Watch: SGA and JDub Discuss Mental Growth, Defensive Dominance, and Playoff Readiness in Postgame Q&A

Q: You and your teammates managed to generate good looks in clutch time. What did you like about how you handled the pressure in the closing moments?

"It's something we've worked on all year. Being able to generate good looks down the stretch when the game gets tight, defenses are locked in, and the pace slows down—it's not easy. But we were pretty good at it tonight. We could always be better, and we’ll keep working at it."

Q: You’ve been efficient in these last few series. What do you feel like you learned about yourself in this postseason?

"I don’t think I learned anything new, but I’m proud of my ability to stay with it. In the past, I would have backed off when things weren’t going well. This year, I’ve taken a mental step forward. I stayed true to myself, and because of that, I was able to help us win tonight."

Q: The team converted 32 points off 22 Memphis turnovers. What do you think makes you all so successful in turning defense into offense?

"We have really good players, and live-ball turnovers let us play in transition, which is when we're most dangerous. When you give our team space, it's hard to stop us. It's a credit to both our defense and our offensive capabilities as a team."

Q: You’ve had a solid run so far in the playoffs. How does it feel to have this time off before your next series?

"The break can go both ways—it could add rust or it could refresh us. We just need to find the balance. We always say the time between games is when you win in the playoffs. We're focused on being a better team than we were tonight and better than we were this series when we hit the next round."

Q: What’s been the biggest development in your game that’s contributed to your success in the playoffs?

"It's my mentality—being aggressive from the start of the game to the finish. It’s about staying in that aggressive mindset the entire time, even when things aren’t going perfect. My teammates and coaches have given me confidence to do that, and it's been a huge factor in my development."

Q: You’ve talked about physicality in the playoffs. How has that helped your team?

"Yeah, definitely. We’ve always harped on playing through contact, especially on defense. We have players who can do that really well. We try to bring the same level of physicality on offense, and I think that’s been a big part of our success, especially in the playoffs."

Q: In the final moments when Memphis made a run, what allowed you all to hold on to the lead?

"Execution. When we went up by 11, it gave us a cushion. That allowed us to manage the clock and still have a lead when they made their run. We fouled at the right times and got good shots down the stretch. It was a complete team effort in managing the game."