Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Monday, January 17, 2010
TNT’s NBA Thursday coverage continues on January 20 at 8 p.m. ET with a doubleheader featuring the Dallas Mavericks @ Chicago Bulls followed by the Los Angeles Clippers @ Portland Trail Blazers.
***CLIP OF THE NIGHT***
(Please click the link below to view)
TNT’s Charles Barkley explains why he is ignoring Shaquille O’Neal’s calls
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA
Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Chris Webber
Barkley on what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. means to him: “The NBA is unique because we have 80% black players and that’s special to us. The heritage of Dr. King, especially for me growing up in Alabama and being close to Atlanta, it has a special meaning because if it wasn’t for guys like him, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Earl Lloyd…they put us in a situation that I was in and these guys are in today. We were just born at a better time. If those people didn’t do all the heavy lifting, we wouldn’t be in the shape we are in today.”
TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Martin Luther King’s daughter Bernice King
King on her father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I meet people from all over the world, America is a microcosm of the world, and they talk about how (Martin Luther King, Jr.) has impacted their life. He wasn’t just an American civil rights leader, he was not an African-American leader, he wasn’t a leader of a southern movement, he was a global humanitarian. It helps me realize my responsibility to his legacy. It helps me to understand who he was in context.”
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Game 1: Orlando Magic (106) @ Boston Celtics (109)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting
Miller on Celtics forward Kevin Garnett: “(Garnett is) the communication and anchor of their defense. He puts everyone in their rightful place.”
Miller on the developing rivalry between the Magic and Celtics: “There are so many great players on both side of the ball. This is slowly becoming a great rivalry in the NBA.”
Miller on the Celtics’ unselfish style of play: “I love the trust factor for the Celtics. Everyone is looking for one another. There is a lot of unselfish play. Everyone touches the basketball.”
Miller on Celtics rookie Luke Harangody: “You talk about (Harangody) being raw but his capability of stretching the floor with his shooting, he’s going to play in this system.”
Miller on Celtics guard Ray Allen: “We’re in the flash of the ESPN “Top Ten” highlights of everyone wanting to dunk and cross-over and be spectacular. Shooting is boring, it takes time and you have to spend hours working on your craft. Players don’t want to put up the sacrifice to do it. That’s why I applaud Ray Allen, at 35-years-old, getting ready to break my record (for three-point field goals) in the next month and a half. He is the best shooter in this league and that’s sad because there should be some young gun-slinger coming up saying, ‘I’m going to shatter Ray Allen’s record.’ There’s no one alive that’s going to break his (soon-to-be) record.”
Celtics center Shaquille O’Neal on point guard Rajon Rondo making his teammates better: “Rondo is special because that’s the only thing he wants to do. That’s the true definition of a great player…making your teammates better. He makes us all better. I’ve seen times when he’s on the fast break and he’ll see a guy running behind him and say, ‘I don’t want the points’ and (pass the ball). He’s a great guy.”
Miller on Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo: “Rondo has delivered. He does a little bit of everything and if you’re a player on the Celtics (and you) play defense and get out in the lanes, he’ll find you. He’s one of the rare point guards that don’t look to score. He wants to get everyone else involved.”
Miller on how a veteran team positions itself for the playoffs compared to a younger team: “When you have a veteran ball club, you can allow for injuries because you don’t really care about the regular season. You’re focusing on the playoffs. That’s when you need everyone healthy. A younger team, like the Oklahoma City Thunder, every game means something because you’re finding out about yourself. The Celtics know who they are.”
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Halftime
Johnson, Barkley and Webber
Barkley on the Orlando Magic: “(Orlando) has more weapons offensively than any other team in the NBA. They’ve got a bunch of guys who can score.”
Barkley on Magic reserve guard Ryan Anderson: “(Anderson) thinks the basketball is hot because it never stays in his hands too long. If he’s open, he’s going to let it fly. He’s a natural born scorer.”
Barkley on Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose being the best point guard in the NBA: “People keep talking about the elite teams but they keep forgetting the Chicago Bulls. I love (Utah Jazz point guard) Deron Williams, he’s been the best point guard in the NBA but you have to move him down to number two. Derrick Rose is the new best point guard in the NBA.”
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Miller compares Celtics Rajon Rondo’s passing to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady finding a receiver: “Is it just me or does Rondo look like Tom Brady on his check-offs. He doesn’t see Paul Pierce, he doesn’t see Ray Allen so he goes to the weak-side and Kevin Garnett for the wide-open shot.”
Harlan: “Brady saw them, I just think they were covered.”
Miller on the importance of Glen Davis’ coming off the bench for the Celtics: “When Davis plays under control, he is so important to this team. When he’s not looking for offense and the offense finds him, it makes him so important, especially coming off the bench for (head coach) Doc Rivers.”
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Game 2: Oklahoma City Thunder (94) @ Los Angeles Lakers (101)
Announcers: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Steve Kerr with Craig Sager reporting
Kerr on Thunder forward Jeff Green: “Green is an important part of the team. He doesn’t score in the paint against (Andrew) Bynum and (Pau) Gasol so he has to make jumpers.”
Lakers guard Derek Fisher on how hard it is to defend the NBA Championship: “There are a number of reasons. First, I don’t think it’s easy to be the best. It’s just not that easy. To come in year after year and be the marked team, the team that’s expected to win and the team that every other team wants to kick your butt. That’s not an easy position to be in. We’ve handled it well and gone through our ups-and-downs.”
Kerr on the speed of the Thunder: “The speed and explosiveness of (the Thunder) is just remarkable. Particularly (Russell) Westbrook and (Kevin) Durant, it’s unbelievable to watch up close.”
Kerr on Thunder reserve point guard Eric Maynor: “Maynor is such a nice change of pace from (Russell) Westbrook because he’s much more of a pure point guard. He’s got a great feel for finding his teammates.”
Kerr on the Thunder struggling defensively this season: “I think (the Thunder) are so focused on the offensive end, they end up taking some bad shots. They haven’t learned how to execute in the half court yet. They tend to force some shots and that leaves them vulnerable at the other end.”
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Halftime
Johnson, Smith and Webber
Barkley on visiting Oklahoma City: “Now that you’ve got my good friend (Thunder head coach) Scott Brooks there and the great (Thunder assistant coach) Maurice Cheeks who I played with in Philly, I’ve got to go to Oklahoma City.”
Webber: “Maybe you could do your triathlon there.”
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Fratello on the importance of getting to the free throw line from a defensive standpoint: “Getting to the free throw line slows the opponent down. By getting to the line, you get a chance to regroup the defense on the free throw line. You can get back, get set and you know who you’re playing. As opposed to getting caught in transition all the time.”
Kerr on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant’s shot form: “It doesn’t matter if he’s going right or left (with his shot). (He has) perfect form (and) perfect footwork.”
Kerr on the Thunder’s three-point shooting: “The execution (of offense) has been a problem for Oklahoma City in the half-court. Part of that is their three-point shooting. When you shoot from long range, it’s tough to space the defense out, make your cuts, work the offense and find your rhythm.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Lakers forward Pau Gasol following the game
Gasol on if losing to the L.A. Clippers on Sunday night affected their game against the Thunder: “Every game is a different story. Obviously last night, things didn’t go our way especially in the fourth quarter. We toss that (game) away. We came back here tonight understanding that it is a new game and Oklahoma (City) is right behind us in the standings. So it was important for us to protect our home court.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA
Johnson, Barkley and Webber
Barkley on the performance of the L.A. Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder: “They both have great teams; the Lakers are clearly a Championship contender. The flaws of Oklahoma City always show when the game slows down. They are really a jump shooting team and they are missing that inside presence on offense but really on defense. When it comes to defense and rebounding that is when they are at a disadvantage.”
Webber on the flaws of Oklahoma City Thunder: “They didn’t shoot the ball well. OKC is in trouble because they don’t have anyone for Kevin (Durant) or (Russell) Westbrook to rely on to throw the ball in the post, let them go work a couple of plays and let them be reenergized. So they are going to have to fix that problem.”
Webber on what the Oklahoma City Thunder is missing: “If they had a post presence, no team would necessarily be able to run with them. If they could slow it down and have a little bit of a post presence, they could change up the game and have it at their pace and momentum at all times.”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant joins the Inside crew from the Lakers locker room
Bryant on what the Lakers need to do improve: “We know what we need to do, we have been playing well as of late, but we let a game (against the L.A. Clippers) get away from us (on Sunday). We are doing a pretty good job. We are improving. I think the sense of urgency is improving now that we are halfway through the season.”
Bryant on the Lakers finding themselves unmotivated: “The start of the season it seemed that way. Games that were big for our opponents and the public really seemed like it was nothing for us. We didn’t get too excited for them, which concerned me. It is important to have that sense of urgency and individually find something that challenges you and gets you ready to go.”
Bryant on teammate Lamar Odom’s improved performance: “I think (from the experience he had this summer) his game is going to another level. He came into camp in great shape and with a great basketball rhythm. I think his confidence is through the roof and he is playing basketball that we knew he was capable of.”
Bryant on teammate Ron Artest’s performance this season: “Well the things that I’ve talked to Ron about are taking what the game gives him. A lot of times defense runs off of him. If the shot is not there, move it on. We want to try to work him in the post because we feel like his physicality in the block is something that a lot of threes can’t match up with. All in all, be patient, continue to be aggressive and try to make life miserable for the other team’s big scorer.”
Bryant on the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and playing on this holiday: “It is a great day. It is great to have a day where we honor his memory, his legacy and message. Obviously every single day should be something that we live by and use as inspiration that is provided by him to affect our daily lives. It is important to have this day to look back to see how far we have come. In terms of us players, it is a huge honor to play on this day.”
Barkley on Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose scoring his first career triple-double: “Derrick Rose is balling right now. He has really improved his shooting. He made more threes this year than he did his first year in the league.”
Barkley on the Chicago Bulls: “When they get healthy, no one is going to want to see them in the playoffs.”
Barkley on reordering his list of top point guards in the NBA: “I’ve been very disappointed in that Utah (Jazz) team. I picked them as my sleeper team in the West. They are a little too inconsistent. You go back to when they were winning 20 points a game. That to me has something to do with the point guard leadership. Derrick Rose, without Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, has kept that team together. I’m going to give (Rose) the edge (over Williams) because of the leadership. I just love watching Rose play.”
Webber on Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose: “I like (Derrick) Rose because he is a flashback to the old school mentality. This guy always wants to win. I love how he attacks the basket, how he finishes. He makes players better. I like (Deron) Williams, Chris Paul and (Rajon) Rondo, but right now Rose does everything that all the guards do.”
Barkley on his 2011 All-Star Game selections: “Pau Gasol is going to be an All-Star and he is going to be a center. The position thing is not fair, they should just pick the best guards. Pau Gasol is going to start as center because Yao Ming, who is the leading point getter at the center spot, is going to be out. Blake Griffin and Kevin Love have been two of the best forwards in the Western Conference this year and should be on the All-Star team.”
Barkley on the Charlotte Bobcats: “I love Michael Jordan and I want him to do well, but he has to blow this team up. When I say blow this team up I mean with them in the building. I mean he is going to have to start over. They are only going to be a seven or eight seed and get beat in the first round. He’s going to have to start over and be patient.”
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