Rick Carlisle had plenty to say after his team’s blowout 122-86 win over the two-time defending champs Sunday afternoon. Here were some of his thoughts.
On how they beat the Lakers:
The three-point shot is a big part of the game now. It’s been a big part of the success that we’ve been able to have, but more importantly we guarded them.
On their approach to facing LA in the second round:
There were multiple teams that didn’t play their guys down the stretch of the season to avoid the possibility of playing LA [in the early rounds]. We did not do that. We kept playing and we kept winning because we felt that winning games and gaining momentum was the best way to win a championship and deep down felt that if you’re going to beat LA the best chance to do it is in the second round.
On how satisfied he is with this series win:
We’ll be satisfied when we have a ring. It would be my first coaching ring, so all of us are in this together. We don’t have anyone in that lockerroom that has a ring, so we’re all going for the same thing.
On Phil Jackson:
His contributions to the game have been gigantic. My belief is that he’ll retire for a while, but I don’t know how long you can go to Montana and meditate and … smoke peyote or whatever he does there. He’s gonna get bored, and I mean that in an endearing way. But we’re talking about the greatest coach in the history of our game. I was drafted by Red Auerbach. I was around Red Auerbach for three or four years, and I know the magnitude of what he accomplished, but what Phil has done is ridiculous.
See the entire postgame press conference here.