Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage – Sunday, April 19, 2015
TNT’s NBA coverage of the playoffs continues tonight, Monday, April 20, with doubleheader action featuring the Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls at 8 p.m. ET and the New Orleans Pelicans @ Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by Autotrader
Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith
Smith on whether the Brooklyn Nets have a chance to win the series: “To me, this will be an Atlanta smacking… They are not better than the Atlanta Hawks. The Atlanta Hawks have been playing great basketball all year and they are mentally focused. They have heard all of the…not whispers…the are yelling that they are not good enough. Atlanta will smack Brooklyn.”
Barkley on the Hawks’ chance for success in the playoffs: “I’m concerned about the Hawks coming down the stretch. They took their foot off the pedal. I think they will win the series, but I don’t think you can turn it on and off.”
O’Neal on the Hawks: “No one expected them to win that many games. They are No. 1. They have never made it to the Conference Finals. I wonder if they really believe they can win a championship in their locker room. If they do, then they really have to take care of business.”
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Brooklyn Nets (92) @ Atlanta Hawks (99); Hawks lead 1-0
Marv Albert (play-by-play) Chris Webber (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Webber on Hawks guard Dennis Schroder: “He’s the longest short guy I’ve ever seen in my life. He uses his quickness very well. This team actually ups their pace when he comes in the game.”
Webber on the secret weapon of the Hawks offense: “So much has been made of this Atlanta Hawks offense. Their secret is they have two big guys in [center] Al Horford and [forward] Paul Millsap that can get out, play the pick-and-roll, contest jump shots and knock a few into the stands.”
Webber on the Hawks defense: “That chemistry they have on offense translates to the defensive end where they play for each other as well.”
Webber on the Hawks’ ball movement: “This is what they do and who they are. It’s also why they are so efficient defensively. They score, can set up their half-court defense, they don’t waste possessions by being careless and getting turnovers. You have to love how much this team values the ball.”
Webber on the Nets: “Regardless of how the Brooklyn Nets got in the playoffs, you better respect them.”
Webber on the size of the Nets: “Even though Coach Hollins said his team doesn’t have an advantage over the Hawks, I disagree. I believe size is their offensive advantage.”
Webber on Nets guard Jarrett Jack: “Sometimes it’s just about heart. He’s not the most athletic or the quickest, but this is when he loves to shine and try to prove himself…in the playoffs.
“He’s ready to play. He’s a [Trail Blazers guard] Wesley Matthews type player. He has a lot of heart, does it on both ends, is aggressive and gives the offensive rebounders a chance to get a bucket even when he doesn’t make the shot.”
Webber on the body language of the Brooklyn Nets: “What’s disappointing to me about the Nets is their body language. They are acting too cool. You want to see [point guard] Deron Williams start to get mad and be aggressive.”
Webber on Brooklyn forward Joe Johnson: “He is always going to be an underrated superstar because he never talks about himself. The worst thing you ever hear about Joe Johnson is that he’s quiet.”
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Portland Trail Blazers (86) @ Memphis Grizzlies (100); Grizzlies lead 1-0
Kevin Calabro (play-by-play) Brent Barry (analyst) with Lewis Johnson (reporter)
Barry on guard Tony Allen: “Tony Allen is hugely important to Memphis, especially for what they do on the defensive end of the floor.”
Barry on Vince Carter’s role with the Grizzlies: “He’s replacing last year what Mike Miller meant to Memphis in that first round with OKC. It’s been a low year for Vince in terms of shooting. They just hope that Vince finds a little bit of confidence for one more go.”
Barry on guard Beno Udrih’s importance to Memphis: “It was just a matter of accepting what he was in this league in terms of coming in, backing up and finding a home. Memphis gave him his shot…and this is where he is going to make his living. A free agent at the end of this year but an important part of what they are going to do this offseason… He’s just an offensive spark. He’s very good and very aggressive. “
Barkley: “[Marc] Gasol and [Zach] Randolph are the best center / power forward combination in the league.”
Barkley on Mike Conley’s health: If Conley is healthy, I’ve always thought that Memphis has had the most complete team…the addition of Jeff Green has made them a totally different team.”
Barry on the Gasol brothers: “I believe that Marc and Pau [Gasol] have the best career that siblings have ever had in this league.”
Barry on power forward Zach Randolph: When he’s playing good, the team is pretty much unstoppable.”
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San Antonio Spurs (92) @ Los Angeles Clippers (107); Clippers lead 1-0
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Reggie Miller (analyst) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
Barkley on the Clippers: “This is the year that the Clippers go deep in the playoffs. Chris Paul is on a mission. DeAndre [Jordan] is on a mission. This is the year that people are starting to criticize them. The guy that really has to step up is Blake.”
Barkley on the future of the Clippers: “If they don’t beat this old school Spurs team, they are going to have to break this team up.”
Miller on the pressure on forward Blake Griffin this series: “A lot of people are talking about Blake Griffin having to have one of those series if the Clippers are going to move on to the Western Conference Semis. He has so much potential and athleticism, in a series like this going against [San Antonio forwards] Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan, he’s going to need to use all those skill sets to raise his level of play.”
Miller on the point guard battle between Chris Paul and Tony Parker: “It’s almost a wash. Offensively, both know how to put the ball in the basket, and it’s going to be interesting to see who can stop the other on the defensive end.”
Barkley on forward Blake Griffin: “He’s the key to the entire series. They can’t guard him. When they put [Boris] Diaw on him, he can take him down low. Blake has to understand, your move is dictated by who’s guarding you. I want him to go to the basket more.”
Miller on forward Blake Griffin: “He can do so much. Not only can he score and rebound, but he’s a fabulous passer. That’s why people are expecting so much from him.”
Miller on Chris Paul: “He’s been so efficient with this shooting, not just in the playoffs but in all 82 games. Such balance and flow.”
Miller on the importance of bench play: “As this series goes on, it’s all about the benches. In my opinion, that’s how the Spurs won their last championship.”
Smith on the Spurs: “When Miami beat the Spurs, they had such superior talent in LeBron, [Dwyane] Wade and [Chris] Bosh. However, they weren’t a smarter basketball team than San Antonio. I’m not sure if Blake, DeAndre [Jordan] and Chris Paul are that level of talent over the Spurs, while the Spurs are still just as smart.”
Miller on the Spurs: “They don’t complain, they just go out and play; they are a machine.”
Miller on Coach Rivers and Coach Popovich: “This is a chess match. These are arguably the two best coaches in our game right now, going head to head in this first round.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley, Smith
Smith on the Spurs entering Game 2: “They are (very rarely) going to sweep people. They just weren’t making shots. They have had that happen before. They are the masters of the six, seven game series…You can’t say by one game the Spurs are the best team or they are going to lose a series.”
Smith on the flow of the game: “The Clippers did a great job of increasing the pace after halftime.”
O’Neal on the Clippers: “The key for the Clippers is, you’ve always been a good team, are you a great team? Are you going to come out in Game 2 and put this team away or are you going let them hang around?”
Barkley on Blake Griffin’s impact: “The key was Blake’s rebounding. If you can jump like that, you gotta average 10, 11, 12 rebounds a game.”
Smith on the Hawks passing: “This is called [true, redefined] ‘Hero Ball,’ when you have a wide open three or a wide open lay-up, EVERY time you take the lay-up.”
Barkley on Nicolas Batum on being the x-factor: “When he plays well, the Portland Trail Blazers have a good chance of winning. He’s the guy that can make up the difference.”<
Barkley on the Nets: “I like Deron Williams, but if he can’t play healthy, they have to go to Jarrett Jack.”
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