Notes from TNT’s Coverage of NBA – Monday, March 19, 2012
TNT’s NBA coverage continues Monday, March 29 at 8 p.m. (ET) with doubleheader action
featuring a rematch of the 2011 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks @ Miami Heat
followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder @ L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET)
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Game 1: Chicago Bulls (85) @ Orlando Magic (59)
Announcers: Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Chris Webber (analyst) and David Aldridge (reporter)
Webber on whether the Chicago Bulls can win without injured point guard Derrick Rose: “This team really believes they can win collectively.”
Webber on the body language of the Bulls and Orlando Magic: “Watching this…the Bulls body language says we want a championship. The bench of the Bulls says we want to win. The body language of the Magic looks as if they’re trying to find themselves.”
Webber on the Magic: “They are a very good team and if Dwight Howard believes in them, I definitely believe in them.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Winer, O’Neal, Scott and Smith
Smith on the Magic defense: “That’s a concern for me for Orlando. We always keep talking about Dwight [Howard] but they can’t get stops. You can’t tell me which guy on their team besides Quentin Richardson is a lock down defender.”
O’Neal on the Bulls maintaining momentum without Derrick Rose: “Even though Mr. MVP [Derrick Rose] is not there, they don’t panic at all. Everyone is getting easy baskets, they are having fun. This is a great Chicago team.”
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Webber on Bulls forward Carlos Boozer’s improved confidence: “This isn’t the Boozer of last year that was rushing and wasn’t sure of his role. This year, he’s coming in and trusting himself and his teammates even more.”
Webber on the Dallas Mavericks saving their energy until the Playoffs: “You have to wonder why Dallas Mavericks have been in the tank as of late. Hopefully for their sake they are a little bit old and saving what’s in the reserve. This is going to be very interesting playoffs, especially starting one day after the regular season ends.”
TNT’s David Aldridge interviewed Chicago Bulls guard John Lucas III following his 20-pt night
Lucas: “We needed this win. It’s a good road win for us.”
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Game 2: Dallas Mavericks (112) @ Denver Nuggets (95)
Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Fratello on Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler: “[The Nuggets] like his defensive mindset and they like the fact that he can make jump shots.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Winer, O’Neal and Scott
Scott on the Nuggets lack of an inside presence: “I’m still concerned with Denver getting rid of Nene, they have no inside presence. And they have to force the tempo.”
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Fratello on Mavericks guard Vince Carter: “Vince Carter is so dangerous behind the 3-pt line. At the end of the game you better make sure you know where he is on the floor.”
TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Dallas Mavericks center Dirk Nowitzki after his 33-pt night:
Nowitzki on the Mavericks getting back to last year’s form: “We just have to get back to the stuff we were doing last year. It helps when you shoot the ball well.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Winer, O’Neal and Scott
Scott on if the Nuggets can make the playoffs: “I’m interested to see if Denver can hold on to a [playoff] spot. We know they can get out and run but if they get in a half-court set, it’s kind of sketchy where they will get their offense from.”
O’Neal on Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson: “If Joe [Johnson] did more [driving to the basket], he could be in the category of a LeBron [James], Dwyane Wade or Kevin Durant. Right now, he just stands out there and shoots jumpers.”
O’Neal on the Boston Celtics: “They might have a lot of [mental] lapses but they never panic and they’ll get the win.”
O’Neal on the Philadelphia 76ers: “I’m surprised that Philadelphia didn’t make a trade to get better [at the trade deadline]. To me, they don’t have a closer.”
Winer: “They picked up Sam Young from Memphis [in a trade]. That was the one thing that they did.”
O’Neal: “Like I said…they didn’t make a trade. They still need a closer.”
Scott on New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson getting the team to play defense: “If [Woodson] can get Carmelo [Anthony] and Amar’e [Stoudemire] to play defense together, they could be a tough out because they know they can score.”
Smith on Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving: “Most of the time when you’re a rookie point guard, you try to speed up your play. [Irving] plays at his pace, he gets to where he wants to and he knocks down shots.”
O’Neal on Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love: “In about three years from now, [Love is] going to be where Dirk Nowitzki was when he started to step his game up.”
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