Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage – Wednesday, May 20, 2015
TNT’s exclusive coverage of the 2015 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks, will continue tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET. The NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader pre-game show will preview the live game action at 8 p.m.
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NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Shaquille O’Neal (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Smith on whether the Cavaliers should be considered the favorite: “Because of injuries, they are not a favorite. The Hawks are the favorite this series for sure… If LeBron [James]’s unit is not healthy, I don’t know how they come out of this series.”
Smith on how good James has been: “He has been the most spectacular player, and I’ll say it, Jordan-like. He’s not captivating like Michael, he’s not spectacular like Michael, but the efficiency of what he does for his team, [LeBron] has equaled that.”
O’Neal on who he expects to win the series: “Cleveland is the favorite because the Hawks have never been here before.”
Barkley on who will win the series: “I’m going to take the Cavs because of LeBron. The Hawks have a terrific team but they aren’t a dominant team. They have to play well. I think LeBron can win two, maybe three games by himself and I think his role players can win another one.”
Barkley on a potential x-factor for Cleveland: “Tristan Thompson is going to be very instrumental in this series. He’s been fantastic… He has bet on himself and he’s made a lot of money this year and especially in the playoffs.”
Barkley on the Hawks’ most important player: “The guy who always makes the Hawks go is Jeff Teague. He’s the engine, the heartbeat of the Hawks.”
Smith on what Atlanta has to do to move on: “I don’t think one [particular] guy on this team is [most] valuable. All of them collectively are valuable… If [the Hawks dictate a style of] plug this hole over here, then this hole over here for Cleveland, then the Atlanta Hawks will be in the NBA Finals.”
O’Neal on what needs to happen for the Hawks to represent the Eastern Conference in The Finals: “Kyle Korver needs to average twenty-something points a game for them to win this series.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers (97) @ Atlanta Hawks (89); Cavaliers lead the series, 1-0
Marv Albert (play-by-play) Chris Webber and Reggie Miller (analysts) with Rachel Nichols and David Aldridge (reporters)
Webber on Kyrie Irving playing through injury: “He has a skill set in which he doesn’t have to penetrate [to be effective]. He can catch-and-shoot off the dribble if need be.”
Miller on Cleveland center Timofey Mozgov in the series: “Mozgov is a great rim protector. He’s going to protect that paint area. The strength of the Hawks, especially Al Horford and Paul Millsap, is that they draw the ‘bigs’ away from the paint area.”
Webber on how the Cavaliers pick up the slack with LeBron James on the bench in foul trouble: “It seems like that’s when Kyrie loves to take over with [Iman] Shumpert and J.R. Smith… I want to see how that three-headed monster of these three guards reacts.”
Miller on the interior size of Cleveland and how it impacts the rebounding battle: “Thompson is destroying the offensive glass… Rebounding is going to be huge on the Cleveland side because they have the advantage over the smaller Hawks team.”
Webber on James’ interior scoring: “LeBron has found out the secret that no one can block a jump hook and it’s easy for him to shoot that shot. When he makes up his mind to go inside the paint, determined, it’s hard to stop him.”
Miller on J.R. Smith’s big night: “It’s interesting because, if you’re a Knicks fan you’re saying, ‘Where was all of this, this year from J.R. Smith?’…He’s erupted here in the playoffs.”
Webber on Smith as a weapon off the bench: “What I love about J.R. Smith so much is that he’s accepted his role of coming off the bench…and he’s embraced it.”
Webber on James’ efficiency: “With this team, he should not worry about efficiency. He’s trying to lead a team and some guys that have never been in the playoffs before to a championship.”
Webber on Jeff Teague: “He may be the most underrated point guard in the league. The leading point guard on the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the league.”
Miller on Jeff Teague’s ability to create and score: “Teague can get anywhere he wants on this floor because of his ability to penetrate and shoot the basketball. He’s looking at Dellavedova like ‘there’s no way you can guard me this series, my friend.’ Plant that seed early.”
Miller on the pace of the game: “It’s more important for Atlanta, especially in Game 1 here, to get up and down. The way Teague can attack that paint area…is going to pay a huge dividend.”
Miller on the trade-off of the Hawks guarding LeBron James with multiple defenders: “He just so happens to be one of the most gifted passers that this game has ever seen. You have to be very careful with the shooters that surround him on the floor.”
Webber on the Hawks lineup options: “Do you want to go small or do you want to go big? There are repercussions to every decision. When you go small, [Cleveland center Timofey] Mozgov makes his presence felt with offensive rebounds.”
Miller on where Dennis Schröder can improve his offensive game: “If I’m Schröder, I know one thing I’m working on this summer, it’s gotta be that jump shot. With the quickness he has, if he can develop an honest jump shot, the world is his.”
Webber on what the loss of DeMarre Carroll would mean to Atlanta: “You’re talking about the heart and soul of the team, your best on-the-ball defender, a leader in the locker room.”
Webber on the challenge Atlanta will face if Carroll’s leg injury is significant: “It’s going to be a test of wills and perseverance to see how this teams stays together if they have an injury to one of their best players.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith
Barkley on Smith’s three-point shooting: “J.R. Smith is a streak shooter. Once the house started on fire…he was just gonna burn down the house, he was just on fire.”
O’Neal on Smith: “When we came in here [this afternoon], he was out shooting and had a rhythm…I knew when his first couple shots went down, he was gonna have a good night.”
Barkley on the pace of play: “I thought the tempo of the game was way too slow for the Hawks. They need to play at a much faster pace.”
Smith on the Hawks’ offense: “When they move the basketball, they move their bodies and they are very tough to beat. When they are stationary and play pick and roll with just Teague out front, I think they’re easy to guard, as they were down the stretch.”
O’Neal on Kyle Korver: “I still need more from Kyle Korver. I understand he can’t get his own shots but today, when he did get open, he hit three nice shots. He needs to do that a couple more times.”
Barkley on how Atlanta can bounce back in Game 2: “[For Atlanta], losing [DeMarre] Carroll and getting beat really soundly tonight, if they had to go to Cleveland for that next game, I think they’d be mentally depressed. You’re gonna have to get a great effort from the home crowd Friday night to get [the Hawks] pumped back up because there is a mental scarring from tonight.”
Barkley on what’s next for the Hawks: “You have to figure out what’s going to happen with DeMarre Carroll and who’s going to start in his place. Not only has he played great offensively, you’ve got to have somebody in there that can physically handle LeBron… They’ll miss Carroll on both ends of the floor [if he’s going to miss extended time].”
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