Notes from NBA TVs Fan Night presented by 2K Sports’ NBA 2K11
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Chicago Bulls (91) @ Los Angeles Lakers (98)
Voting is open on NBA.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Fans can select between the following games:
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic
Portland Trail Blazers @ Philadelphia 76ers
New Jersey Nets @ New York Knicks
San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors
CLIP OF THE NIGHT
NBA TV’s Chris Webber on LeBron James’ comments that the Heat aren’t having fun
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AutoTrader.com Pre-Game Show
Ernie Johnson, Kevin McHale and Chris Webber
McHale on Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose: “He has the ball in his hands quite a bit; he’s their best player; he’s so dynamic, he finishes, attacks, his jump shot has improved. What they are trying to do is give him a lot of space by putting the ball in his hands and letting him make a lot of decisions.”
Webber on what he likes most about Derrick Rose: “I love the way Derrick Rose finishes. I think people take that for granted. All our guards in the league are great and can finish but Derrick Rose not only finishes emphatically over you but he has that great two-step hop which lets him make contact and lets him finish. I like that because he gets to the hole so great and when he takes that spot he can actually jump in the air (which you are actually taught not to do) and try to finish and also look out to pass. So I love his ball control.”
McHale on LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin’s dunk over Knicks guard Timofey Mozgov: “You very seldom see a guy dunk a ball and see his hand get a foot above the rim. He just threw it in. He’s such a dynamic player. I love him, he rebounds and he plays hard. Right now he’s going to have to fight through a tough year with the Clippers to get better.”
NBA TV’s Chris Webber on LeBron James’ comments that the Heat aren’t having fun: “He’s being a robot. He’s not having fun, he’s not energetic. He’s not dunking on people and being exciting. The team has a commercial begging fans to come watch three of best players in the NBA play. Miami Fans, you stink. I hate saying that but you do. I just think these guys really need to have fun. Something needs to be infused into this team; something new, something energetic, something positive.”
McHale on what the Miami Heat need to do to improve: “From a basketball standpoint, there is too much standing around. People aren’t working for each other. We have often talked about guys running; you have to run for your teammates. There is no one getting out in front of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade collapsing the defense, giving them lanes, giving them opportunities. There is not enough ball movement or body movement. They are technically doing some things that are making it really hard for them to win games in the NBA. They have got to get that fixed. Their spacing is bad, their ball movement is bad. They have to get better on the offensive end. It sounds ridiculous to say you have three of the best players in the league (and you’re) bad offensively, but they are.”
Webber on Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra: “I think the one thing that is getting lost in this whole thing is that you want a boss that has been there and done it and can make you better. At the end of the day, we are going to say it is LeBron’s fault and Dwyane Wade’s fault (that the Heat are losing) we are not going to say it is Spoelstra’s fault. I don’t know if they really need him (Pat Riley) to come in, but as players you need somebody to respect. You need something to respect the guy. I don’t see that on the floor. I don’t see anyone playing for each other,just as individuals.”
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T-Mobile Halftime Report
Johnson, McHale and Webber
Webber on Bulls guard Derrick Rose getting 16 points, 7 assists in the first half: “He is the real deal. How does this guy score? He comes off the pick and roll; he dribbles so well, he can get guys involved.”
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NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai
Johnson, McHale and Webber
Webber on how everyone on the Los Angeles Lakers bench knows what their role is: “Matt Barnes is a defender. He knows that he is the replacement for (Ron) Artest. He knows his job is to come and give the energy that Artest does. If you look at (Steve) Blake, he knows he is supposed to lead. Shannon Brown knows that he is supposed to attack the rim. I really like how these guys are playing together. It seems like they are all on the same page.”
Lakers reserve guard Shannon Brown joins NBA GameTime via Arena Link following the game
Brown on taking pride in coming off the Lakers’ bench: “Last year we got a lot of grief about our bench and how we weren’t holding the starters down. This year the guys came in and we just clicked right away. We go out there and take pride in it every night and play our hearts out.”
Brown on the steps he took to prepare for this level in his basketball career: “I wasn’t being myself. I was listening to everybody and trying to take their advice. I was trying to do things to please others instead of doing what I did to get better from each level of basketball, from grammar school to this level of basketball. I sat back and evaluated myself, my game, and the years that I have been in the league and decided to let everything go and just go out there and be who I am, just be Shannon Brown and go out there and play basketball.”
Brown on playing against Bulls’ point guard Derrick Rose: “(Rose is) so quick. One time he came with an in and out, left. We tried to push him down. He went in and out, left. He showed the ball and took it away. He doubled pumped and reversed it on the other end. Wow. We were thinking we need to send him somewhere else so we can make a play. He’s a great player. I’ve been a fan of his since he was in Simeon (high school in Chicago). He’s just an awesome player. He is so humble.”
Brown on Lakers’ theme for this season: “We focus on defense and getting better every day. The new guys that came in, the chemistry and camaraderie has been amazing. We know there are going to be ups and downs. We have to continue to stay together, at every practice get better and at every game get better.”
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