Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage – Wednesday, May 6, 2015
TNT’s NBA Playoffs coverage will continue Sunday, May 10, with the Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Game 4) at 8 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bulls (91) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (106); Series tied 1-1
Marv Albert (play-by-play) Chris Webber (analyst) with Rachel Nichols (reporter)
Webber on the combination of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler: “You hope this tandem of Butler and Rose stay together for a long time. They’re like [similar] size, they can switch, they’re both athletic. They look for each other, they encourage each other. Just a great backcourt duo.”
Webber on Chicago’s approach: “The Bulls love playing ugly basketball. The Bulls love slowing it down. They can play fast, however you want it, as long as they can continue their defensive strategy.”
Webber on Nikola Mirotic: “He’s a scorer. You do not want him feeling it going back home with those crazy Chicago fans and that loud stadium. You want to try and keep that foot on the neck, especially on his confidence.”
Webber on Iman Shumpert: “[Iman] Shumpert actually started this season for this team, and we all know the J.R. Smith situation, but it seems like he’s been ready to come in and be their Mr. 911.”
Webber on what Kendrick Perkins brings to the Cavaliers as a veteran presence: “Having the opportunity to play with so many wonderful veterans, they add so much, the intangibles. And that’s what a guy like Perkins does. He can do a lot of things for you, especially defensively, on the court. But, his messages in the locker room are invaluable to this young Cavs team.”
Webber on LeBron James knowing the importance of Game 2: “He was here four hours early, put the headband back on. He’s down 1-0. He understands what this game means. And he understands to win a championship he’s going to have to play his best basketball of his life. Pat Riley, one of the greatest basketball minds, isn’t here right now. Dwyane Wade, his partner [in Miami] is not here right now. He knows it’s up on him.”
Webber on Tristan Thompson’s foul troubles: “Tristan not being a starter, is a high volume fouler…he puts his team in a bad position when he does this [gets in foul trouble]. You’ve already won one battle when you have [James] Jones and [Kendrick] Perkins on the court. You don’t want to keep putting your team in a situation to have to win a tough battle.”
Webber on how Cleveland’s frontcourt outplayed Chicago in Game 2: “The story of the night is definitely LeBron and him being aggressive going to the hole. But when you think about the matchup of the big fellas, [Joakim] Noah and [Pau] Gasol versus [Timofey] Mozkov and [Tristan] Thompson… I’d say having a guy off the bench coming in with the starters and outdueling the starting lineup, the frontcourt of Chicago, that’s a pretty good job.”
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Los Angeles Clippers (109) @ Houston Rockets (115); Series tied 1-1
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Reggie Miller (analyst) with Tracy Wolfson (reporter)
Miller on Matt Barnes: “Every team, you go back through all the champions, you got to have players like Matt Barnes on your team. Guys that do the dirty work, take those hard plays. It’s those plays after the foul is called, which I love.”
Miller on the Clippers’ clutch performances: “Going into the Spurs series, everyone talked about were the Clippers going to be mentally tough enough beat the defending champs? They showed that in Game 4 when they were down 2-1 to the champs winning a huge game in San Antonio. Game 6, down 3-2, close out game, they find a way to win… So, we know they are mentally strong enough.”
Miller on Chris Paul on the bench: “The reason why he’s so nervous over there, as a player you can’t control or dictate the action when you’re sitting on the bench. And when you are the best player on this Clipper team and you’re used to barking out all the calls and the orders and you sit back and reflect, sometimes your voice on the bench doesn’t carry as much weight. I love how animated he was in Game 1 supporting his teammates.”
Miller on whether anyone is playing better than Blake Griffin in the playoffs: “I would say no. Think about it, you know what he’s doing on the offensive end. But to me, his defense has been just as good, just as stellar.”
Miller on Jason Terry’s experience: “All his championship experience, that’s what this team needs right now, a shot in the arm. Terry has always been that type of player, to get the crowd involved here, he’s made some big shots, some hustle plays.”
Miller on James Harden’s success in Game 2: A statement, put a stamp on this Game 2 here. I thought he was too passive in Game 1… He [has] not shot the ball particularly well, 5-of-13 from the field, but 13-of-13 from the free throw line.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley, Smith
O’Neal on the Rockets lack of intensity: “They’ve played eight quarters versus the Clippers but they played two quarters hard. First game was a wash, lackadaisical. First half of the game [same thing]; third [quarter] started to pick it up, fourth [quarter] got hot. They will not win if they go into L.A. playing like that.”
Barkley on how well Blake Griffin is playing: “First of all, Blake is playing at a whole different level right now. He’s playing fantastic, you have to give him his props. He’s playing fantastic.”
Smith on what to expect when Chris Paul returns: “He’s going to be effective coming back now… I think he’ll be fine…his ability to penetrate and play the pick-and-roll they haven’t seen.”
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