TNT’s NBA coverage of the playoffs continues tonight, Thursday, April 23, with doubleheader action featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. ET and the Golden State Warriors @ New Orleans Pelicans at 9:30 p.m.
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by Autotrader
Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith
Barkley on the Grizzlies chances in the Western Conference: “This Memphis team, I’ve always thought they were the best team in the West if [point guard] Mike Conley is healthy. If he’s healthy, they are terrific. They have the best center / power forward combo in the NBA.”
O’Neal on the firing of Thunder head coach Scott Brooks: “What he did wrong is he didn’t have all of his players. Really, he didn’t do anything wrong. It’s unfair that he got fired, but he had ample chances to get his team to the next level. It’s just one of those things where he couldn’t get past certain teams. He lost to the Spurs a couple of times, but he did an unbelievable job. I know he will be a coach somewhere else.”
Barkley: “Scott Brooks did not deserve to get fired. Plain and simple. The guy made it to The Finals, and has been in the Conference Finals two other times. He was missing an All-Star those years, and missing an MVP this year…getting fired was really unfair.”
Smith: “It was not a deficiency in skill. It was probably something with personality, between the players, ownership or management. It was probably something else, because if you look at his resume…it’s impressive.”
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Portland Trail Blazers (82) @ Memphis Grizzlies (97); Grizzlies lead 2-0
Kevin Calabro (play-by-play) Brent Barry (analyst) with Lewis Johnson (reporter)
Barry on Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard: “When he can get out there and get off the ball in attack mode, he is much more difficult to guard.”
Barry on the Trail Blazers’ lack of offense: “The Blazers are going to have to find some offense [in order to win the series], but I’m not sure where that is against this Memphis Grizzlies defense.”
Barry on Lillard vs. the Grizzlies defense: “Head coach Terry Stotts needs to find a way to get Damian Lillard better opportunities throughout the course of the game, and try to find fast break points. That is so difficult to do against this Grizzlies team that plays balanced offensive possessions and is able to get back on defense.”
Barry on Grizzlies center Marc Gasol: “It’s a great thing to watch. Gasol is getting into the paint and keeping his confidence going.”
Barry on Grizzlies veteran shooting guard Vince Carter: “He had so many great moments last year for Dallas in that playoff series against San Antonio, pushing them to a Game 7… Vince was brought here for some playoff basketball, hoping to find some of that magic.”
Barry on the disruption in the Grizzlies’ team chemistry with forward Tony Allen out of the lineup: “Some of the things [forward] Jeff Green was doing for them offensively were ok, but defensively they had just fallen off a cliff with Tony Allen out. It was a bit disruptive to their team chemistry to not have Allen out there, who is the heart and soul of this grit and grind team. Allen is back starting and they will get back into their rotation, tighten it up and rely on Jeff Green’s production off the bench offensively.”
Barry on Memphis guard Courtney Lee: “When you get some offense from Courtney Lee, Memphis becomes a very difficult team to stop.”
Barry on the strength of the Grizzlies defense: “The Memphis defense is so good. They are going to guard one-action. If your offense starts to get predicated on one-on-one basketball with them set, and you’re not shifting the ball from side to side, there is just no way you are going to find effective offense possessions.”
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San Antonio Spurs (111) @ Los Angeles Clippers (107) in Overtime; Series Tied 1-1
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Reggie Miller (analyst) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
Miller on the strength of the Spurs bench: “It’s so huge for the Spurs to even up the series. They are hoping the longer the series goes, the more their depth is going to rise up. You are not going to get a lot of production out of the Clippers bench.”
Miller on Spurs PG Tony Parker vs. Clippers PG Chris Paul: “The Spurs need a bigger defender on Chris Paul. After Tony Parker tweaked his leg in Game 1, I don’t think he’s strong enough to guard Chris Paul.”
Miller on Spurs veteran power forward Tim Duncan: “It never gets old, watching greatness. We have the best seats in the house.”
Miller on Tony Parker’s lack of offensive production in Game 2: “After the Game 1 he had, if you told me Tony Parker would be 0-5 from the field and only have one point in the middle of the third quarter, I would have guessed the Spurs would be down 15.”
Miller on the minutes played by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili: “That’s why [head coach] Pop kept his ‘Big Three’s’ minutes down all season, for times like this… In a time of need, you need your best players.”
Miller on the focus of Clippers point guard Chris Paul: “Chris Paul is so focused and locked in for these playoffs. He is shooting the basketball great and is running this team at such a high level. He’s a man on a mission.”
Miller on Clippers power forward Blake Griffin taking advantage of matchups: “Blake Griffin has gotten the memo. He is starting to recognize matchups. When there is a smaller defender on them, he just bodies them and takes them to the paint.”
Miller on Griffin: “It’s all about power and athleticism. When there’s a taller defender he is going to use that quickness and speed. With a smaller defender, he will use bully ball. He’s a big factor for this Clipper ball club.”
Miller on Griffin: “This may be the best I’ve ever seen Blake Griffin play. He’s engaged. I don’t know why it took until the playoffs for me to see it, but he looks like a different animal. He has taken this game to another level. He gets it. He understands it.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley, Smith
Barkley on the one-dimensional play of point guard Damian Lillard: “The one negative to Damian’s game is, when he doesn’t score, he has zero impact on the game. When we talk about guys who are All-Stars and superstars, what separates them is their ability to make an impact on the game when you’re not doing what you do well. Sometimes you’re not going to make shots, but if the only thing you can do is make shots, you’re going to put your team at a disadvantage. Everybody in the NBA can play. What separates guys [are] stat stuffers who can do a bunch of different things.”
Smith on Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley: What puts the Memphis Grizzlies over the top is Mike Conley. He is the most underrated point guard in the NBA.”
Barkley on Conley: “That guy is a flat-out stud.”
Barkley on the improvement of Clippers power forward Blake Griffin: “He’s always played the game strictly on talent. Now he’s learning the mental aspect of the game. You can’t let these little guys guard you down low, you have to shoot over them like they are chairs.”
Barkley on the Clippers Game 2 loss: “[Head coach] Doc Rivers said it; they should have won this game.”
Barkley on the slow pace of San Antonio: “The key to the game was the Spurs’ ability to keep it at a slow pace. They want to walk it up and down the court and use body movement and ball movement.”
Barkley on a tired, injured Spurs team heading into Game 3: “What’s going to be interesting is it’s a quick turnaround. [Tim] Duncan played the most minutes he’s played all season. You have to worry about [Manu] Ginobili. You have to worry about [Tony] Parker. On the other hand, the Clippers have no bench. This could become a battle of attrition.”
O’Neal on Tim Duncan: “Tim Duncan is a bonafide superstar. Superstars don’t have two bad games in a row. I knew after the first game, he was going to come out ready.”
Smith on Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle’s comments regarding PG Rajon Rondo’s future in Dallas: “It’s unfortunate because he could have been what they needed. [Part of it was] his inability to conform. You still always have to be a pro in that environment, which at times I don’t think he was.”
Barkley on Rondo: “It’s best that they part ways. It just didn’t work.”
Smith on the Atlanta Hawks vs. Brooklyn Nets series: “The Atlanta Hawks are a better basketball team than Brooklyn. They have proven it all year. They won 60 games, and the Nets side-stepped into the playoffs. How could you think Brooklyn was going to play Atlanta tough?”
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