NBA TV and NBA.com will feature extensive coverage of the 2012 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder with pre- and post-game analysis,
game highlights and full post-game press conferences throughout the best-of-seven series.
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NBA GameTime
Matt Winer, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal
Barkley on Thunder guard Russell Westbrook receiving negative criticism: “He can play on Chuck’s team anytime. He is a terrific player. I would pay to watch him play. He is a special talent. This Russell Westbrook hating is going overboard.”
O’Neal on Thunder guard Russell Westbrook: “You can say a lot of things about Russell Westbrook but you can’t say he is selfish.”
O’Neal on what the Thunder can do to get off to a better start: “They just need to stay aggressive and make the easy shots.”
Barkley on OKC’s shooting ability: “They are never going to be a great post-up team. They are going to go through droughts. Unfortunately it happened during Game 2 of The Finals. They are going to have some spurts where they don’t shoot the ball well but they just have to keep plugging away. That’s all you can do is try your best.”
O’Neal on Heat guard Dwyane Wade being the No. 2 option: “What a lot of people don’t know is that D-Wade is comfortable in the second position. He is comfortable being the No. 2 in the 1-2 option.”
(NBA Commissioner David Stern joins NBA GameTime)
Stern on choosing sides in The Finals when there are legendary matchups: “I never pick sides. The way it gets to be legendary is if the players become legends. We have had a lot of great Finals and actually you define the players after they win.”
Stern on the latest with the Kings’ future: “There is no deadline. The ownership said they are staying in Sacramento and considering remodeling the old arena. They are right not to go forward with the deal and that’s fine. I love Sacramento and the fans there.”
Stern on what’s more important for the Olympics – sending the best players or winning the gold medal: “Guys want to participate in the Olympics and we shouldn’t stop the ones that want to participate. I think that whoever wants to go should have an opportunity to go. We don’t have to send our best players; we have to send the best players that want to try out for the team.”
(NBA Insider David Aldridge sits down with Heat guard Dwyane Wade)
Wade on LeBron James being a leader for the Heat:“For our team to be as successful as it can be, we need him to be the best player in the world. I think that last year it was a bit uncomfortable. I didn’t want that. I want us to be as good as we can and we will figure it out. I’ve been that guy to play with another superstar. I just try to let LeBron know to go out and be the best player and everything else will work itself out.”
Wade on the Miami Heat being similar to the Boston Celtics: “A lot of people don’t talk about the Boston Celtics but all of those guys had to take fewer shots. They made it successful, they made it work. When they did it, it wasn’t looked at as deferring but it was looked at as great leadership and a great team and that they did whatever it took to win. That’s the same thing we are doing here.”
Wade on getting back to The Finals: “You have to seize the moment. I thought last year we did a great job of getting to The Finals. We are back here again and we are back here for a reason. We know that these next three wins are going to be the toughest wins we will have as a group.”
Barkley on the Heat being LeBron’s team: “LeBron makes everyone around him better. That’s why it is his team and that is why they are only going to go as far as he takes them.”
Barkley on Game 3: “The Heat are going to blow them out tonight. They know they have to win. They are going to come out with great energy and they are going to punch OKC in the mouth right away. I think they are going to win pretty easily tonight.”
Barkley on OKC’s bench: “When I look at their bench, I don’t see anyone else on their bench that can score except [James] Harden.”
O’Neal on OKC: “They have to continue to be aggressive, be a little sharper and just make shots.”
O’Neal on OKC making changes for Game 3: “They are not going to change much. They are a young bunch and they are an energetic bunch. They know that they are going to continue to do the same thing but they realize they can’t get behind in this building because if they do that, it will be a long night.”
O’Neal on the Heat’s mentality: “Miami’s slogan in their locker room tonight should be ‘We are not going back to OKC.’”
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