Editor’s note – video clips from the first episode of NBA TV’s Open Court:

Shaquille O’Neal’s Next 10 List: http://on.nba.com/1rPbMfM

Isiah Thomas on Reggie Miller: http://on.nba.com/1x2Btd0

Charles Barkley on Chris Webber: http://on.nba.com/1rzhCTf

Panel reaction on Steve Nash: http://on.nba.com/1E4mhAP

Panel on the makeup of great players: http://on.nba.com/1E4mjsj

 

 

October 2, 2014

NBA TV’s Critically Acclaimed Open Court Returns with

“NBA 50 Greatest & The Next 10” Episode Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m. ET

Hosted by Ernie Johnson, NBA 50 Greatest Players Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Isiah Thomas Join Panel Featuring Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, NBA Champions Kenny Smith & Chauncey Billups & Five-Time NBA All-Star Chris Webber

Hour-Long Roundtable Discussion Focuses on the Original “NBA 50 Greatest Players”

& Those Who Should be Added as All-Time Legends

Thomas – 50 Greatest Honoree & Selection Panelist – to Live Tweet During Tuesday’s Telecast

NBA TV’s critically acclaimed Open Court series will return Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m. ET with a compelling roundtable discussion centered on the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players and the 10 players the panel believes should be added as all-time legends. The hour-long show features a cast of NBA icons including “NBA 50 Greatest” honorees Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Isiah Thomas discussing their inclusion in the original list, players who should be added to the original 50, and the criteria used to measure greatness.

Open Court’s “NBA 50 Greatest & The Next 10” episode is hosted by Sports Emmy Award winner Ernie Johnson with Barkley, O’Neal and Thomas, along with Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, NBA Champions Kenny Smith and Chauncey Billups and five-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber.

The panel – featuring a combination of TNT and NBA TV analysts, along with the recently retired Billups – considers the credentials of current and recent stars including Kevin Durant, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Steve Nash, Paul Pierce and Dwyane Wade, as well as omissions from the original list such as Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins.  While quick to acknowledge sure-fire additions – Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson and LeBron James – the discussion intensifies when the group weighs the merits of panelists Miller and Webber.

Thomas, a member of the original “50 Greatest” selection panel in 1996, will live tweet during Tuesday’s episode via the @NBATV twitter handle.

The Open Court series will continue weekly throughout October with three additional new episodes – “The Game is Changing” on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 9:30 p.m.; “2014-15 Season Preview” on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.; and “NBA Champions Edition” on Monday, Oct. 27, at 10 p.m.

Excerpts from the season premiere of Open Court:

O’Neal on being named one the original NBA 50 Greatest Players: “When they named me to the top 50, I felt my name was added a little too quickly. It was my third or fourth year [in the league]…I took a lot of flak for being on the list. I felt like names like Bob McAdoo should have been on that list before me.  Alex English, Dominique Wilkins could’ve easily been on that list before me.”

Barkley on what it meant to be at the ceremony: “When we were all in the room, it was amazing…basketball more than any other sport, especially with the All-Star Weekend…We do such a good job of celebrating our past. I was kind of in shock. You sit around and say, ‘Wow, that’s Wilt Chamberlain. Wow, that’s Bill Russell. That’s Jerry West.  That’s Elgin Baylor.”

Thomas on why Bob McAdoo should be added to the list: “Bob McAdoo was the MVP of this league. When you talk about changing the game, he’s a 6-11 dude shooting threes. He was the first ‘stretch four.’ The original. The real one. He totally changed the game.”

Miller on whether two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash should be added to the list: “If we were all GMs, and you had Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Steve Nash all lined up, he [Nash] would be the third point guard taken. That’s why I can’t put him on there.”

About NBA TV

NBA TV is a part of NBA Digital, the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Digital, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

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 Live Preseason Game Coverage Opens with Anticipated Return of LeBron James to Cleveland; Includes Multiple Appearances by Spurs, Cavaliers, Bulls, Lakers, Clippers and Rockets

NBA Real Training Camp Tips Off With Timberwolves’ “Dunks After Dark” Special Event Sept. 29, Followed by Trail Blazers, Lakers, Suns and Wizards

NBA TV to Feature Live Coverage of NBA Media Days Beginning Friday, Sept. 26

NBA TV is the home to nearly 100 hours of live NBA preseason coverage as fans gear up for the 2014-15 regular season – starting Friday, Sept. 26, with NBA Media Days and followed by the return of NBA Real Training Camp, along with 30 live game telecasts. The network’s live game action will feature multiple appearances by the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, and offers an early look at players and coaches with their new teams.

Live game coverage will tip off Sunday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m. ET, with the anticipated debut of four-time NBA MVP LeBron James in his return to Cleveland when the Cavaliers host Maccabi Tel Aviv.  Along with James’ return, the telecast will also mark the debut of All-Star forward Kevin Love with the Cavaliers and first-year Cavs head coach David Blatt against his former Euroleague club. NBA TV will present pre, post and halftime coverage of the preseason opener with host Rick Kamla and analyst Dennis Scott in studio.

Preseason coverage will also include four games taking place outside the United States as part of NBA Global Games 2014.  The international exhibition will begin Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m., when the Spurs and 14-time All-Star Tim Duncan visit eight-time German champions Alba Berlin. Later that week, the Spurs will visit Turkey to face Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul on Saturday, Oct. 11 at noon.  The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings will close out the NBA’s global preseason tour with games in Shanghai and Beijing, on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1 a.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 a.m. The complete NBA TV preseason schedule is listed below.

NBA Real Training Camp

NBA TV’s NBA Real Training Camp will go all-access with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards as they prepare for the upcoming season.  The preseason series will provide exclusive access to practice sessions, players, coaches and front office executives, along with interviews and analysis live from training sites around the NBA.

The series will tip off with the Timberwolves on Monday, Sept. 29, at 12:30 a.m., with the network covering the team’s special late night event – “Dunks After Dark” – live from the campus of Minnesota State University. NBA TV analysts Greg Anthony and Isiah Thomas will be on site as the new-look Timberwolves and first overall NBA Draft pick Andrew Wiggins take the floor for a scrimmage and team dunk contest.

Coverage will continue with NBA TV’s Steve Smith and Vince Cellini visiting the Trail Blazers training camp on Friday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. The next day, analysts Reggie Miller and Rick Fox will visit the Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m., as 16-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant returns from injury. Start times are subject to change.

The following week, Grant Hill and host Kevin Ray will visit with the Suns on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 2 p.m., before the five-team series concludes with Scott and David Aldridge reporting from the Wizards’ special workout at the Fort Belvoir Army Base, in northern Virginia on Monday, Oct. 13.

NBA Media Days

NBA TV and NBA.com will feature live coverage of NBA Media Days starting Friday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. with on-site reports from the Nets, Cavaliers, Spurs and Miami Heat.  Live coverage including interviews and press conferences with players and coaches will continue Monday, Sept. 29, at 3 p.m. with the Bulls, Rockets, Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Matt Winer will host Friday’s coverage with analysts Hill and Thomas, with Rick Kamla hosting alongside analysts Scott and Stu Jackson on Monday.  NBA TV will also televise a one-hour NBA Media Day recap show Friday and Monday at 7 p.m.

Following is NBA TV’s preseason schedule (from host cities unless noted):

NBA TV Preseason Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup
Sunday, Oct. 5	6 p.m.	Maccabi Tel Aviv at Cleveland Cavaliers
Monday, Oct. 6	7:30 p.m.	Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
	10 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers (from San Diego)
Tuesday, Oct. 7	7:30 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at Detroit Pistons
	10:30 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday, Oct. 8	2 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Alba Berlin from Berlin
	7:30 p.m.	New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (from Hartford)
Thursday, Oct. 9	8 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets
	10:30 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Friday, Oct. 10	8:30 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, Oct. 11	12 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
	8:30 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks
Sunday, Oct. 12	1 a.m.	Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings (from Shanghai)
	1 p.m.	Detroit Pistons at Washington Wizards
	9:30 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (from Ontario, Calif.)
Monday, Oct. 13	8 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets
Tuesday, Oct. 14	7 p.m.	Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers
Wednesday, Oct. 15	7:30 a.m.	Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings from Beijing
	7 p.m.	Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (from Cincinnati)
Thursday, Oct. 16	7 p.m.	Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
	10 p.m.	Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers (from Anaheim)
Friday, Oct. 17	7:30 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers
	10:30 p.m.	Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers
Saturday, Oct. 18	7 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at Indiana Pacers
	10:30 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers (from Las Vegas)
Sunday, Oct. 19	3 p.m.	Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets
	8 p.m.	Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls
Monday, Oct. 20	7 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers (from Columbus, Ohio)
Friday, Oct. 24	8 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
	10:30 p.m.	Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers

About NBA TV

NBA TV is a part of NBA Digital, the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

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Network Tips Off with Nov. 1 Doubleheader – Bulls vs. Timberwolves at 8 p.m. ET;

Lakers vs. Warriors at 10:30 p.m.

Popular NBA TV Fan Night Presented by Sprint Returns for Sixth Consecutive Season

NBA TV will televise 97 live games during the 2014-15 regular season with the league’s biggest stars and top teams in action including up to nine appearances by the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan, the Cleveland Cavaliers and four-time league MVP LeBron James, the Oklahoma City Thunder and 2014 NBA MVP award winner Kevin Durant, the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul, the L.A. Lakers and 16-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant, the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade, the Houston Rockets and Dwight Howard and the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

The network will tip off its regular season coverage with a doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 1, when the Bulls and Rose visit the Minnesota Timberwolves and Ricky Rubio at 8 p.m. ET.  The second half of the doubleheader will feature the Lakers and Bryant visiting the Warriors and Curry at 10:30 p.m.  NBA TV’s opening week live game action will also showcase the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony hosting the Charlotte Hornets and Al Jefferson on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Additionally, the network’s popular NBA TV Fan Night presented by Sprint will return for its sixth consecutive season with its first of 16 games on Tuesday, Nov. 4.  Fans will once again have the opportunity to vote for the matchup they most want to see each week via NBA.com, NBA.com mobile web, NBA Game Time App, as well as Facebook and Twitter voting.

NBA TV’s regular season coverage will feature special programming on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day including a live game telecast featuring the Memphis Grizzlies and Zach Randolph hosting the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki on Monday, Jan. 19, at 5 p.m.

NBA TV will feature 21 doubleheaders this season including six in April. Additional regular season highlights include (full schedule listed below):

• Saturday, Nov. 8 – The Spurs and Duncan, one of the best big men of all time, hosting the New Orleans Pelicans and rising star Anthony Davis.
• Monday, Nov. 10 – A doubleheader with the Atlanta Hawks and Al Horford visiting the Knicks and Anthony at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Spurs and Tony Parker visiting its conference rival Clippers and Paul at 10:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 16 – A match-up featuring two of the league’s premier scorers when the Thunder and Durant host the Rockets and James Harden at 7 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 17 – A doubleheader opening with the Cavaliers and James hosting the Denver Nuggets and Ty Lawson at 7 p.m., followed by the Bulls and Rose visiting the Clippers and Blake Griffin at 10:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 3 – Two of the Western Conference’s top big men in action when the Rockets and Howard host the Grizzlies and Marc Gasol at 8 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 15 – An Eastern Conference match-up with familiar faces in new places as the Cavaliers and James host the Hornets and Lance Stephenson at 7 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 5 – A doubleheader with the Washington Wizards and John Wall visiting the Pelicans and Davis at 8 p.m., followed by the Thunder and Durant visiting the Warriors and Curry at 10:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 15 – The Knicks and Anthony facing the Milwaukee Bucks and rookie forward Jabari Parker in London as part of NBA Global Games at 3 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 9 – A match-up featuring two of the NBA’s most exciting guards when the Clippers and Paul host the Mavericks and Monta Ellis at 8:30 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 23 – A doubleheader starting with the Toronto Raptors and DeMar DeRozan visiting the Pelicans and Davis at 8 p.m., followed by the Grizzlies and Gasol visiting the Clippers and Griffin at 10:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 1 – Several of the league’s biggest stars in action when the Cavaliers, led by James and Kyrie Irving, visit the Rockets and the combination of Harden and Howard at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 1 – The final month of the regular season tipping off with a doubleheader as the Nets and Williams travel across town to play the Knicks and Anthony at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Western Conference showdown between the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers, led by LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, at 10 p.m.
• Friday, April 10 – A Western Conference doubleheader with the Spurs and NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard visiting Houston and Harden at 8 p.m., followed by the Timberwolves and Rubio visiting the Lakers and Bryant at 10:30 p.m.
• Monday, April 13 – The Thunder and Durant hosting the Trail Blazers and Aldridge at 8 p.m., followed by the Grizzlies and Mike Conley visiting Golden State and “Splash Brothers” Curry and Klay Thompson at 10:30 p.m.

NBA TV is coming off a record-setting 2014 NBA Playoffs, which delivered unprecedented audience growth for the network including its most-watched game coverage of all time and its two most-viewed telecasts ever. NBA TV’s seven originally produced live game telecasts averaged 720,000 total viewers to register the network’s most-viewed NBA Playoffs coverage ever and a 137% increase over the comparable playoff coverage last year. The network’s presentation of Game 6 between the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, April 29, produced NBA TV’s most-viewed telecast ever with an average of 1,071,000 total viewers.

Additionally, during the 2013-14 NBA regular season, the NBA TV Fan Night presented by Sprint telecast featuring the Heat and Pacers on December 10 netted the network’s most viewed regular season telecast ever with an average of 920,000 total viewers.

2014-15 NBA TV Regular Season Schedule

(All Times Eastern)

 

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Saturday, Nov. 1	8 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at Minnesota Timberwolves
	10:30 p.m.	L.A. Lakers at Golden State Warriors
Sunday, Nov. 2	7:30 p.m.	Charlotte Hornets at New York Knicks
Tuesday, Nov. 4		NBA TV Fan Night **
Saturday, Nov. 8	8:30 p.m.	New Orleans Pelicans at San Antonio Spurs
Sunday, Nov. 9	7:30 p.m.	Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks
Monday, Nov. 10	7:30 p.m.	Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks
	10:30 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at L.A. Clippers
Tuesday, Nov. 11		NBA TV Fan Night **
Friday, Nov. 14	7 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Indiana Pacers
Saturday, Nov. 15	10 p.m.	Brooklyn Nets at Portland Trail Blazers
Sunday, Nov. 16	7 p.m.	Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Monday, Nov. 17	7 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers
	10:30 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at L.A. Clippers
Tuesday, Nov. 18		NBA TV Fan Night
Saturday, Nov. 22	9 p.m.	New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz
Sunday, Nov. 23	7 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder
Tuesday, Nov. 25		NBA TV Fan Night
Wednesday, Nov. 26	10:30 p.m.	Memphis Grizzles at L.A. Lakers
Friday, Nov. 28	8 p.m.	L.A. Clippers at Houston Rockets
Saturday, Nov. 29	7 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at Philadelphia 76ers
Tuesday, Dec. 2		NBA TV Fan Night
Wednesday, Dec. 3	8 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets
Friday, Dec. 5	7 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Washington Wizards
	10 p.m.	Indiana Pacers at Sacramento Kings
Monday, Dec. 8	7:30 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors
Tuesday, Dec. 9		NBA TV Fan Night
Saturday, Dec. 13	10 p.m.	Detroit Pistons at Sacramento Kings
Monday, Dec. 15	7 p.m.	Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
Sunday, Dec. 21	6 p.m.	Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic
Tuesday, Dec. 23		NBA TV Fan Night
Friday, Dec. 26	8 p.m.	Charlotte Hornets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Saturday, Dec. 27	7:30 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Miami Heat
	10 p.m.	New York Knicks at Sacramento Kings
Monday, Dec. 29	7 p.m.	Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Hornets
Tuesday, Dec. 30		NBA TV Fan Night
Friday, Jan. 2	7 p.m.	Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic
Sunday, Jan. 4	9:30 p.m.	Indiana Pacers at L.A. Lakers
Monday, Jan. 5	8 p.m.	Washington Wizards at New Orleans Pelicans
	10:30 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
Tuesday, Jan. 6		NBA TV Fan Night
Monday, Jan. 12	7:30 p.m.	New Orleans Pelicans at Boston Celtics
Tuesday, Jan. 13		NBA TV Fan Night
Thursday, Jan. 15	3 p.m.	New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks *
Saturday, Jan. 17	8 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets
Monday, Jan. 19	5 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies
Tuesday, Jan. 20		NBA TV Fan Night
Saturday, Jan. 24	7 p.m.	New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets
	10 p.m.	Washington Wizards at Portland Trail Blazers
Sunday, Jan. 25	8 p.m.	Washington Wizards at Denver Nuggets
Monday, Jan. 26	7:30 p.m.	Portland Trail Blazers at Brooklyn Nets
Tuesday, Jan. 27		NBA TV Fan Night **
Monday, Feb. 2	8 p.m.	Atlanta Hawks at New Orleans Pelicans
Tuesday, Feb. 3		NBA TV Fan Night **
Saturday, Feb. 7	7 p.m.	Chicago Bulls at New Orleans Pelicans
Sunday, Feb. 8	7 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Toronto Raptors
Monday, Feb. 9	8:30 p.m.	L.A. Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, Feb. 21	8 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls
Sunday, Feb. 22	7 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
	9:30 p.m.	Boston Celtics at L.A. Lakers
Monday, Feb. 23	8 p.m.	Toronto Raptors at New Orleans Pelicans
	10:30 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at L.A. Clippers
Tuesday, Feb. 24		NBA TV Fan Night
Saturday, Feb. 28	9 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns
Sunday, March 1	7 p.m.	Cleveland Cavaliers at Houston Rockets
Monday, March 2	7:30 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Miami Heat
Tuesday, March 3		NBA TV Fan Night
Saturday, March 7	7:30 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Cleveland Cavaliers
Sunday, March 8	6 p.m.	Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets
	9:30 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at L.A. Lakers
Monday, March 9	8 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls
Tuesday, March 10		NBA TV Fan Night
Friday, March 13	8:30 p.m.	L.A. Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, March 14	7 p.m.	Sacramento Kings at Washington Wizards
Sunday, March 15	9 p.m.	New York Knicks at Phoenix Suns
Tuesday, March 17		NBA TV Fan Night
Monday, March 23	7:30 p.m.	Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets
Saturday, March 28	10 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers
Sunday, March 29	9 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns
Monday, March 30	7:30 p.m.	Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors
	10 p.m.	Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers
Wednesday, April 1	7:30 p.m.	Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks
	10 p.m.	L.A. Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers
Sunday, April 5	7 p.m.	Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs
	9:30 p.m.	L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers
Friday, April 10	8 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
	10:30 p.m.	Minnesota Timberwolves at L.A. Lakers
Saturday, April 11	7:30 p.m.	Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat
	10:30 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at L.A. Clippers
Sunday, April 12	7 p.m.	New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets
	9:30 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks at L.A. Lakers
Monday, April 13	8 p.m.	Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder
	10:30 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors

* – Game to be played at O2 Arena, London, England

** – Denotes Fan Night Doubleheader

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NBA TV Special Looking Back at Alonzo Mourning to Debut Monday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m.

Mitch Richmond to Live Tweet During NBA TV Telecasts Showcasing His Memorable Performances Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 4 p.m.

NBA TV will exclusively televise the 2014 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony from Springfield, Mass., on Friday, Aug. 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will begin with the 2014 Hall of Fame Red Carpet Show at 6:30 p.m. hosted by Matt Winer alongside David Aldridge and Rick Kamla. The network’s comprehensive Hall of Fame coverage will also include Looking Back at Alonzo Mourning, a 30-minute retrospective on Mourning’s career from the Hall of Famer inductee’s playing days at Georgetown to his playoff breakthrough with the Charlotte Hornets to his fight against kidney disease and his championship performance with the Miami Heat.

Additionally, NBA TV will televise two of the most memorable performances of 2014 Hall of Fame inductee Mitch Richmond’s illustrious career with the six-time All-Star live tweeting the back-to-back game re-airs via the @NBATV Twitter handle.  The telecasts — airing Tuesday, Aug 5, beginning at 4 p.m. — were personally selected by Richmond and will feature his 40-point, eight rebound and six assist performance as a Golden State Warrior in 1991 and his 47-point, seven assist and six rebound effort with the Sacramento Kings in 1995.

NBA TV and NBA.com will also provide live coverage of the 2014 Hall of Fame inductees’ press conference on Thursday, Aug. 7, at 2 p.m. Along with Mourning and Richmond, this year’s Hall of Fame class features:

David Stern, former NBA Commissioner

• Sarunas Marciulionis, European basketball pioneer; seven-year NBA veteran
• Gary Williams, former University of Maryland head coach who led the Terps to the 2002 NCAA Championship
• Nolan Richardson, former University of Arkansas head coach who led the Razorbacks to three Final Four appearances, including the 1994 NCAA Championship
• Nat Clifton, one of the first African-American players to sign an NBA contract; 1957 NBA All-Star
• Guy Rogers, four-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA assists leader
• Bob Leonard, former head coach of the American Basketball Association’s Indiana Pacers
• Immaculata University’s 1972-74 AIAW National Championship teams, the first women’s college team to play in a nationally televised game

NBA TV’s Hall of Fame programming will also include two original Hall of Fame themed episodes of The Starters beginning with The Starters: Hall of Fame Class of 2014 on Monday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. and The Starters: Hall of Fame Debate on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 6 p.m.

Additionally, NBA TV will showcase the 2014 class with a number of re-aired programs throughout the week including Hardwood Classics featuring Mourning, Richmond and Marciulionis, the Warriors-themed Run TMC: The Power of Three and David Stern: 30 Years, a discussion between the former commissioner and NBA TV’s Ernie Johnson.

About NBA TV

NBA TV is a part of NBA Digital, the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR. Follow NBA TV on Twitter at @NBATV.

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Network to Cover USA Basketball Training Camp Live from Las Vegas on Tuesday, July 29

NBA TV to Present USA Basketball vs. Dominican Republic, Presented by Nike, on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. ET

NBA TV will air NBA Real Training Camp: USA Basketball Presented by Jeep – a live behind-the-scenes look at a USA Basketball Men’s National Team’s practice – on Tuesday, July 29, at 3 p.m. ET from Las Vegas. Matt Winer will host the two-and-a-half hour special with NBA TV analysts and former Team USA members Grant Hill and Steve Smith, along with reporter Jared Greenberg. The show will feature mic’d up players and coaches, as well as exclusive interviews with players, coaches, including Mike Krzyzewski,and executives. Players scheduled to take part include NBA stars Kevin Durant, Paul George, Blake Griffin, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Derrick Rose.

Additionally, the network will exclusively air the USA Basketball vs. Dominican Republic game, presented by Nike, on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Marv Albert will call the game with Hill and Smith as analysts and Winer as sideline reporter.

The 2014 Men’s National Team will assemble in Las Vegas on July 27 for training camp in advance of the FIBA World Cup, which runs Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain.

 

About NBA TV

NBA TV is a part of NBA Digital, the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

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NBA Digital to Present All 92 Games from Orlando Pro Summer League & Samsung NBA Summer League 2014 Across NBA TV, NBA.com and NBA Mobile

Top NBA Draft Picks Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Dante Exum & More

Expected to Make Pro Debuts

Rick Fox After Dark to Debut from Las Vegas July 19-21;

NBA TV’s The Starters Also On-Site

 

NBA Digital will give fans the first opportunity to see many of the league’s top rookies in action through its comprehensive coverage of 2014 Summer Leagues when it presents all 92 games across NBA TV, NBA.com and NBA Mobile.  Game coverage will include 25 Orlando Pro Summer League games (July 5-11), held at the Magic’s practice facility at Amway Center, and 67 Samsung NBA Summer League 2014 game telecasts from Las Vegas, held at Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion from July 11-21.  NBA TV will televise more than 60 Summer League games live from the respective game sites (full game schedule attached).

All 92 NBA Summer League games will also be available via the NBA Summer League Livesubscription package on NBA.com and NBA Mobile beginning Saturday, July 5. Coverage from Orlando will tip off July 5 with five games including the Miami Heat and rookie Shabazz Napier facing the Boston Celtics and recently drafted Marcus Smart at 11 a.m. ET.  Additional highlights from Las Vegas include the Cleveland Cavaliers meeting the Milwaukee Bucks, with respective top picks Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker in last week’s 2014 NBA Draft presented by State Farm, on Friday, July 11, at 8 p.m. ET.

Samsung NBA Summer League 2014 – with uncompromised access to NBA players, rookies, free agents, coaches, general managers, scouts and other front office personnel – will culminate with the Semifinals from Las Vegas on Sunday, July 20, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and the Final held Monday, July 21, at 9 p.m.

NBA TV’s deep roster of commentators will be on location at both sites to track all of the NBA Summer League action.  Matt Winer, Rick Kamla and Vince Cellini will handle play-by-play responsibilities in Orlando with analysts Isiah Thomas, Kendall Gill and Rick Mahorn.

Winer, Cellini and Kamla will be joined by fellow play-by-play voices Marv Albert, Joel Meyers, Spero Dedes, Matt Devlin, and Chad Andrus in Las Vegas, with David Aldridge calling select games.  Aldridge will also provide analysis from Las Vegas, along with NBA TV’s Reggie Miller, Greg Anthony, Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Dennis Scott, Rick Fox, Brent Barry, Derek Harper and Mateen Cleaves.  Reporters will include Aldridge, Fox, Scott, Jared Greenberg, Ric Bucher, Kristen Ledlow, Allie LaForce, Lesley McCaslin and Kevin Ray.  Additionally, the NBA.com Hang Time podcast trio of Sekou Smith, Fox and Lang Whitaker will call select Samsung Summer League 2014 games from Las Vegas.

NBA TV’s signature NBA GameTimestudio show – hosted by a rotation of the network’s commentators with special in-studio guests – will offer live nightly highlights, news and information following Summer League games (July 5-11, generally at 9 p.m.) from Turner Studios in Atlanta.  The Starters, NBA TV’s collective of fan-focused voices with co-hosts J.E. Skeets and Tas Melas and contributors Trey Kerby and Leigh Ellis, will conclude each night’s Samsung Summer League 2014 action on-site from Las Vegas, July 11-21.

Additionally, NBA TV will televise Rick Fox After Dark on Saturday, July 19, through Monday, July 21.  The late night show will air each night following The Starters with episodes featuring interviews with NBA personalities and celebrity guests, along with behind the scenes Summer League content.

NBA.com, NBA Mobile and social media highlights will include:

NBA.com

• Playermetrics 360-Degree Camera – an interactive online feature allowing fans to access a 360-degree view of select NBA rookies while also reviewing key information on each recent draft pick and an opportunity to compare them to current NBA players.
• Social Spotlight – the latest tweets, photos and other social engagement by players and teams surrounding all the Summer League action.
• Summer League Hub – daily updates, game trackers, video recaps, schedules, stats, bracket pages, NBA style content and Rookie Ladder, a moving scale that analyzes the progression of a player during their first NBA season, will be available through the Summer League hub (nba.com/summerleague).

NBA Mobile

• NBA Summer League App – a free app featuring live scoring, video highlights, recaps and game alerts. The app will also include a premium option allowing fans to directly access NBA Summer League Live.
• NBA Game Time – the league’s signature mobile app providing live scoring, live video, player profiles, game alerts and more.

Social Media

• Seat 140 – debuting at Summer League last year, Seat 140 will return with guests live tweeting during game action from Las Vegas.  The tweets will be aggregated on NBA.com and also integrated into NBA TV live game telecasts.
• All-Access – behind-the-scenes content surrounding the live game action and studio shows including quotes, pictures and interviews with commentators and other on-site guests.
• Social Scouting – a collection of fan reaction to the performances of rookies and Summer League standouts.
• Summer League Rewind – a look back at the 10-year anniversary of Summer League with throwback images, storylines, stats and more.

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https://sportsmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Summer-League-Schedule.pdf

NBA TV’s Coverage of the Draft to Feature NBA TV Draft HQ, NBA Rooks, NBA TV Mock Draft, NBA Draft Preview and Special Episodes of The Starters

NBA Digital will provide extensive multi-screen coverage of NBA Draft 2014 presented by State Farmincluding original programming on NBA TV and in-depth content across NBA.com and NBA Mobile platforms. NBA TV’s comprehensive coverage of the NBA Draft will feature expert analysis, behind-the-scenes access and in-depth previews of the top prospects and storylines surrounding the Draft. NBA Draft week programming tips off with NBA TV Draft HQ on Monday, June 23, at 9 p.m. ET, and leads up to the first pick on Thursday evening with a special episode of The Starters, at 5 p.m., followed by the 2014 NBA Draft Preview at 5:30 p.m.  Additionally, NBA.com and NBA Mobile will continue to be the destination for fans seeking the latest draft news, player analysis and social conversation.

NBA TV’s original programming will include:

• NBA TV Draft HQ on Monday, June 23, at 9 p.m. ET, with host Vince Cellini, Stu Jackson, Mike Fratello and Ronny Thompson, offering an insider’s look at the draft process from the perspectives of a former general manager, coach and scout.
• NBA Rooks: Great Expectations on Tuesday, June 25, at 10 p.m., taking an all-access look at some of the draft’s top prospects including Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Marcus Smart and Shabazz Napier.
• NBA TV Mock Draft 2014, on Wednesday, June 25, at 9 p.m., the network’s preview special airing the night before the 2014 NBA Draft. Vince Cellini will host the show with Greg Anthony, Jackson and Georgetown head coach John Thompson III, along with David Aldridge.  The show will feature a simulated first round complete with analysis of each draft pick.
• The Starters, on Thursday, June 26, at 5 p.m. featuring NBA Digital’s fan-focused voices with co-hosts J.E. Skeets and Tas Melas, along with Trey Kerby and Leigh Ellis. The Starters will also review the Draft on Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m.
• 2014 NBA Draft Preview on Thursday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m. with host Matt Winer along with Anthony, Jackson, Steve Smith and Thompson III.
• 2014 NBA Draft Review at midnight with all the latest news and insights. NBA TV reporter Jared Greenberg will be on-site with interviews from the draft’s top players in New York City.

• Eastern and Western NBA Draft Review on Friday, June 27, at 7 p.m. (Eastern Conference) and 8 p.m. (Western Conference) with hosts Cellini and Winer working alongside Aldridge and Anthony to analyze the draft selections for every team.

NBA.com and NBA Mobile will feature the NBA Draft Hub leading up to June 26, providing fans a full section dedicated to NBA Draft news and content, while the league’s signature app, NBA Game Time will feature comprehensive coverage of the Draft:

• NBA Game Time, NBA Digital’s mobile app available on iOS and Android, will deliver the latest news leading up to and throughout the NBA Draft, with video, interviews, analysis and more.
• Prospect Profiles, an in-depth look at the top players featuring video of the prospects analyzing their own game and traits.
• Playermetrics 360-Degree Camera, a custom interactive feature, allowing fans to use a 360-degree camera to review key information on each prospect such as height, wingspan and reach.  Fans will also be able to compare those criteria to other recent draft picks. Fans will also be able to access Playermetrics via NBA Mobile.
• Behind-the-scenes live videostream of players on the way to the Barclays Center on Draft night.
• Draftee interviews at Barclays Center with Greenberg, and live news conferences with the top Draft picks; also live videostream from Media Day on Wednesday, June, 25.
• Social Spotlightwill continuously keep fans up to speed on the latest tweets, photos and other social engagement by draftees, teams and the conversations surrounding the NBA Draft.
• Draft Hub, with new features, including a new Draft order module and a new Draft board page.
• Draft Trackerwillreturn toprovide live pick-by-pick analysis throughout the Draft.

About NBA TV

NBA TV is a part of NBA Digital, the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

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The San Antonio Spurs beat the Miami Heat 104-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the franchise’s fifth championship. 

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NBA Live at the Finals Pregame

Matt Winer, Rick Fox, Grant Hill and Chris Webber

Hill on the San Antonio Spurs: “The ball finds energy. You see that in how they play on both ends of the court. It has been fun to watch. San Antonio fans have to be pleased about how they are playing.”

Hill on the Heat changing their approach for Game 5: “You can do the lineup change but it really has to be the mentality. They have certainly come out lackadaisical; looks like they don’t have a lot of energy out there on the court. Four straight Finals appearances has got to be difficult. San Antonio went through a tough road to get through the Western Conference Finals. They look fresh, they don’t look tired or fatigued at all. Miami, mentally, has to manufacture energy somehow, some way to come out here and deal with these Spurs.”

Webber on what drives San Antonio: “The motivation is here for San Antonio. The first day of training camp they watched the bad plays of their last loss. The story of perservance and sticking together is the one for San Antonio. It is harder to stick together two years with a loss than it is one.”

Fox on the Heat realizing who the better team is: “I think this is just the first game (out of the four) where this team realizes that San Antonio is the better team. It doesn’t mean that they can’t still be champions. When they got smacked around with the historical shooting percentage, I think they chalked that up to that was just one of those games. It wasn’t until Game 4 they realized ‘We are the underdog.’”

Webber on Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard: “When he is engaged, active and aggressively attacking the basket, not only is he a great scorer but he’s a pretty good passer that makes problems for the other team.”

Fox on Boris Diaw’s impact on the Spurs: “He has a willingness to create for his teammates. He is constantly a second or third point guard on that floor. He’s been a matchup nightmare. He’s a complete player and I love the versatility he’s giving the Spurs on both ends of the floor.”

Hill on Spurs guard Danny Green: “He really does fit into this system in San Antonio. They need him to score in the high teens for them to have a win…for a Carolina guy, he’s not that bad.”

Webber on Tim Duncan’s longevity: “I expect him to play one more year and then be done. I expect him to lead with dignity and keep playing until he can’t play anymore.  Just being on this team, whether they win or lose championships, it just seems as if this team is a joy to be around and that they play ball the right way. When you are in those type of situations, it’s not just winning that keeps you around it’s the relationships.”

Hill on the value of Tim Duncan’s role on the Spurs: “Kudos to him for accepting less of a role and letting his teammates flourish around him.”

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NBA Live at The Finals Postgame

Winer, Fox, Hill and Webber

NBA MVP Kawhi Leonard joins GameTime

Leonard on improvements to his game: “When I first came in the league, I had to change my jump shot. I had to bring the ball down and that is what I was focused on. Year after year, I had to get comfortable with the players on the team and they just started believing in me. It’s just been a progression for me. I just believed in the hard work that I put in.”

Leonard on the difference between last year and this year’s series: “Last year was very tough. Losing that Game 6, up five with 20 seconds left, we felt like we lost the momentum. And then Miami came out and beat us in Game 7. My focus this year was that I have to do whatever it takes to win so that we don’t have to go back to Miami.”

Leonard on the unity of the Spurs: “Coming into the Spurs I was very excited. They just took me in as a family. Tim [Duncan], Tony [Parker] and Manu [Ginobili] and the rest of the guys believed in me. I took that to heart and started working hard. When I came in they were talking about championships and I was just a rookie so I had to step it up.”

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili joins GameTime

Ginobili on the growth of the Spurs: “We shifted the way we played in the last 10 years. When I got here it was every single possession in the post because that is what gave us the most. In the last two or three years it has been about ball movement and getting everyone involved. We had some pieces that made us shift.”

Spurs forward Tim Duncan joins GameTime

Duncan on his state of mind from last year’s Finals loss: “It was always in the back of my mind and the forefront of my mind when we played a game. You can’t address it until now. You had to get to the playoffs to start alleviating that. The focus the guys had from Game 1 to every series to playing through all of that…amazing team, amazing response, amazing to play with these guys.”

Duncan and his relationship with Coach Popovich: “He took last year’s loss harder than anyone else. He came back with a fire I hadn’t seen the entire time I’ve been with him. To come into another season and push us that hard just shows the passion and desire he had and it filtered down into all of us.”

Duncan on what this year’s championship means for him: “I appreciate this one more; it means more to me. The loss last year, coming to the end of my career…I appreciate it more for all those reasons.”

Tony Parker joins the GameTime crew

Parker on the team’s progression: “I think this is the best basketball – in the past five or six years – that we’ve been playing by far.”

Parker on playing a veteran role: “Timmy has been so unselfish since I’ve been here. He allowed me to grow up and become the player I became. He never took it for himself.  Coming into this

series, I felt like it was my turn to be unselfish and Kawhi benefited from all of that. It’s my job as a veteran to let Kawhi grow and he played a great series.”

Parker on the Spurs: “The way we lost last year was cruel. We were lucky enough to put ourselves in that position and win a championship this year and it shows the character of the team.”

Parker on teammate Boris Diaw: “He’s the ultimate team player. All he cares about is how the team is doing as well as passing and getting a better shot for someone else. I’m so happy that everyone can see that on the big stage and can see what he can do. We dreamed about the NBA when we were 12/13 years old and to win with him is unbelievable.”

Hill on the Spurs: “They are the standard in the NBA and what they have done in this series proves that. What impressed me the most about this series and their season was their formula. They obviously have their Big Three – which are out of their prime – but, collectively as a team, it is not one or two guys carrying the load. It really goes against what the formula has been for the NBA having one or two All-Stars carrying the load. Everyone had a big moment throughout this series. You have to compliment [Gregg] Popovich and [R.C] Buford for establishing that culture.”

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NBA TV will televise NBA GameTime on Thursday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET, prior to Game 4 between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs, along with comprehensive Finals coverage including live post-game press conferences.

 

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NBA Live at the Finals Pregame

Matt Winer, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Smith

Barkley on the role of Heat forward LeBron James: “To watch this guy play is an honor and a privilege. Michael Jordan is the greatest player ever, but in my 30 years in the NBA we have never had a superstar that has to be best scorer, assist guy, rebounder and has to guard the other team’s best player. LeBron James has to do it all for the Miami Heat.”

Smith on the versatility of LeBron James: “We know LeBron is very talented, but it’s amazing to me that he can be the best rebounder, the best point guard and best scorer in this series. The Spurs have to take something away. You have to get the ball out of his hands early and make someone else beat you. At the end of the game, you can’t let him run free. You have to make it uncomfortable for him.”

Barkley on the defense of Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard: “This guy guarded [2014 NBA MVP] Kevin Durant last week, then [Thunder point guard] Russell Westbrook and now he’s guarding the best player in the world. No matter how great of shape you’re in, at some point you only have so much gas in your tank. He slowed Durant down…you’re not going to stop him. Then after Russell Westbrook scored 40 points, they switched Leonard over to Westbrook. He’s a terrific player. Now to try and guard LeBron James, that’s a little too much to ask. LeBron’s confidence right now is at a whole other level.”

O’Neal on the Spurs struggles to win on the road: “The Spurs aren’t a good road team. They play excellent at home, but they let one slip away [in Game 2]. They are the type of team that has experience in bouncing back. They know how to focus, never panic and know what they need to do. They still believe they can win.”

Barkley on Spurs veteran Tim Duncan’s numbers in the second half of Game 1 and Game 2: “Age has something to do with that. He’s the greatest power forward ever, but everybody gets old and tired in this game. Now these games are going to come every other day. You have to wonder how he’s going to react.”

Smith on Spurs point guard Tony Parker: “Tony Parker has to play better. I know he has LeBron James on him, and he’s obviously a bigger guy, but the Spurs have got to pick up the pace and get the basketball to Parker quickly.”

O’Neal on Thunder veteran Derek Fisher being named the new head coach of the Knicks: “This is the new direction teams are going – we don’t care about experience, we want guys that are smart and young. Derek Fisher is a smart guy and a great player. Will that translate into being a great coach? We don’t know. Fisher won five rings with Phil Jackson and knows the triangle system. The next line of business is will Carmelo [Anthony] stay? If he’s not there, Fisher will not have a great first year.”

Barkley on the New York Knicks going forward: “If Carmelo Anthony does not stay, they have no chance of making the playoffs next year…with Carmelo, I’m not sure they can make the playoffs either. It’s an outside chance even with Carmelo. They are putting all of their eggs in three or four years down the line. I don’t believe this notion that people will want to come there just because they are the Knicks and Phil Jackson is there. I don’t believe that.”

 

NBA TV analyst Rick Fox joined the NBA GameTime crew

Fox on Knicks head coach Derek Fisher: “He is an experienced individual at winning championships, being consistently prepared as an individual and stepping in and supporting his teammates. That’s what the Knicks want to return to. They’d like to get going again and Phil is a nice foundation. You have to be confident that one of the best coaches in the game [Phil Jackson] would be able to find the right coach for himself and the Knicks.”

 

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NBA Live at the Finals Postgame

Winer, O’Neal, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and guard Danny Green: “I have to take my hat off to Leonard and Green. They were the keys to the game and were flat out amazing…that’s all you can say.”

Smith on Leonard’s quickness on the offensive end in Game 3: “I love that there was no offensive hesitation with Kawhi Leonard. He caught it and shot it. If he had a move, he took it to the bucket quickly.”

Barkley on the shooting prowess of the San Antonio Spurs: “I’ve never seen a team play that well in a half of basketball. To see it first hand was incredible…they were making everything — 41 points in a quarter is amazing.”

O’Neal on how he thinks Miami will respond in Game 4: “When Miami’s backs are against the wall, they always come out with a lot of energy. They don’t want to go down 3-1, so I expect LeBron, Dwyane Wade and others to have a big game. The series will be tied 2-2.”

Barkley on the resilience of the Spurs: “Every time you think it’s the end of the road, they keep coming back. Everybody thought if it was going to be a blowout today, it was going to be the Miami Heat blowing them out. For the Spurs to come out with their energy level, the game was never in doubt. You never thought the Spurs were going to lose this game. They are an amazing organization.”

 

Spurs power forward Boris Diaw joined the NBA GameTime crew

Diaw on whether it was a part of Spurs head coach Popovich’s plan for Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard to take the lead in Game 3: “The game plan was the same. We didn’t change anything. We just wanted to play Spurs basketball. Popovich just said some players have to play better. He did tell Kawhi that when he is aggressive we are a better team.”

Diaw on the shooting strategy of the Spurs: “Some guys in our team get green lights. Everybody else, we try to move the ball. If you have a great shot…take it. If you have a good shot, it’s not good enough. You have to find a great one.”

 Diaw on the Spurs plan to defend LeBron James in Game 3: “LeBron is the best player today. The philosophy is to not let him get easy shots. It’s not making him take outside shots, we just don’t want anything easy for him.”

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