Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA Playoffs
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Game 1: LA Lakers (98) @ New Orleans Hornets (80); Lakers win the series 4-2
Game 2: Dallas Mavericks (103) @ Portland Trail Blazers (96); Dallas wins the series 4-2
TNT’s coverage of the 2011 NBA Playoffs continues on Monday, May 2 at 8 p.m. (ET) with a doubleheader featuring the Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls (Game 1) followed by the Dallas Mavericks @ LA Lakers (Game 1), 10:30 p.m. (ET)
CLIP OF THE DAY
(click on link below to watch)
Barkley gets a little recognition for a job well done
Link to: Notes from NBA TV’s Coverage of the NBA Playoffs – Magic @ Hawks – April 28, 2011
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley
Barkley on the panic surrounding LA regarding Kobe Bryant’s ankle injury: “Do you think they have those defibrillators on the sidelines, because Kobe missed shoot-around today?”
Barkley on the Atlanta Hawks getting blown out in game #5 in Orlando: “You can’t giveaway playoff games…They did, they put all their eggs in one basket [winning Game #6 at home].”
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Game 1: LA Lakers (98) @ New Orleans Hornets (80); Lakers win the series 4-2
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) with Cheryl Miller, reporting.
Miller on the LA Lakers ability to close teams out: “It takes focus and commitment and the Lakers, more importantly Kobe Bryant, they are the ultimate closers.”
Miller on Hornets forward Carl Landry: “He might be their best low-post shooter of the ‘bigs’ and he’s got the quickness when he’s going against Pau [Gasol].”
Miller on Hornets guard Chris Paul: “Everybody is banged up this time of year, [but] the amount of bumping and grinding and pick and rolls that Chris Paul does, you wonder if it is taking its toll on him.”
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Halftime
Johnson, Smith and Barkley
Smith on LA Lakers center Andrew Bynum: “He’s the difference that makes the Lakers the championship team everyone talks about. It’s like playing against your little brother. You’re [Bynum] too big, too strong and too good. The length of the Lakers is starting to get much more apparent game-after-game-after-game-after-game.”
Barkley on Kobe Bryant’s low-cut sneakers: “I have to call Phil Knight at Nike and get Kobe some real shoes, like some CB 34’s.”
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Miller on LA Lakers center Andrew Bynum: “Everyone talks about Pau Gasol but throughout the series the most consistent player down low has been Andrew Bynum.”
Miller on the importance of the relationship between the point guard and head coach: “It’s so important, a lot like the quarterback and the head coach in the NFL. The point guard and the head coach have to be on the same page when it comes to the design of your team, the look of your team.”
Miller on Lakers center Andrew Bynum: “At one time they were talking about trading Andrew Bynum, ‘He’s too brittle’…I love the future for this young man, it’s very bright.”
Miller on New Orleans head coach Monty Williams: “I’m so impressed with Monty Williams with this undersized, undermanned team.”
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Game 2: Dallas Mavericks (103) @ Portland Trail Blazers (96); Dallas wins the series 4-2
Announcers: Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Kevin McHale (analyst) with Marty Snider, reporting
McHale on Peja Stojackovic: This is a guy who is capable of making shots…If he gets his feet set, Stojackovic can make you pay…He’s a dangerous, dangerous guy when he gets going.”
McHale on Portland forward Chris Johnson “He is a high-energy, high-wire act. He’ll compete; get some blocks, get some rebounds. Nate really likes him because he brings a ton of energy during the game.”
McHale following Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki going to the ground after a flagrant foul by Portland’s Chris Johnson: “I don’t know what they give out in Germany, whether its Oscars, but Dirk sold that.”
McHale on the Dallas Mavericks weathering the early scoring by Portland: “To be able to get over the shock and awe was important for this Dallas Mavericks team.”
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Halftime
Johnson, Smith and Barkley
Johnson: “The Dallas Mavericks, they have come to life.”
Barkley on the winner facing the LA Lakers: “Maybe they don’t know what’s waiting on them.”
Barkley on the New Orleans Hornets: “A brave effort by the Hornets, but the Lakers just wore them down.”
Smith on producer Tim Kiely: “What’s wrong with TK and his family, Chuck?”
Barkley: “Too much breeding, not enough reading.”
Barkley’s top 5 NBA players ever:
- Michael Jordan
- Oscar Robertson
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Bill Russell
- Kareem Abdul-Jabber
Barkley: “And in my opinion I have Kobe Bryant 6th”
Smith: “You have Kobe Bryant ahead of Magic and Bird?”
Barkley: “I do.”
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McHale on Portland forward Gerald Wallace: “He’s one of their better defenders, brings a lot of energy. He has the right attitude – ‘I’m just going to shoot my way out of it.’”
McHale on Dallas guard Jason Terry: “The Jet is stuck on automatic.”
McHale on Dallas forward Shawn Marion: “I like to see a guy play with patience and a purpose…When you’re in the post just get to where you want to go and get the shot you want to get.”
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Inside the NBA
Johnson, Smith and Barkley
Barkley on Dirk Nowitzki’s offensive strength: “We talk about Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki is also un-guardable.”
Smith on the importance of Dallas getting rebounds if they are going to beat the Los Angeles Lakers: “One thing [where] the Mavericks will have problems is defending the interior. Even as you saw tonight, they couldn’t get the key rebounds. They had loose ball rebounds, but they never got the rebound to secure the game. When you don’t get that against the Lakers with Odom, Bynum and Gasol, it is too difficult to win. Unless they learn how to rebound between now and then, and I’m not sure if they can do that.”
Barkley on the challenge that the Lakers will face in guarding Dirk Nowitzki: “The key is rebounds but one of those guys is going to have a nightmare trying to guard Dirk Nowitzki. Those guys are big, athletic, but they have a zero chance on a scale of one to two million of guarding Dirk Nowitzki.”
Barkley on Dirk Nowitzki: In all of my 30 years around the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki has the most unique game. He’s a seven-foot guy who can shoot threes, he can put it on the floor and I know Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum have zero chance [of guarding Nowitzki].”
Barkley on the Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks matchup for Carlos Boozer: “It’s going to be a great matchup for Carlos Boozer because the Hawks are not a very big team. Sometimes he struggles against a really big team.”
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