Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage – Monday, May 11, 2015
TNT’s NBA Playoffs coverage continues Tuesday, May 12, with the Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET, Game 5, followed by Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets at 9:30 p.m., Game 5
**** **** **** ****
Atlanta Hawks (106) @ Washington Wizards (101); Series tied, 2-2
Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Brent Barry (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Barry on Atlanta improving on the offensive end: “It’s just been crazy in the series to think that as a team, collectively, they’ve shot 30% in uncontested jumpers… Tonight they’ve been much better because the penetration has opened up opportunities for them, but this is a team that shoots the ball much better. You’ve got to think, at some point, they’ll get back in a rhythm on that side of the floor.”
Barry on Dennis Schroder’s offensive approach: “In the same way [Rajon] Rondo is disrespected with regards to his jump shot, people play off of him, and he takes up that three or four feet of space with a tremendous amount of momentum. For him, the way he can shift his body and catch those angles, that’s what makes him devastating once he gets by a primary defender.”
Barry on Atlanta evening the series: “In the process [of getting a road win], they may have found out a little more about themselves than they had coming into this game for the rest of this series. [With] two games remaining at home, a great opportunity.”
Barry on finding offense in the playoffs: “Paul Pierce and Drew Gooden are two of the top three remaining three-point shooters in the playoffs… the Wizards are really finding offense from new resources.”
Barry on Bradley Beal taking on a greater role: “Bradley Beal is doing a great job of heading up some responsibilities that you didn’t see much during the regular season. Handling the ball on pick and roll, directing traffic on offense.”
Barry on Beal’s performance: “He’s been awesome, awesome tonight. Mixing up his game, from attack, to midrange to three point shooting and decision making.”
**** **** **** ****
Golden State Warriors (101) @ Memphis Grizzlies (84); Series tied, 2-2
Brian Anderson (play-by-play) Steve Smith (analyst) with Lewis Johnson (reporter)
Smith on Stephen Curry finding ways to get his teammates involved: “We know he is able to score the basketball, but I think being able to create some offense off the bounce, getting into the teeth of the defense and kicking out, just getting some other guys some easy looks, is going to be the way for him to go.”
Smith on Golden State needing to involve Harrison Barnes more: “Harrison Barnes, who I’ve been raving about for the Golden State Warriors, I think he needs more touches on the offensive end. He’s been very productive for the Golden State Warriors.”
Smith on Harrison Barnes and Stephen Curry having to switch up on defense: “When you’re watching Harrison Barnes, and also Stephen Curry, they’re not guarding their original guy. It puts a lot of pressure on Harrison Barnes and Stephen Curry, not to defend, but to box out against those bigger guys.”
Smith on Golden State’s defense stepping up: “Give the Warriors’ defense a lot of credit. They’ve been aggressive, they’ve been active, and they’ve come up with some turnovers.”
Smith on Draymond Green’s improved game: “He’s been their leader on the defensive end, and also a guy who can move the basketball and play that stretch four position, and make plays off the bounce.”
Smith on the Grizzlies’ physicality: “This style of play wears you down… I think if you’re [head coach] Dave Joerger and those guys, you go back and make your adjustments. Mike Conley, you can see didn’t have a great game but it’s nice to have him back… You would figure they’ll shoot better. Jeff Green was a little more aggressive. They need him. And Vince Carter made some buckets. It came down to, you have Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, 17 and 12 [points], they got touches but the double team made them force it.”
**** **** **** ****
Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith
Smith on the Hawks playing as a team: “No one player, to me, when I watch the Atlanta Hawks, is more valuable than the other…but no one player can be missing.”
Barkley on the importance of Jeff Teague to the Hawks’ success: “I judge the Atlanta Hawks by Jeff Teague. When he’s aggressive, they play with a totally different energy because there’s really no one player you can just give the ball to except him. He can get his own shot every single time… Jeff Teague is the guy that makes everybody on this team go.”
Barkley on the Hawks playing Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder together: “I’ve got to give Coach Budenholzer credit. He switched his team up tonight. He played two point guards together to speed up the tempo.”
O’Neal on the Hawks getting easy baskets: “Huge win for the Hawks. A lot of people were questioning them, [asking] did they have enough fight… They really did a great job of getting the ball inside. When I mean get the ball inside, I don’t mean post presence, but just layups…easy, easy baskets… They really wanted this game.”
Barkley on Jeff Teague being similar to Tony Parker: “He kind of reminds me of Tony Parker. It’s almost impossible to keep him in front of you. We actually thought there was something wrong with him because he hasn’t played like the All-Star… He was fantastic tonight.”
Smith on the Hawks stars as a team: “The NBA made a statement at All-Star Weekend when they put the four Atlanta Hawks there. They wanted it to be more about team instead of an individual… The reward they got at All-Star Game showed tonight, that all of them together, collectively, make a great team, and not individually.”
O’Neal on Stephen Curry leading the Warriors: “When you’re the MVP, when you’re the best player on the team, when you come out and play aggressive, the others will follow. The others for Golden State are playing pretty good, [Harrison] Barnes and [Draymond] Green.”
O’Neal on Curry among the best shooters: “He’s a spectacular shooter. Throughout the history of the game, spectacular shooters can be off every now and then, but you can never hold them down for long periods of time. Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and now Steph Curry… If you have the right mindset, and you stay confident, like he’s been doing, he’ll get it back. Tonight he just showed he’s a spectacular shooter. You have to put him in that category, Larry Bird, Glen Rice, guys like that.”
Barkley on the Grizzlies learning something in the second half with a smaller lineup: “If I’m Memphis, you can learn something in losses. I thought they outplayed Golden State in the second half with the small lineup… Memphis changed up in the second half… They went small. They took one of their big guys out of the game because you can’t just walk the ball up and down the court when you’re down 20 points at halftime… To play them even in the second half with a small lineup, they can use that going forward if they get down.”
-30-
Recent Comments