

I know it helped us as humans.

I think Zohra Stevenson Mhm.

Well, coach with John is getting defensive player of the year.

You knew he was gonna be on an all defensive team, but Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, it was announced before the game.

Would you mind just speaking on?

Obviously, you talked all season about what they mean to this team's defense, but what does it mean for you to see them get recognized for that?

Were you able to recognize them in a group setting despite what happened today?

Um, no, it was whispered in my ear, probably 10 15 20 minutes before the game.

So I did.

Did you have that before the game?

But we my guess is Yanis Brooke bled if they know somebody has whispered it to him since the game ended, we haven't had a chance to acknowledge it as a group, but, uh, you know, certainly there's a lot of things from this season that will weigh, will reflect on that were hugely positive, our defense and being, You know, I think the number one defense of efficiency team in the league again, Um, you know Yanis on the first team, Brooke and Blood on the second team.

It's just it's, uh, it's a huge compliment to what they did, Um, the entire year, the respect they have around the league, and it's really, you know, we wanna be great defensively.

We've done that on a consistent basis and we've got to continue that going forward.

Two more.

Let's go to Cane Pittman.

Hey, but don't know pregame was still off in the air a little bit.

Yannis was out there getting some shots up.

I was just wondering that I know that he would have been from maybe pushing to play.

Was that the case that you just have to say, Listen, you are not Okugo And then I guess it was the surprise of Taiwanese such a competitive.

But to see him up, standing up on the bench, cheering the whole game, I mean, what can you say that Yeah, Maybe just touch on the end part.

They're like to see Yanis e don't know like he's actually out there rebounding the ball during pregame warm ups, and I think, halftime or one.

Or both.

For sure, you know, he's coaching and support his teammates.

He is there for his teammates, and that's, you know, to the first part of the question you know, to Yanis always wants to play.

He's never gonna pull himself.

And, you know, there was a plan today and we had to look and put our heads together and listen to Yonas.

But listen to our sports performance group led by Troy Flynn again.

And, you know, ultimately John horses, rgm and myself and we just we couldn't let Yanis uh, you know, go out there and he's just he's not ready, is not healthy.

We can't put him at risk.

And Yanis would always play.

He wants to be there for his teammates.

Eso really, really hard for Yannis.

But I think it was pretty clear from everybody.

Probably, except for his perspective, What needed to happen?

Yes, damn lucky.

But you guys probably kind of a long Sam's question, maybe had the most unique experience of any team here.

I know you said you need to digest things, but obviously disappointment on not being able t advance matched with the pride of what your team stood for.

How does that sit with you?

It seems like that be complicated.

It is hell.

The question, um you know, I think what the team stands for and the I think the character of the humanity to stand and, you know, be on the right side of history like we did.

Um, you know, led by George and Sterling.

And that was emotional.

And, you know, it's such a great group.

I think, you know, Winning's important way had high expectations starting the season throughout the season.

Coming here, Um, you always want to realize those expectations, but the relationships, the character, what this group did, you know, I think yeah, would be great to get out both.

But, you know, I think if you're gonna choose one, I'd like to be with guys with high character and stand for something.

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