Notes from NBA on TNT Coverage – Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015

Smith on Warriors point guard Stephen Curry as an MVP candidate: “Right now, Stephen Curry is the MVP. He has the longevity, but there is a guy coming like a bullet named Russell Westbrook.”

Barkley on Curry: “I love Stephen Curry, but he’s not the MVP. The MVP is [Rockets guard] James Harden.”

Smith on the Cavaliers-Warriors matchup: “This is going to be the true test. We’ll see if they are the best team in the East. This is a litmus test game. This is one of the games that you look at on our schedule and say, ‘We are championship contenders,’ or this is when you make substitutions and changes because you aren’t good enough yet. This is a real statement game for both teams.”

Webber on Warriors center Andrew Bogut: “Bogut may be one of the best passers in the NBA. He loves to pass and gets everyone involved.”

Webber on All-Star point guards Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving: “You love seeing two point guards with so many skill sets, that get their teammates involved and don’t just play super hero ball. It’s a pleasure to watch.”

Webber on head coach Steve Kerr’s eighth technical foul of the season: “That’s just him putting his imprint on his team.”

Webber on Warriors sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson: “I know these are the Splash Brothers, but they can score in the intermediate area, they can score with layups and they play defense. It’s not just a three-point scoring team. You can tell by the effort of this team against the Cavaliers.”

Webber on James as an MVP candidate:  “This is what’s scary for the rest of the NBA; while we have all of those other MVP candidates out there, they still better remember who the man is. When he is coming out this aggressively in games, like he will the rest of the season, he is tough to guard.”

Webber on the Cavaliers in the second half of the NBA season: “This team is getting their mojo back.”

Webber on Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving: “[Warriors point guard] Stephen Curry is the best ball handler of any shooter in the NBA, but Kyrie Irving is the best ball handler in the game…period.”

Webber on LeBron James: “I hope we never stop appreciating what he brings to the game. He brought the game back to a level where it was about the best player being part of a team, instead of the best player being the hero with his team just joining him. You have to love the way he gets his teammates involved. He loves to see them succeed.”

Webber on Cavaliers reserve power forward Tristan Thompson: “He gets the crowd involved as a role player for this team. He isn’t a starter, yet he is second in the league in total rebounds. When you have an energy guy coming in, whether in the playoffs or regular season, and they do their jobs like Thompson does, it helps so much. Not only do you get extra possessions, he gives extra energy to the crowd. It also pumps the players up.”

Webber on the rhythm of LeBron James in the second half: “When he starts off bullying, going to the paint, getting shots that he loves and getting his players involved, he seems to open up in the second half because he already has a great rhythm. Those shots are easy for him to knock down.”

Webber on the Thunder’s acquisition of center Enes Kanter before the trade deadline: “It was a great pick up to get Kanter. Now you have two young centers [Kanter and Steven Adams] to use with your superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. You couldn’t tell [recently traded center] Kendrick Perkins to go down and get a bucket, he was more of a defensive guy. You can do that with Kanter.”

Miller on how the Thunder are building their franchise: “I love everything that is going on with the Thunder and their organization. The two words they always talk about are commitment and sacrifice. That’s how they want to build the base of their franchise. They are trying to build through players that are going to be molded to play the way the Thunder approach and play the game.”

Miller on Russell Westbrook: “Have we ever seen a point guard that can attack the lane like Russell Westbrook? Maybe Derrick Rose before his injury.”

Miller on Westbrook as an MVP candidate: “There are 25 games left. Let’s say the Thunder go 20-5, get 52 wins and up to that sixth seed. Is that enough for him to win MVP, if he’s still playing like this?”

Miller on Thunder guard D.J. Augustin:  “This is a guy who understands his role and can knock down shots.”

Miller on the Suns recent trade of Goran Dragic to the Heat: “Dragic wanted to leave once the Suns signed [point guard] Isaiah Thomas. He felt a little threatened because of the competition, for whatever reason.”

Miller on the impressive rebounding of the Suns: “I am shocked how the smaller Phoenix Suns are beating up on the Thunder off the offensive glass. The Thunder are normally the best rebounding team in the NBA…and it’s not even close.”

Miller on the Suns lack of a closer: “Who is the closer for Phoenix? Who is the guy that you can just put the ball in his hands to get you a bucket?”

Barkley on Westbrook: “You can be a good player, you can even be a really good player, but you can’t become a great player until you learn how to make the guys around you better. When you are as explosive as Russell Westbrook is, you can take 38 shots a night, because you can get a shot every time down the court. However, he should say, ‘I’m going to get Ibaka a shot, I’m going to get Kanter a shot, I’m going to get Dion Waiters a shot.’ Just because you can get a shot doesn’t mean you should take it every time. It will make it easier on him.”

Smith: “Westbrook abandoned the game plan tonight. What he needs to realize is when they lose, they should still lose a certain way. He really put himself in a position to lose. He didn’t put himself in a position to win.”

O’Neal: “This guy can really play, but he has to utilize his help some more. Every time Kevin Durant is out there, he utilizes Durant as help. Westbrook can get his when Durant is not out there, but he needs to utilize his talents to draw defenders so he can kick it out to his teammates.”

O’Neal on the Eastern Conference Finals: “I think it’s going to be Atlanta and Cleveland as the last two teams in the East.”