Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Phoenix Suns (95) @ Miami Heat (99)
Voting is open on NBA.com, NBA Facebook Page and Yahoo.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on March 27
Fans can select between the following games:
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Philadelphia 76ers
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Memphis Grizzlies
Atlanta Hawks @ Milwaukee Bucks
San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
CLIP OF THE NIGHT
(click on the link below)
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AutoTrader.com Pregame Show
Matt Winer, Brent Barry and guest analyst and 2007 Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell
Barry on the hot stretch of the Phoenix Suns: “It’s all been about timing. Alvin Gentry [Phoenix Suns head coach] keeps pulling and tugging on the right strings and guys are coming off the bench and giving contributions that are leading them to wins. There is a tremendous amount of confidence and the Suns are on a roll.”
Mitchell on the Suns team today and what is aiding in their success: “Phoenix’s defense has improved. When you look at the make-up of that team, they have different types of guys now. They aren’t the same Phoenix Suns of old that ran up and down the court and just shot threes. They still shoot threes but the mentality of the players they have now…they are more physical, more athletic. If the guys on the bench continue to get better, they can make a run for it.”
Mitchell on why teams can’t crack the Miami Heat: “When they [Miami Heat] are home, they get out and run and increase the pace. You can’t turn the ball over against Miami on their home court. Their defense is so stifling with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James out there they are just too quick for teams. They want to get easy up-tempo baskets.”
Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry joins the studio team via Cisco Telepresence
Gentry on the factor that is most responsible for their wins over the last 11 games: “We have been pretty consistent defensively. We have been able to rebound the ball where we are not giving up second shots on the offensive boards. And we have played well in the open court.”
Gentry on Steve Nash staying in Phoenix post-trade deadline: “It was never a factor for us. There were a lot of teams talking about Steve [Nash], but there was never a situation where we even remotely talked about moving Steve. It’s a situation where everything came together for us. We started to play better and we got on a role. Our bench has played well for us.”
Gentry on Grant Hill’s contributions to the Phoenix Suns: “He’s got to be on the All-Defensive Team this year. He’s one of the most versatile defenders we have had. He is a joy to coach, he’s a great teammate and tremendous competitor and he is having a tremendous year.”
Gentry on Grant Hill’s value as a defensive player: “It doesn’t get any better than that. Guarding the guys he is guarding from power forward to shooting guards and to play that type of defense is a testament to Grant Hill’s professionalism, a testament to him as a man and a testament to how much he loves this game.”
Barry on Chris Mullin’s retirement night and the fans negative reaction to the recent trades: “It was unfortunate last night. I understand some of their [fans’] frustration, but it was the wrong night to express your dissatisfaction. However, I was happy at the end of the night to see his jersey hanging there; that was the most special part. It was Chris’ night. I felt like I went to a [Golden State] Warriors game and a Raiders game broke out.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Winer, Barry and Mitchell
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving joins the Fan Night team in studio
Irving on his priorities going into the season: “[My priorities] are making my teammates better and getting more wins than we did last season. We wanted to show the fans and everyone that the Cleveland Cavaliers are a team to recon with this season.”
Irving on playing more with Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson in the second half of the season: “It’s hard to bring up the competitor fire that Anderson [Varejao] had. When he [Anderson] went down, that was big for us but Tristan stepped up. I am looking forward to the second half [of the regular season] and getting more minutes with Tristan, getting our feel together.”
Irving on the biggest adjustment as the point guard in the NBA vs. college: “The biggest adjustment is the pace and playing against the best every single night. You have no time to be off. When you go against the best it prepares you and makes you better.”
Irving on playing post-LeBron era and the building process: “We are trying to show the fans that we have something special and are building something special, trying to make them believe again. We are trying to bring the fans back to the games.”
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NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai
Winer, Barry and Mitchell
Barry on the Heat taking advantage of opportunities in the fourth quarter: “The opportunities for the Miami Heat and [head coach] Eric Spoelstra as they start to finish out the season – when they have games that are close – is to try to learn what is going to be effective for them and where Eric Spoelstra can find confidence in the play calling and in the players on the floor. That is going to be key for them. Every opportunity is a learning one. They don’t have the practice time; they have to have chances in the fourth quarter to work on things they are deficient in to be better come playoff time.”
GameTime crew interviews Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh via Cisco Telepresence
Bosh on the Heat waiting until the fourth quarter to kick it into high gear: “We do have to come out [in the first half] and have more of a sense of urgency but it’s only been like that for a couple of games. As long as we catch it now and turn it around, we will be alright.”
Mitchell on Chris Bosh and his half-court offense: “If he gets to the open spots and gets ready to shoot the ball and take advantage of his opportunities, Dwyane Wade and LeBron [James] will find him; but he has to keep that mentality of being aggressive when they do find him. He has to shoot the ball or take it to the basket. At 6’11”, he might be the quickest power forward in the league.”
Barry on the Knicks responding to interim head coach Mike Woodson with a 4-0 record: “When you make a coaching change, players always respond in the first four or five contests. It is about the Knicks sustaining this momentum and the spirit of what Jeremy Lin brought to that team. It is not all about Jeremy Lin, it is about those guys committing to one another. If it takes a coaching change to do that, it is still on those players to do bring it.”
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