On the mentality and approach he wants to see from his team in this single-elimination game:

"I think just the sense of urgency of being able to play together, tied together on both ends of the floor. That sense of urgency, that toughness, that physicality that we know we play with when we're at our best."

On how much he can draw from past Game 7 and playoff experiences to prepare for tonight:

"Every situation is different, and I think the ability to draw on some of them is good. You had our Game 7 a few years ago, you had the playing game last year against Atlanta as a situation, you had Milwaukee to be able to avoid the playing situation. I think those are things you can draw upon, but it is a different team. The mindset has to be the same in that you can get the job done and that the small things that it takes in order to do that."

On what he makes of this Charlotte team and the season they've had:

"They've been incredible. I think Coach Lee has done a fantastic job with that group. Them being healthy for the majority of the year has helped them out tremendously. The way they're pushing the ball offensively, the shot creation that they have, defensively they've turned to a different level. They're fifth in offensive rating right now. Since the break they've been one of the best teams in the NBA. So he's done an incredible job with that group, the way that they've come together."

On how the team has responded individually after the last two games, knowing they can't have that performance again:

"I think everybody's taken ownership of it. We all win together, we all lose together. That's part of it. You have to take ownership in what we're doing. That's the great part about this group — they've taken ownership in what we need to do, the game planning moving forward, and being able to take care of tonight."

On why Charlotte has beaten them in the past four games and how the availability of the roster has factored in:

"It's a combination of two things. I think it really is that they did beat us in those games. So that's the reality of the situation. Did we have our entire roster? No. We'll find out what that looks like tonight. That's why I said every situation is different, but you can draw some things from each of those situations as the games go on."

On the importance of setting the tone early, especially after Charlotte built big leads in previous wins:

"You go back and look at the last one. We were up early and then we made a couple adjustments and they came out and jumped on us and went on a big run. I think our ability to come out the right way, especially at home in front of our fans and in front of this group, is going to be very important."

On the importance of getting Paolo Banchero early touches and easy baskets tonight:

"Teams are adjusting to him all throughout the season. That's the one thing we keep recognizing — how we can get him some early easy baskets tonight that will start off early. I think that's very important for us to make sure we recognize that and that we continue to try to get those early easy baskets, not just for him early, but for all of us, for our entire group."

On how much rhythm Franz Wagner is in and the challenge of finding rhythm with constant lineup changes due to injuries:

"I was just talking to a couple of coaches the other day that have been through the scenario where you have injuries in and out of the lineups, and they talk about it being very difficult to find a rhythm and a routine. That is part of it. The way that you get back into that rhythm is you have a couple practice sessions, you go through the games, you re-evaluate the film, what you can do. But that's where talk and communication is so important. You have to feel your way through it too, but you also have to talk your way through it so everybody on the floor knows exactly what you're doing and how they can read and react off you. Franz is one of the best at that, to be able to find his rhythm."

On the national talking heads questioning Paolo Banchero last week:

"I wish I could say that I listen to any of it. I walk in and I watch Paolo every single day. I watch how he works. I watch him with his teammates. I watch him with the coaching staff. That's all that I can go off of, and that's all I'll continue to go off of. He and I's conversations, his conversations with his teammates, him in the film room, him in the film sessions. That's all I go off of. The talking heads — that's probably a question that only they can answer."

On how to channel or manage frustration throughout the course of a game so it doesn't overwhelm the team:

"That is a big time question. The only answer you can have to that is to stay in the present moment. If you look in the past, you get stuck there. Our guys need to have the ability to just stay in the moment. That's what they've done. They've proven in moments like this — single game eliminations — that they can perform."

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!

For additional coverage, subscribe to our Full Court Magic Podcast!