Terry Stotts thinks effort will be more important than strategy when the Trail Blazers try to avoid being swept by the Warriors in the Western Conference finals.
The Warriors moved up 3-0 in the series with a 110-99 victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Stephen Curry scoring 36 points while Draymond Green claimed a triple-double.
Portland held an 18-point lead in the second quarter but added just 13 in the third as Golden State came from behind to move one win away from a fifth straight NBA Finals appearance.
Stotts felt the Trail Blazers offense "fell apart" in the second half and called for improved energy levels in Game 4 at Moda Center on Monday.
"We're going to give it our best effort on Monday. I mean, that's all that matters, is we give it our best effort. We give it everything we have on Monday, and whatever happens, happens," Stotts said.
"But that's [about] having the pride and professionalism to give it the best effort and to get a home win, and then go from there.
"I don't know if it's as much about strategy as about just rallying around and giving it the best effort possible."
#RipCity pic.twitter.com/gglmGmYZfa
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) May 19, 2019
Portland overcame the Thunder in the first round before beating the Nuggets in Game 7 in the second round, and C.J. McCollum, who scored a team-high 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, is excited by the prospect of an all-or-nothing match.
"You never want a series to end, especially in your home court. Everybody on this team has pride," McCollum said.
"Everybody on this team understands what's at stake, and we've been through a lot of adversity this season and in our lives individually. We're looking forward to the challenge.
"We dug ourselves in quite a hole but now for us it's just one game at a time. The next game is Monday at home in front of our fans and we want to do our best to try to put on a good show."
Damian Lillard added: "It starts with one. We've still got another game on our floor, and that's a solid start for us.
"We can't look at Game 5 or Game 6 or any of that. We've just got to get one. We're confident that we can do that and then once we do that, we build from there."