Notes from NBA on TNT Coverage – Tuesday, March 31, 2015
TNT’s NBA coverage will continue on Thursday, April 2 with a doubleheader featuring Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m.
**** **** **** ****
TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Matt Winer, Shaquille O’Neal, Dennis Scott and Isiah Thomas
O’Neal on Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard: “He is a young gun that plays under control. They are giving him more freedom. They are saying, ‘You are the future. This is your team and your time to shine.’ He is super unselfish…sometimes too unselfish. He always makes the right play. When they need him, if they need a bucket or a defensive stop, he’s the guy that they go to.”
Thomas on Leonard: “He is a reluctant scorer. Some guys go out and chase 30-points, but Kawhi will get it when you need it. He gives them the versatility that they need.”
Thomas on Heat guard Dwyane Wade: “This is where you know Wade is a gamer. He is tough. When the playoffs come around, you’re not playing back to back nights, so consequently, he will be able to get rest. They still have championship pedigree and knowledge. They know how to win. They won’t be fatigued in the playoffs and will be able to lock in on an opponent. They are going to be a tough out for whoever is playing them because of the way they play and the intellectual knowledge they bring to the game.”
O’Neal on whether the Heat are an Eastern Conference team to be reckoned with in the playoffs: “The playoffs are all about matchups. I think if they get the right matchup, especially in the first round, they can go pretty far. Can they win a championship? Probably not. If you’re seventh and starting on the road, all it takes is one game…win one game at [the opponent’s] place and build some momentum, come back home and win a few games. If they get in, yes they can compete. Can they win a championship without LeBron? Probably not.”
Scott on whether Wade can carry the Heat: “When Wade is healthy, he’s still not enough to beat the Hawks or the Cavaliers. He cannot do it by himself.”
**** **** **** ****
San Antonio Spurs (95) @ Miami Heat (81)
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Steve Smith (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Smith on Kawhi Leonard on the defensive end: “I am so impressed by Kawhi Leonard’s defense. Everybody is talking about his improvement on the offensive end, but to me it seems like he is taking defensive challenges and attacking guys on the wing.”
Smith on Leonard: “He’s one of those players that you can take him with those big ole’ claws and say, ‘Guard anybody!’ You have to start looking at him as defensive player of the year and as one of the best two-way players, because his offense is catching up with his defense.”
Smith on if Spurs veteran Tim Duncan is nearing the end of his career: “Just look at the way he’s playing. He is still having fun and they are still winning. Obviously he can call it quits whenever he wants to, but he is still effective, still winning and still has his guys in Coach Popovich, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. I hope, from a standpoint of being a former teammate and a fan of the game, that he doesn’t give it up just yet.”
Smith on the Spurs’ success in March heading into the playoffs: “There’s an outside chance they could move up to the second spot in the West. If you look at where they are in the standings, it’s phenomenal they could land that high at the end of the season. They know how to finish the season off. Coach Popovich does an excellent job of having his team ready to go.”
Smith on the combination of Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic: “It’s a great combination because both guys can play without the basketball, and both guys are terrific with it.”
Smith on Heat point guard Goran Dragic: “He’s a point guard that’s not afraid of contact. He gets to the line because of his physical nature and style at the point guard position.”
Smith on the injured Miami Heat: “This Miami Heat team is missing players, but if they keep coming out and playing like this, they are going to have a chance [in the postseason].”
**** **** **** ****
Golden State Warriors (110) @ Los Angeles Clippers (106)
Kevin Calabro (play-by-play) Mike Fratello analyst) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
Fratello on Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry as an MVP candidate: “If you had to make a decision today on who’s your MVP, it’s a hard answer. You have [Rockets guard James] Harden, when you consider his value to his team, but this guy is the best player on the team with the best record in the NBA. Then you have LeBron [James] playing as well as he is with Cleveland’s record. It’s a hard call.”
Fratello on Curry: “Stephen Curry is putting on a show for the crowd. This guy is something special. He is digging in against [Clippers point guard] Chris Paul. He’s not backing off defensively.”
Fratello on injured Warriors forward Draymond Green: “He’s part of that glue that makes the team work, because he goes in there and plays multiple positions.”
Fratello on the Warriors bench: “They have one of the finest benches in the NBA. They have a number of guys who have started on other teams in the past and could start for other teams now, guys like Barbosa, Iguodala and Livingston.”
Fratello on the quickness of Stephen Curry: “You can not lose your concentration on Curry for one moment.”
Fratello on the point guard battle between Chris Paul and Stephen Curry: “Chris Paul knows that the young gun Stephen Curry is getting all the attention this season. He is really going after him defensively.”
**** **** **** ****
Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Winer, O’Neal, Scott, Thomas
O’Neal on Kawhi Leonard: “I love this kid because he guards everybody. He doesn’t run from any challenge. He plays great defense.”
O’Neal on Leonard: “It’s scary. [Guard] Manu Ginobli is not playing like Ginobli, but the Spurs still have a big 3. A guy like Kawhi is a confidence booster and he’s a very unselfish kid. He’s responsible and gets others involved. He’s a great player. I’m happy for him.”
Scott on if he feels any different about the Spurs now than he did a month ago: “I feel a whole lot different because of Kawhi. Now that his offense has caught up with his defense, we know the system is going to work. They are going to share the basketball, that part we already know. Now any time Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili or Tim Duncan aren’t feeling well, we know they can play through Kawhi Leonard.”
Thomas on the inconsistent Heat lineup heading into the playoffs: “Most of the teams going into the playoffs have a consistent rotation, they know their offense, they have a consistent style of play and they understand each other. Miami hasn’t experienced that this year. Even though they have been to The Finals as a team last year, this team, this new unit is still trying to find each other. They will be at a deficit going into the playoffs regardless of Wade’s health.”
O’Neal on the Warriors switch: “It shows me that the Warriors have a switch…second half they clicked their switch…third quarter [guard] Klay Thompson takes over and these guys keep coming. If you stop Stephen Curry on one play, you better not give him any room. These guys are very, very impressive. I’ve watched them a lot this year and I don’t see any holes in their game. They are playing together and flowing right now. Golden State is my favorite right now.”
Thomas on what makes the Warriors so dangerous: “They have been the most dominant team all season. They believe that they can beat the L.A. Clippers any time they want. Whether it’s in Golden State or Los Angeles, they feel like they can show up at a neutral location and beat that team any time they want to or choose to.”
-30-
Recent Comments