TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star 2012 concludes on tonight at 6 p.m. (ET) with NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com followed by the network’s exclusive coverage of the NBA All-Star Game at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

 

 ***CLIP OF THE NIGHT***

(Please click the link below to view)

 

TNT’s Cheryl Miller gets Kenny Smith’s opinion on who is the real “Superman” during NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm

 

 

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NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Chris Webber and Shaquille O’Neal

 

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed TNT analyst Kenny Smith prior to the night’s festivities

    

Smith on the shooter’s mentality when they step on the court: “Shooters don’t warm up, you either have it when you walk on the floor or you don’t.”

 

Smith on who is “Superman” – Shaquille O’Neal or Dwight Howard:  “The real Superman for the last 15-16 years was a guy named Shaquille O’Neal. However, since he came to Atlanta in (TNT’s) Studio J he is just Shaquille O’Neal; he is no longer Superman.  Superman is not in the building.”

 

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NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm

 

Haier Shooting Stars

Kevin Harlan, Mike Fratello, Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting. 

 

Participants:

Team New York (winners): Former New York Knick Allan Houston, New York Liberty’s Cappie Pondexter, Knicks’ Landry Fields

Team Atlanta: NBA TV’s Steve Smith, Atlanta Dream’s Lindsey Harding, Atlanta Hawks’ Jerry Stackhouse

Team Orlando: NBA TV’s Dennis Scott, Phoenix Mercury’s Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Orlando Magic’s Jameer Nelson

Team Texas: TNT’s Kenny Smith, San Antonio Silver Stars’ Sophia Young, Houston Rockets’ Chandler Parsons

 

Fratello on Kenny Smith’s performance in the Haier Shooting Stars: “Kenny is one of those guys that will always make trick shots.”

 

Taco Bell Skills Challenge

Harlan, Fratello, Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting

 

Participants: Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs – winner), Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) and John Wall (Washington Wizards)

 

Miller on his prediction for the Skills Challenge competition: “This is Kyrie Irving’s coming out party.  He was great yesterday in the rookie challenge.” 

 

Miller on strategy at the skills challenge: “You can’t be cool in this event. You have to come out.” 

 

Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout

Kevin Harlan, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting

 

Participants: Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves – winner), Mario Chalmers (Miami Heat), Anthony Morrow (New Jersey Nets), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic) and James Jones (Miami Heat)

 

Barkley on Reggie Miller’s NBA career: “Reggie is one of the five best shooters I’ve ever been around.  He was a great, great three-point shooter.  I wasn’t a great three-point shooter.  If I shot one, it was because we needed one.”  

 

Barkley on Miami Heat All-Stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James wearing glasses:  “I don’t like that little intelligent nerd look they are trying to get.  I don’t ever want to look like a nerd.” 

 

Barkley on the Minnesota Timberwolves: “(Timberwolves head coach) Rick Adelman is one of the most underrated coaches in the NBA history.  He is doing a fantastic job.” 

 

Barkley on Timberwolves’ Kevin Love’s shooting ability: “The only thing that concerns me with Kevin Love, is I don’t want him to fall in love with shooting threes.  I don’t want my power forward being a great three-point shooter.  If he makes 12-15 foot jumpers, I’d rather have him shoot that.  Big guys don’t want to come out and play power forward. ”   

 

Barkley on Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant and Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose: “[They are two] of the great people in the NBA. [Kevin Durant] and Derrick Rose, they are great players and nice men.  They make their mamas proud.” 

 

Barkley on Orlando Magic’s Ryan Anderson: “[Anderson is] he best big man shooter in the NBA right now.”

 

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Harlan, Barkley, Reggie Miller, Shaquille O’Neal with Cheryl Miller reporting.  

 

Participants: Jeremy Evans (Utah Jazz – winner), Chase Budinger (Houston Rockets), Paul George (Indiana Pacers) Derek Williams (Minnesota Timberwolves)

 

Barkley on Kevin McHale’s first year as the Houston Rockets head coach: “Kevin McHale’s done a great job with that team this year.”

 

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TNT’s exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star 2012 continues on Saturday, February 25 at 8:30 p.m. (ET), with NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which includes the Haier Shooting Stars, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and the Sprite Slam Dunk.  TNT’s coverage of the 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 26 begins at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

 

 

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BBVA Rising Stars Challenge – Team Chuck (146), Team Shaq (133)

Kevin Harlan and Kenny Smith with Craig Sager reporting

 

Smith comments on Detroit Pistons sophomore Greg Monroe: “I like Greg Monroe. He’s a guy who has improved. He can shoot that mid-range jump shot and for most bigs [players], that air is rare out there.”

 

Smith comments on Indiana Pacers sophomore Paul George: “He was undervalued during the draft and slipped a little bit further than I thought he would. He has an array of skill sets and a tremendous upside.”

 

Smith comments on Utah Jazz sophomore Gordon Hayward: “He’s one of my favorite young players right now. If there are four guys who are going to play on Sunday night [in the All-Star Game] someday…he’s one of them.”

 

Smith comments on New Jersey Nets rookie MarShon Brooks: “MarShon Brooks is a guy that a lot of people haven’t seen with the Nets. He’s a guy that gets buckets. Give him the basketball and he’ll score.”

 

Smith comments on the Charlotte Bobcats: “The Charlotte Bobcats are struggling and in a shortened season, they got discouraged early. When you don’t give NBA players a light at the end of the tunnel, they can turn the light off. That’s what happened in Charlotte.”

 

Smith comments on Washington Wizards sophomore John Wall: “If John Wall develops a 15-foot jump shot, he’ll be an NBA All-Star.”

 

Smith on Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving: “You have to love what Kyrie already knows…how to be aggressive offensively but still be a great passer.”

  

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T-Mobile Halftime Report

Ernie Johnson and Chris Webber

 

Webber comments on TNT analyst Reggie Miller being named on the Hall of Fame ballot: : “[As] a guy that had to compete against him, chasing him off of screens and then seeing the guards of today…[Miller] is one of the best shooters the game has ever seen.”

 

Webber comments on competing in the All-Star Game for the first time: “You don’t know how to handle it. At first, you’re nervous. Then you get into it and you hope your first shot isn’t an airball. Then you want a dunk or an easy layup to forget that it’s an All-Star Game. You just want to have fun.”

 

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Smith comments on how players perform in All-Star Games: “I’m always interested to see who is going to be a star among stars.”

 

TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed New York Knicks sophomore Jeremy Lin during the second half:

 

Lin comments on how he feels after playing significantly more minutes in recent weeks: “In terms of my body, the last two, three weeks have been tough on my body. This is the perfect opportunity this weekend to really rest. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Cavaliers rookie and BBVA Rising Stars Challenge MVP Kyrie Irving following the game:

 

Irving comments on whether the Cavaliers will continue their surprising play in the second half of the season: “It’s still a long season. Teams will be ready for me and my teammates. We’ll see how it goes. We’ve surprised some people in the East [Conference] and the country and it feels good.”

 

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai live from the Amway Center in Orlando

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Webber

 

Barkley comments on Kings sophomore DeMarcus Cousins: “The guy that could be the most talented player on the court [tonight] is DeMarcus Cousins. If he could get himself motivated and get into great shape…he could be the best big man in the NBA. He’s got special skills.”

 

Barkley comments on Reggie Miller’s Hall of Fame nomination: “Reggie deserves to be in the Hall of Fame…I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t get in.”

 

O’Neal comments on his playing days in Orlando: “It was great playing here. I learned a lot. When I went to the Finals [in 1995], it was a learning experience. Like Dwight Howard, when I came to the [Magic], the leadership was thrust on me. I had to be a leader right away. I had to bring the team together and learn how to win.”

 

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TNT and NBA TV will be in Orlando for live exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star 2012 on February 24-26.  Tonight, TNT will present the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. (ET).  Beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, February 25, TNT will have exclusive live coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm.  The network’s exclusive presentation of the NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia Motors will tip off at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, February 26.

 

***CLIP OF THE NIGHT***

(Please click the link below to view)

 

TNT’s Cheryl Miller, Steve Kerr and Kenny Smith discuss the weekend’s All-Star activities
 

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Game 1:  New York Knicks (88) @ Miami Heat (102)

Announcers:  Marv Albert (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)

Miller on Carmelo Anthony playing with Jeremy Lin for the New York Knicks: “Now you have two finishers on the floor and you have seen game winners by Lin as well as game winners by Anthony. All great players know how to adjust to any system and Carmelo won’t be any different.”

TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the first half

Spoelstra on the emergence of the Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin: “We have a special affinity for those types of players…the guys that don’t get drafted that show the fortitude, the faith and the toughness to keep on banging on doors when doors get shut in their face. You have to have a toughness and a resolve to keep on pushing forward.  Sometimes it becomes the opportunity. Sometimes it becomes the right fit, the right place, the right timing.”

Miller on Jeremy Lin facing the Miami Heat: “He hasn’t seen this type of speed from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He has to be able to adjust his speed on the fly. I think a lot has been put on his plate. There has been so much with media responsibilities, hype and publicity and he has handled it well.”

TNT’s reporter Craig Sager interviewed Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade following the first half

Wade on facing Jeremy Lin:  “First of all he deserves all the credit he has been given. We knew it was going to be a tough time guarding him and our point guards did a good job tonight. We put a lot of pressure on him and we were successful.”

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Halftime Report

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith

Smith on Lin’s performance against Miami: “This is Jeremy Lin’s first time to really see what the NBA is all about because these are the best two players [LeBron James and Dwayne Wade] in the open court and in basketball right now.  [The Heat] have two of the top five players and he hasn’t seen this yet.”

Smith on Lin being under the spotlight playing against Miami: “[The Heat] are focused in on [Lin].  He is part of the scouting report for real.  This is a playoff atmosphere and they know that they want to put pressure on him.”

Barkley on Lin’s initial experiences playing in the NBA:  “This is the first time he has really felt the bright lights on the road.  His life has been turned upside down in the last two weeks.  He’s got to be physically and mentally tired; he’s never been through this. “

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Game 2:  Los Angeles Lakers (85) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (100)

Announcers:  Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Chris Webber (analyst) and Marty Snider (reporter)

Webber on Oklahoma City Thunder’s weaknesses:  “When you talk about a weakness for OKC, they are great at the play but they get in trouble because they do not space and share the ball when they play one-on-one. But [James] Harden, not only is he a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year, but he is also a candidate for the best penetrator in the league because he gets in the paint all the time.”

Webber on the Thunder’s roster: “This is OKC’s best lineup. You have three penetrators with [Kevin] Durant, [James] Harden and [Russell] Westbrook along with two big guys with [Kendrick] Perkins and [Serge] Ibaka. They are a tough team to beat.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and O’Neal

Barkley’s assessment on where the Lakers are right now: “The Lakers don’t use Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum enough.  They shoot too many jumpers.  I don’t think they have the athletic ability on the perimeter to beat some of the upper echelon teams in a seven-game series. “

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TNT’s Marty Snider interviews Thunder’s guard Russell Westbrook and forward Kevin Durant following the first half

 

Westbrook on establishing the Thunder as the best team in the West:  “I know if we continue to play this way we will go a long way. So hopefully we will continue to do that.”

Durant on beating the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers back-to-back nights: “We have so much respect for those two programs but tonight we played together on both ends of the floor, we had fun, so it was a good win.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley and O’Neal

Barkley on the Thunder and what they need to add to the team:  “As long as they have Durant and Westbrook they can trade anybody else.  They need to find a guy that can get to the basket as a low post scorer. They have a window where they are going to be in the conversation for the next few years with the two young studs that they have, but they still need a big guy that can get to the basket.”

O’Neal on changing the current lineup of the Thunder: “I wouldn’t mess with the mix that they currently have. They play with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. But if they don’t make a trade, they need to continue to shoot the ball at a high percentage and they have to believe in their defense. When they step up the defense, they get out on the fast break and create a lot of easy buckets.”

Barkley on the Thunder’s forward Serge Ibaka:  “Ibaka is a terrific shot blocker, but he is going to get into foul trouble against a dominant big man. And that is going to hurt them in the long run.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller chats with TNT Analysts Steve Kerr and Kenny Smith on All-Star activities such as the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge with the Dunk Contest Commissioner [Smith] and BBVA Rising Stars Coach for Team Shaq [Kerr]

Kerr on Coaching Team Shaq in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge:  “I love my roster. I sent a message to Shaq and all it said was “Get me Ricky Rubio”.  My theory is in these games, people like to shoot all the time. You have to have somebody to pass, somebody distributing and Rubio is going to get other people the ball. It’s going to be fun.”

Smith on the Dunk Contest and being a mentor:  “There are a lot of promising guys. I really believe someone will come out of this and become a star. The next Jeremy Lin of dunkers is going to come out of this.”

Kerr on the Houston Rockets’ Chase Budinger: “Chase [Budinger] is one of those guys who kind of surprise you. You watch him and you don’t realize what kind of athleticism he has until he is dunking over the top of somebody. He’s got a lot in him.”

Barkley on the Dwight Howard trade rumors: “The Dwight Howard thing is going to be the talk of the weekend down here. In my honest opinion, something is going to happen; they just didn’t want to do it before All-Star. Something will happen next week. I think he will get traded to New York or New Jersey.”  

O’Neal:  “People need to look at the underlying picture. Keep in mind that if he stays here he can get $110 million, if he leaves he will get $80 million. So that’s just telling me that something is going on with him and the organization. He hasn’t said he wants to stay.”

Barkley on the San Antonio Spurs: “I pick the San Antonio Spurs to win the Western Conference.  The thing that disturbs me the most is that there are so many injuries. I always thought the champion would be decided by injuries. It’s unfortunate when you look at a team like Denver, Derek Rose’s back situation. This condensed schedule is wreaking havoc on these players.”

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…from Reggie Miller, NBA on TNT analyst and Five-time NBA All-Star

 

Re: On being included on this year’s ballot for induction into the Hall of Fame

 

“It is an honor to be included on this year’s ballot for induction into the Hall of Fame. I have great appreciation and respect for the players and coaches that stand with me and I wish everyone the best of luck.”

Reggie Miller Bio:

The 2011-12 season marks Reggie Miller’s seventh year as an NBA analyst for TNT. He serves as a game analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan for the network’s exclusive Thursday night NBA doubleheader coverage.  Miller will also make several appearances on NBA TV throughout the 2011-12 season. Miller spent his first two seasons with the network splitting duty between calling games and making guest analyst appearances on TNT’s Emmy® award-winning Inside the NBA, featuring host Ernie Johnson and analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.  In addition, he served as a studio analyst during the 2010 Western Conference Finals.

Career Highlights Include:

• Miller attended UCLA and was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 11th pick of the 1st round of the 1987 NBA draft where he remained until his retirement in 2005.

• Miller was a member of the gold medal-winning Olympic men’s basketball team in 1996 and the Team USA for the 1994 and 2002 World Championships.

• Miller was the first Indiana Pacer to start in an NBA All-Star game, first doing so in 1995.  He was also selected to the All-Star team in 1990, 1996, 1998 and 2000.

• On May 7, 1995, Miller scored eight points in the last 8.9 seconds of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks, leading the Pacers to a 107-105 victory.  He buried a three-point shot, stole the inbounds pass, walked back behind the arc and buried another three-point shot.  Two free throws later, Miller had pulled off the legendary feat.

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TNT NBA Thursday continues on Feb. 23 with an exclusive doubleheader tipping off coverage of NBA All-Star 2012.  The first game will feature sophomore sensation Jeremy Linand the New York Knicks visiting Eastern Conference All-Star starters LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat at 7 p.m. (ET). Marv Albert (play-by-play) will be courtside along with Steve Kerr (analyst) and Reggie Miller (analyst) to call the game with Craig Sager (reporter). The second game of the night will feature two of the Western Conference starters as Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will take on Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:30 p.m. (ET). Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Chris Webber (analyst) will call the action with Marty Snider (reporter). Following the second game, Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai with Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst) will recap the night’s action live from CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort.

 Through 21 games of TNT’s 2011-12 NBA regular-season schedule, the network continues to deliver double-digit gains vs. last year’s corresponding coverage. The NBA on TNT is averaging a 1.8 U.S. rating (+29%, 1.4 U.S. rating); 2,740,000 total viewers (+25%, 2,191,000 total viewers) and 2,060,000 households (+25%, 1,654,000 households) over last year’s corresponding coverage.  

 TNT will be in Orlando for exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star 2012 from Feb. 23-26.  On Friday, Feb. 24, team GMs Barkley and O’Neal will be mic’d up along with team coaches Kerr (Team Shaq) and Fratello (Team Chuck) during the BBVA NBA Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. (ET).  Coverage continues on Saturday, Feb. 25 beginning at 8:30 p.m. (ET), with exclusive live coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which includes the Haier Shooting Stars competition, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and the Sprite Slam Dunk.  Play-by-play announcer Albert and analysts Kerr and Miller will be courtside for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

 

Exclusive content, analysis from TNT announcers and replays of Inside the NBA are available on NBA.com (http://www.nba.com/insidethenba/). Additionally, check out the NBA on TNT pages on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NBAonTNT) and Facebook  (www.facebook.com/nbaontnt) to see the latest NBA on TNT schedule, news updates and special features from TNT announcers.

 

NBA ON TNT NBA SCHEDULE:

 

DAY/DATE
TIME (ET)	EVENT
Thu., February 23
7 p.m.	New York Knicks @ Miami Heat
	Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)
9:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder
	Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Mike Fratello (analyst), Chris Webber (analyst) with Marty Snider (reporter)
Post-game	Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai live in Orlando
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

 

NBA ON TNT UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

 

DAY/DATE
TIME (ET)	EVENT
Thu., March 1
8 p.m.	TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com live in Orlando
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
	Oklahoma City Thunder @ Orlando Magic
	Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)
10:30 p.m.	Miami Heat @ Portland Trail Blazers
	Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Post-game	Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai live in Orlando
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

Source: Nielsen Media Research. Based on Live+SD. NBA Regular Season on TNT STD; 21 games vs. 18 games. (12/25/2011-2/16/2012) vs. (12/30/2010-2/17/2011)

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TNT’s NBA coverage continues Thursday, February 23, 2012 with an exclusive doubleheader featuring the

New York Knicks @ Miami Heat (7 p.m. ET) followed by the Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 p.m. ET)

 

TNT and NBA TV will be in Orlando for live exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star 2012 on February 24-26. On Friday, February 24, TNT will present the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. (ET).  Beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, February 25, TNT will have exclusive live coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm. TNT’s exclusive presentation of the NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia Motors will tip off at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, February 26.

 

***CLIP OF THE NIGHT***

(Please click the link below to view)

The Inside crew discusses the state of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Pau Gasol trade rumors

 

 

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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith

Smith comments on recently seeing New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin play in person at Madison Square Garden: “The energy in the building was ridiculous. It felt like a playoff atmosphere. I had to see how good [Lin] is in person. He’s fearless and he doesn’t back down from adversity. That’s what has stood out to me more than anything after watching him play.”

O’Neal comments on how the return of Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony affects Jeremy Lin’s game: “With the return of Carmelo, if [Lin] keeps the game simple and doesn’t try to do too much, the Knicks will be fine.”

Smith comments on the impact of point guard Baron Davis making his season debut with the Knicks: “Now they have a true backup point guard [in Davis] who knows what he’s doing coming into the game. The Knicks now have talent.”

O’Neal comments on Atlanta Hawks reserve guard Jannero Pargo: “He’s a great shooter, great role player and if he gets going, he’s hard to stop.”

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Game 1:  Boston Celtics (73) @ Dallas Mavericks (89)

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)

Fratello comments on the Boston Celtics struggling offense: “The Celtics don’t do anything to help themselves by making the easy points. They have to find ways to get extra points.”

Kerr comments on Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki: “I wonder if we’ll ever see another player like Dirk Nowitzki?  He’s got the perfect combination of size, ball skills and a shooting ability. He’s so unique with what he does. I don’t think we’ll ever see anyone else like him.”

Kerr comments on the Mavericks keeping up their defensive play despite losing Tyson Chandler in the off-season: “Without Chandler last year, there’s no way they win the title. He really changed this team. So the fact that they’ve kept up their defensive numbers keeps them as a real factor in the West [Conference]. I think the Mavs have a real chance to win the West and get back to the Finals.”

Kerr comments on Mavericks’ reserve forward Brandon Wright: “Dallas has been a good fit for Brandon Wright. He runs the floor, he’s got long arms and is a versatile defender. He’s been a really nice addition to the bench. When you can run and jump like Wright can, you can find a couple of easy hoops now and then.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal comments on the Celtics struggling without Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo in the lineup: “The great Vince Lombardi once said: ‘The strength of the group is the strength of our leaders.’ Right now without their two leaders, they are struggling. They don’t have any defensive presence whatsoever without Kevin Garnett. And without [Rajon] Rondo, they don’t have a flow to their offense.”

Barkley comments on Celtics head coach Doc Rivers: “Doc Rivers is one of the most-underrated coaches in the league. He does a great job of motivating his team.”

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Kerr comments on Mavericks forward Shawn Marion: “He’s one of the best defenders in the league because of his versatility.”

Kerr comments on Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle: “He’s one of the best in the league, no question. The way Dallas plays with their execution, their use of the bench…he uses his guys perfectly.”

Kerr comments on the Celtics playoff positioning: “If you’re the Celtics, you want to get to six [seed in the playoffs] because you want to avoid Miami and Chicago in the first round.  The problem with that is you have to stave off New York and try to catch Indiana and Philadelphia. There are some really good teams in that bunch.”

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Game 2:  Portland Trail Blazers (92) @ Los Angeles Lakers (103)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Cheryl Miller (reporter)

Miller comments on how the trade rumors surrounding Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol are affecting the team: “Kobe [Bryant] feels that [the trade rumors] are affecting Pau’s play. He can’t compete at a high level on the court because he’s thinking: ‘Why should I give so much to this franchise that I helped win two championships when I could be out the door the next day.’”

Miller comments on the possibility of the Lakers trading Pau Gasol: “There aren’t many teams in this league that have two legit seven-footers [Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum] that are very active down low, they can pass and score. If they are going to trade Pau Gasol, and I hope they don’t, they better get a lot back in return.”

Miller comments on the emergence of Portland Trail Blazers guard Nicolas Batum: “He really plays well at both ends of the floor. He came into the league as more of a defensive player but he’s really worked on his offense. [Blazers head coach] Nate McMillan has started to run more plays through him because of that.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley comments on the Portland Trail Blazers limitations on offense: “The one problem with the Blazers is their best player [LaMarcus Aldridge] is still technically a jump shooter. They haven’t really been healthy all season but they don’t really get a bunch of stuff going to the basket. So when they start missing jumpers, that basket starts getting tighter and tighter.”

Barkley comments on the Lakers offense: “The Lakers are a much better team when they pound the ball inside. A lot of times they start jacking up a bunch of jumpers. When they start using Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum together, they are tough to match-up with on the offensive end.”

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Miller comments on how the Blazers should run more on offense: “The Blazers should run more especially with [guards] Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford on the wings. I would like them to get out more and run to put more pressure on the other team’s defenses. Sometimes they walk the ball up like they’re the Lakers or the Spurs or Dallas…like they’re an older team. They’ve got young guys who can really run the floor. They need to use that athleticism to their advantage.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Lakers guard Kobe Bryant following the game

Bryant on the “other” team in Los Angeles: “We were pretty entertaining tonight. We throw alley-oops and lobs…just not as explosive as that other team [Clippers] here.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal comments on the Lakers Kobe Bryant addressing the Lakers’ front office about Pau Gasol trade rumors: “As a leader he did a great job standing up for him. We all know, it’s part of the business. Pau needs to figure out what type of player he’s going to be – is he going to complain about it or is he going to dominate the way he did when they [the Lakers] won those two championships? If he plays like that [being dominant], [Lakers general manager] Mitch Kupchak and the management will stall the trade.”

Barkley comments on the Pau Gasol trade rumors: “This is a business and when they are paying you $12 million a year, if they want to ship you away, they pretty much can.”

Barkley comments on New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith: “If he had [gone] to the Clippers, I might have made them the favorites in the West.”

Barkley comments on the San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich: “Greg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA. I don’t know how he does it but he’s just a great coach.”

Smith comments on New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin: “I think it’s real. He has a fearless attitude. He makes plays…he’s not afraid to fail.”

O’Neal comments on how high the New York Knicks could finish in the Eastern Conference this season: “They [the Knicks] can get up to number six.”

Barkley comments on the Eastern Conference: “There’s only two scary teams in the East – that’s Miami and Chicago. The Miami Heat will only go as far as LeBron James will carry them. He’s the best basketball player in the world. He’s going to take them [Miami] to the promise land [NBA championship] if they get there [to the Finals].”

Smith comments on the play of the Washington Wizards: “I’m just waiting for the bucket with the confetti to come out one night.”

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NBA on TNT Presents a Special President’s Day Doubleheader on Monday, Feb. 20

Games to Feature Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks (8 p.m ET) followed by

Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET)

TNT NBA Thursday continues on February 20 with an special President’s Day doubleheader beginning at 8 p.m. (ET). The first game will feature Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics visiting Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. Marv Albert (play-by-play) will be courtside along with Mike Fratello (analyst) and Steve Kerr (analyst) to call the game with Craig Sager (reporter). The second game of the night will feature a match-up of Western Conference All-Stars when Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers host LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) will call the action with Cheryl Miller (reporter). Following the second game, Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai with Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst) will recap the night’s action.

 

Exclusive content, analysis from TNT announcers and replays of Inside the NBA are available on NBA.com (http://www.nba.com/insidethenba/). Additionally, check out the NBA on TNT pages on Twitter (http://twitter.com/NBAonTNT) and Facebook  (www.facebook.com/nbaontnt) to see the latest NBA on TNT schedule, news updates and special features from TNT announcers.

 

NBA ON TNT NBA SCHEDULE:

 

DAY/DATE
TIME (ET)	EVENT
Mon., February 20
8 p.m.	TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
	Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks
	Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)
10:30 p.m.	Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers
	Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Post-game	Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

 

NBA ON TNT UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

 

DAY/DATE
TIME (ET)	EVENT
Thu., February 23
78 p.m.	TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com live in Orlando
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
	New York Knicks @ Miami Heat
	Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)
9:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder
	Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Mike Fratello (analyst), Chris Webber (analyst) with Marty Snider (reporter)
Post-game	Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai live in Orlando
	Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)

 

 

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Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Thursday, February 16, 2012

TNT’s NBA coverage continues Monday, January 20, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET with a special doubleheader featuring the Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks (8 p.m. ET)

followed by the Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET)

***CLIP OF THE NIGHT***

(Please click the text below to view)

 

The Inside crew discusses how the teams in the Eastern Conference will finish in the condensed season

 

 

****    ****    ****    ****

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith

 

Smith on Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo: “[Rondo] is the most difficult guard, other than [Chicago Bulls point guard] Derrick Rose, to play against because you cannot prepare for him.”

 

Barkley on the Boston Celtics: “The Celtics have a great reputation but they can’t beat the Bulls or the Heat. They can’t sustain a [high] energy level in the playoffs because those games are going to come quicker and they’re going to play against better teams.”

 

O’Neal on the Celtics: “They’re older but the games they have lost have been because of defensive lapses. [Head coach] Doc Rivers is a defensive-minded coach and the new guys [on the Celtics] don’t understand his system. As they get into the playoffs and play more, they will understand the system. I think they could surprise [in the playoffs].”

 

Smith on the Chicago Bulls: “[The Bulls] have the ‘it’ factor. Everybody is playing at a championship level.”

 

Barkley on the Bulls: “Even when Derrick Rose is out [of the lineup], they are not going to get blown out because they have depth and they’re the best defensive team in the league right now. They are playing championship defense.”

 

****    ****    ****    ****

Game 1:  Boston Celtics (80) @ Chicago Bulls (89)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)

 

Miller on Rajon Rondo: “[Rondo] is clearly the best and most talented player on this Celtics team.”

 

Miller on the Bulls: “They are still winning games with their MVP [Derrick Rose] on the bench. That shows the depth and camaraderie of this team.”

 

Miller on veteran Celtics forward Kevin Garnett: “Gone are the days of [Garnett] battling guys on the post. When you turn 35-years-old, it takes a lot out of you to battle these younger and stronger guys.”

 

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Halftime

Johnson, O’Neal, Smith and Barkley

 

Barkley on what makes the Bulls so good: “[The Bulls] play the best team defense and [Head] Coach Thibodeau holds his players accountable.”

 

****    ****    ****    ****

Miller on concerns with the Celtics’ scoring: “Because of their defense and familiarity with each other, they are going to be in most ballgames. My only question is…are they going to be able to score enough points.”

 

TNT interviewed Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo prior to the game

 

Rondo on facing the Bulls without Derrick Rose in the lineup: “I try to stay aggressive offensively against [C.J.] Watson. He’s one of the best backups [point guards] in the league. I have a lot of respect for him. It’s not a night off.”

 

Miller on Bulls guard Rip Hamilton: “I love Rip Hamilton but is he going to be the same Rip Hamilton knocking down those mid-range shots and corner threes? If we see that Rip Hamilton, this is going to be a very dangerous Bulls team.”

 

****    ****    ****    ****

Game 2:  Los Angeles Clippers (74) @ Portland Trail Blazers (71)

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Steve Kerr (analyst)

 

Kerr on Los Angeles Clippers forward Caron Butler: “[Butler] has been so good for the Clippers this year. I’m really impressed with the way he has adapted his game now that he’s playing with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.”

 

Kerr on the Clippers struggle with point guard Chris Paul on the bench: “When Chris Paul goes to the bench, [the Clippers] execution really suffers.”

 

Kerr on Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford: “He’s never going to shy away from a shot. It doesn’t matter how many he’s going to miss. He loves taking the big shot.”

 

Kerr on Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin’s recent hot streak: “What impresses me is his confidence. I’m amazed by his guts every night at the end of the game. He wants the ball in his hands. It’s really become his team.

 

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

 

Barkley on the Trail Blazers: “When the Trail Blazers get healthy, they are going to be a very tough team to beat. They are one of the deeper teams in the NBA.”

 

Barkley on the Bulls: “The Chicago Bulls are the best passing team in the NBA. They are very unselfish.”

 

****    ****    ****    ****

Kerr on Clippers forward Kenyon Martin: “He’s a pro and he’s been around a long time. He’s got a reputation of being a little dirty and a little wild but he knows how to play.”

 

Kerr on the Portland fan base: “This is an incredible place to play. These fans are among the best in the NBA. They have so much passion. If you get a chance to play for this franchise, you can’t feel any more support anywhere in the league.”

 

****    ****    ****    ****

Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

 

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin joins the Inside crew following the game

 

Griffin on picking up Kenyon Martin and what that has meant: “He [Martin] has been huge, just his leadership alone.”

Barkley on the Portland Trail Blazers: “Nobody’s going to want to play that Portland Trail Blazers team when they get healthy.”

Barkley on the New Jersey Nets: “They’ve got a good young team. New Jersey is not as bad as their record.”

O’Neal on how the teams in the Eastern Conference will finish in this condensed season: “Indiana, Boston and New York, they’re going to shuffle around. Boston is going to be a sleeper. New York is going to be a sleeper. Indiana is going to be a sleeper.”

Smith on how New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony should perform when he returns since Jeremy Lin has been running the offense: “He [Anthony] should be flourishing in this offense [when he returns]. This should be the easiest 25 points [average per game] of his life.”

 

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Notes from the 2012 Turner Sports NBA All-Star Conference Call – Feb. 14, 2012

 

On Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. (ET), NBA TV will broadcast the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Draft during GameTime with TNT’s Kenny Smith serving as the honorary Commissioner and Ernie Johnson hosting the live show.  TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal will serve as the general managers of the two opposing teams – TEAM CHUCK and TEAM SHAQ.  Each team will have a nine man roster, drafted from the rookie and sophomore player pool.

 

TNT and NBA TV will be in Orlando for live exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star 2012

on February 24-26.

 

On Friday, Feb. 24, TNT will present the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. (ET).  Beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, February 25, TNT will have exclusive live coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm. TNT’s exclusive presentation of the NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia Motors will tip off at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, February 26.

 

During NBA All-Star 2012, NBA TV will deliver fans more than 95 hours of dedicated All-Star programming including a special NBA GameTime: All-Star Sunday (4 p.m. ET), followed by live coverage of the Sprint Pre-Game Concert at NBA All-Star (5 p.m. ET).  Throughout All-Star, NBA TV’s marquee roster of talent, including Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Steve Smith, Dennis Scott and Brent Barry, will be on site in Orlando providing fans with updates on NBA TV and NBA.com via Twitter.

 

This is the 27th year Turner Sports has featured NBA All-Star coverage, and the 10th consecutive year the NBA All-Star Game will be televised in prime time on TNT.

 

Participants:

 

Shaquille O’Neal – TNT/NBA TV Analyst

Steve Kerr – TNT Analyst

Steve Smith – NBA TV Analyst

Jeff Behnke – SVP and Executive Producer, Turner Sports

 

Kerr on the most surprising team and player this season: “This is really a bizarre season. Maybe the biggest surprise, and that has gone under the radar, is the play of the [San Antonio] Spurs. I don’t think anyone could have predicted they would be where they are. It is just at testament to how strong that organization is. What has happened with [New York Knicks guard] Jeremy Lin the last five games is stunning. We are all in amazement at what we are seeing. It has made for some incredible storylines given that he has breathed life back in that franchise, where Carmelo Anthony couldn’t. It is a crazy story but fantastic.”

 

O’Neal on New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin: “He has taken New York by storm and he is an NBA sensation.  The guy you have never heard of is becoming a star. I think people will want to see what the guy can do.”

 

Kerr on the lineup for the New York Knicks: “Tyson Chandler has been a monster because he is the one rolling to the rim and scoring big. Now you throw Amar’e [Stoudemire] in and now you have two guys that want to roll. The question becomes can the Knicks space the floor. And when Carmelo [Anthony] comes back, can all those guys fit together?  It comes down to if Amar’e and Carmelo can adapt and perhaps play lesser roles – which they are not used to.”

 

O’Neal on forward Dwight Howard staying in Orlando and the situation being similar to his in 1992: “I don’t think it is similar because I had many different options. I wanted to stay in Orlando. I had everyone put their options on the table and I took the best one. There may be an underlining problem of what is really going on. I don’t know if he doesn’t like the organization or wants to be in a bigger city. I don’t know really know the problem. I’m sure they would like to move him so they don’t lose him.”

 

O’Neal on the Miami Heat being a Top 10 team going into the Playoffs: “Miami is always going to be at the top of the list. They are playing well right now and seem to have a rhythm. Good thing about them is that if one of their stars goes down, others will and know how to step up. It is going to be like last year. They have what it takes to get there but can they close? This year is going to be a tricky year.” 

 

Kerr on Miami Heat being a favorite in the Eastern Conference: “Miami is a heavy favorite. I worry about two things: One is fourth quarter execution. They tend to go back to their old habits and that is going to be an issue for them. The other thing I worry about is the pressure that is on them, that they put on themselves and that we [media] put on them. It is going to be enormous pressure on them and we have to see how they will respond.”

 

Kerr on what the Oklahoma City Thunder need to improve upon:  “OKC is the best team in the West.  I worry about fourth quarter execution. They are a little bit like Miami – West. They overwhelm you with talent and the ability to beat you off the dribble. But in the playoffs, can they execute when a team stays in front of them and slows the game down? Can they get easy baskets? They are the most talented team, so we’ll see.”

 

Smith on what is going on with the Charlotte Bobcats and what they need to do to recover:  “When I got a chance to play with them [Charlotte Bobcats], Bernie Bickerstaff created an atmosphere where the team that was coming back to Charlotte wasn’t winning a lot, but they were playing hard. This team right now looks like it is bottoming-out but they are about to rebuild from scratch. It comes down to – do they draft the best talent? And right now the Charlotte Bobcats are a team that is looking to rebuild.”  

 

Kerr on what is going on with the Charlotte Bobcats and what they need to do to recover:  “It’s going to be a tough go here [in Charlotte].  They’ve totally bottomed out.  They are a total disaster right now. They are going to have to get lucky in the lottery and be really strong as an organization in the next couple of years to get out of this.”  

 

O’Neal on the issues the Washington Wizards are having getting back on track: “The downside for Washington is you have a lot of young talent with no veteran leadership. If they had some veteran leadership it could be better.  As a big man, I watch JaVale McGee and I see the potential that he has. Other times I watch him and wonder who is teaching this kid. If they had good veteran leadership, they could start to turn it around.”

 

Kerr on the effect of the lockout on the players so far this season and whether or not it is showing up in the games: “Its showing the most in terms of consistency, or lack thereof, with the play. We are seeing games that are spectacular and then some duds where there is nothing in the tank. This season has proven you need training camps. You need practice. And you need rest. And there’s not enough of any of that this year. With that said, everyone is competing and doing the best they can. Inevitably, there are going to be some stinkers.”

 

Smith on how the condensed season is affecting players and the game: “There are some games where players just don’t have legs.  There are some teams with depth and the players and organizations understood going into this lockout you need to have 10-11 guys that can contribute.”

 

Kerr on his impressions of Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving after having only played 11 college games: “It’s gotten harder and harder to evaluate players the last decade because so many come out early and you don’t see them enough. Cleveland made a good choice. They knew the type of talent and potential he had [Kyrie Irving] at such an important spot. They knew they had to have someone at that position. I love what he has done. He’s aggressive; he’s tough to handle; it’s tough to get in front of him and he is definitely their cornerstone for the future. He’s a great pick.”

 

O’Neal on Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving: “He’s doing a fabulous job. This guy is on the right path. He’s a coachable guy. He’s a great team player. If Cleveland can make one or two moves this year and next year, they could become a respectable team again.”

Smith:  “Totally love his game because he’s so fundamentally sound. He’s poised, he’s mature and what I love about him is he is big and strong. He hasn’t been affected by a lot of different defenses thrown at him. He’s mentally been prepared for this league.”  

 

O’Neal on LeBron James’ legacy in Cleveland and how he sees Irving creating his own place: “What LeBron did was fabulous – legendary. He’s good. There will never be another LeBron, how he did it. He was a born leader. Kyrie is also a leader. [I’m] not trying to take anything away from him, I just urge people not to put too much pressure on him. Work him slowly.”

 

O’Neal’s expectations for the All-Star Game in Orlando and the mood of the fans with the potential trade of Dwight Howard: “All around, All-Star is going to be a great event. Orlando has come a long way since the ’92 All-Star game. It would be great if he [Dwight Howard] could put on a show and get the love and support of the fans here and get the MVP. Hopefully, he stays.  If he leaves it will be a travesty.”

 

O’Neal on what the Clippers’ chances are without injured point guard Chauncey Billups; if a player like Blake Griffin can be elite without being a great free-throw shooter and how he likes working with the TNT guys: “The Clippers have a great chance.  If the three guards [Foye, Paul, Williams] can settle things down and honor the possession and honor the shot clock and not play so erratically, they can go pretty far.  On the free throw thing, I personally know a guy [Shaquille O’Neal] that dominated the game and shot 50 – 52%.  It can be done.  If he dominates the game in a way and keeps everyone involved, it will get done. I love working with Charles and Ernie and all the TNT guys.”

 

Smith on whether or not Clippers Blake Griffin can be a dominant player:  “Blake [Griffin] can be dominant.  It comes down to the players around him elevating their game so they can take the pressure off Griffin.  It’s going to come down to other players playing well for a long time. They have a player in Paul that will make the right plays [to execute in the fourth quarter] but it’s whether or not the supporting cast can open up the lane for the other guys.”  

 

O’Neal on what it’s been like for him not playing and transitioning into the new phase of his life: “It really hasn’t been difficult. I prepared myself for it. I am blessed to have gotten the opportunity to get the call from TNT. Even though I am not out playing basketball, I am still around it.”

 

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