OAKLAND, Calif. _ In the Warriors' Western Conference finals series against Houston, Shaun Livingston knows exactly what his role is going to be.
"Just coming in off the bench and being a stabilizer," Livingston said. "Making sure that we're doing all of the little things that we need to be doing. Getting the right play calls, getting the right people the ball, being aggressive myself, boxing out, right rotations."
Livingston, an 11-year veteran in the league, has been with the Warriors the past four seasons, providing a stable and consistent force for them throughout three straight NBA Finals appearances and two championships.
So far this postseason, he's averaging 7.3 points on 46.8 percent shooting in 17.7 minutes a game.
"Shaun is going to be a mainstay," Warriors' coach Steve Kerr said. "No matter who we play, Shaun will play."
Livingston is a smart and savvy veteran whom Kerr trusts in high-pressure situations. But one thing he doesn't do is shoot 3s. Despite the trend for all positions to do that more and more, Livingston has shied away from that aspect of the game.
Throughout the playoffs, he's only attempted one shot from beyond the arc. During the regular season, he only shot five shots from that distance, missing each of them.
Livingston said he's able to be successful on the Warriors even though he doesn't shoot 3s because of his teammates.
"I'm playing on a team that shoots the most 3s so it helps my game," Livingston said. "If I were playing somewhere else, maybe it wouldn't be that way."
The Warriors travel to Houston on Sunday and Livingston said he's looking forward to opening a series on the road for the first time with this team.
"I like it," Livingston said. "It sets that tone. You've got to be ready, appropriate fear."
It's something that he says will keep the Warriors sharp and engaged.
"On the road when you go on a run, they can curve that run," he said. "Their crowd gets into it and now you've got to build it again. You've got to build another one."
Livingston said he's excited for this series to begin _ mainly because then the Warriors are inching closer to where they want to be.
"Playing to get to The Finals, playing for a championship," Livingston said. "That attention to detail and that intensity that we have to play with has got to be at an all-time high. We've got to leave it all out there."
