TNT’s coverage of the 2013 NBA Playoffs continues tonight with a doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets (Game 2) at 8 p.m. ET and Memphis Grizzlies vs. L.A. Clippers (Game 2) at 10:30 p.m.
TNT and NBA TV’s playoffs coverage continues Tuesday, April 23, with the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat (Game 2) at 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV and doubleheader action on TNT — the Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks (Game 2) at 8 p.m. followed by the Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets (Game 2) at 10:30 p.m.
Conference call participants:
Steve Kerr, TNT analyst
Kenny Smith, TNT analyst
Dennis Scott, NBA TV analyst
Albert “Scooter” Vertino, vice president and executive producer of content, Turner Sports
Vertino on the 2013 NBA Playoffs: “We are extremely excited to continue our coverage of the NBA Playoffs, with more than 40 NBA Playoff games on TNT. NBA TV will once again televise up to nine originally-produced games as part of more than 1,500 hours that starts tomorrow night that also features pre- and post-studio programming, live press conferences – which also stream on NBA.com – and encores of every playoff game.”
On J.R. Smith being named Sixth Man of the Year:
Kerr: “You always factor wins into the equation. I could’ve gone with Jamal Crawford or J.R. [They both had] great seasons and J.R. is very deserving.”
Scott: “I like to use the word impactful. With all the injuries that New York had…what he was able to do off the bench was very impactful for them to be the second seed.”
Smith: “That’s the proper choice. It’s about what guys do at key moments and he was the guy who was most impressive at key moments as a sub.”
On whether the Knicks can reach The Finals and win a championship as a three-point shooting team and limited post presence:
Kerr: “The big picture answer to that is yes because Miami just won the championship last year playing pretty much that same style. You still have to defend and rebound. Offensively, very few teams have the ability to throw the ball into the post any more. You’re going to see a lot more teams winning championships this way – downsizing and shooting threes.”
Smith: “Every team has deficiencies. Miami has deficiencies – they don’t rebound well. If the Knicks are able to rebound, along with shooting three-pointers, they can give [Miami] a run for their money. If the Knicks can make people play their way, they can do that [win a championship].”
On whether the Lakers can generate enough scoring without Kobe Bryant to compete with the Spurs:
Kerr: “They don’t have enough…they need to make threes from the perimeter. They’re not a great three-point shooting team. I don’t think they can beat the Spurs four times. They haven’t been a great team all year; I don’t see why they would be a great team now.”
Scott: “Bottom line, it’s just not good enough. As good as Pau [Gasol] and Dwight [Howard] played in Game 1, they still need to play out of their minds and be super dominant. I’m not sure they can do that right now at this point in the season.”
Smith: “They can’t [generate more offense].”
On the Clipper/Grizzlies series:
Kerr: “The [Clipper] bench has been great all year…if they can control the glass against Memphis, they’re going to be in pretty good shape.”
On the Nets’ Deron Williams and his second half transformation:
Kerr: “It’s been shocking to see the difference in the last month with Deron Williams compared to the first month of the season. He looks like his old self – incredibly explosive and dynamic. They [Nets] have become pretty entertaining and Deron is the main reason why.”
Scott: “Since the All-Star break – when he got the nutritionist and lost the weight – he got his pep back. Deron Williams has his confidence back and his ankles and his body and he’s playing like the All-Star that we know he can be.”
Smith: “I don’t think he was terrible in the first half. He was a victim of his own success. It was obvious to me that he wasn’t healthy.”
On Houston’s Jeremy Lin and how he can improve in the series against Oklahoma City:
Scott: “He was like a deer caught in the headlights. I’m anxious to see as a point guard what adjustments he will make.”
Smith: “[Last night] was his first playoff game ever. I would expect him to play better in Game 2. His lack of understanding of time management yesterday showed. His decisions just weren’t good. It had nothing to do with his talent.”
On what the Bucks need to do differently against Miami:
Kerr: “It will be a shock if Milwaukee gets one game. To do it, they’re going to have to shoot lights out. It’s a brutal matchup…it’s just too easy for Miami to just sit back there and deal with the two little guards [Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis].”
Scott: “They’re going to have to play like the Villanova team that beat Houston back in 1985. They have to be in the paint to try and deter…and think they’re going to block a shot…shooting lights out basketball and getting some kind of toughness. I don’t see any of that coming from Milwaukee right now.”
Smith: “They have to shoot at an incredible pace to win a game [in the series]. They shoot only from the perimeter. I don’t remember them getting an internal basket. There is no post play to slow the game down and make Miami susceptible to anything.”
On the prospect of the Thunder returning to The Finals and the team’s biggest obstacle:
Kerr: “The biggest obstacle will be San Antonio from the West. If the Spurs are clicking and healthy, they would be the biggest obstacle to Oklahoma City getting back to The Finals.”
Smith: “They have been over-matching their opponents with talent. They won’t be just over-matching their opponents with talent in rounds two and three.”
On the Celtics chances without Rajon Rondo vs. Knicks:
Kerr: “In the regular season, the Celtics played well without him [Rondo]. The speed and intensity of the playoffs is where you miss a guy that can create a shot and offense when nothing else is there. The Celtics don’t really have that now. That said, this should be a long series because they defend so well. Their defense is always good. They have to clean up their game and take care of the ball and try to be a little more efficient offensively.”
Scott: “I’m not sure the Celtics have enough firepower coming off the bench. [They] really realize how much [they] miss Rondo.”
On which team – the Knicks or Nets – has a better chance of knocking off the Heat in the Eastern Conference:
Kerr: “Both teams can cause problems, but I like the Knicks chances better against Miami. If you look at Brooklyn…I don’t think Brooklyn can stop Miami. The matchups are really difficult. If you look at the Knicks, they had success in the regular season. It’s a more comfortable matchup for them.”
Scott: “If the Nets were tougher, I would lean more towards the Nets because of Brook Lopez.”
Smith: “They both have things that could give Miami problems. But none of those things can give Miami problems for four-out-of-seven games. The Knicks have the ability to shoot the basketball and make LeBron James and Dwyane Wade play defensively on J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony. I don’t think any other team in the league has that. Those two teams [Knicks and Nets] probably have a chance to give Miami some trouble in the Eastern Conference.”
On whether Phil Jackson could return to coaching:
Kerr: “My sense is that Phil wants to get back in a different position. I don’t think he wants to coach. The rigors of travel would probably be too much on him. I could see him in management – maybe as a consultant or vice president’s role where he’s helping put together an organization.”
On the Bulls’ chances in the playoffs:
Kerr: “The Bulls margin for error is very slim because of their lack of firepower. They’re not very good offensively. They can make this a competitive series but I don’t think they can beat Brooklyn four times.”
Scott: “Somehow they’ve got to find somebody to make some shots. If they don’t find somebody or two guys to make some shots, they might get swept.”
On Chris Paul and the Clippers in clutch time:
Kerr: “Eventually for them [Clippers] to take the next step, they’re going to have to go into Blake [Griffin]. Blake’s gotten a lot better this year…but they still have a ways to go as a team inside and out…to be a championship contender.”
Scott: “I would never question his clutch. I’m looking for his leadership, keep everyone engaged and keep his ‘bigs’ ready to be tough down low.”
Smith: “He is clutch. He’s proven he’s a clutch player. His ability to be clutch has never been questioned.”
******
Recent Comments