TNT’s NBA coverage continues Thursday, January 23, at 7 p.m. ET with the 2014 NBA All-Star starters announcement followed by doubleheader action featuring the Los Angeles Lakers @ Miami Heat at 8 p.m. and the Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers at 10:30 p.m.
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Webber
O’Neal on best team in the East: “Right now it’s Indiana…but if you look at the Miami Heat organization, they play chess not checkers. I wonder do they try to fight for the #1 spot or do they say ‘No, we just need to get better; we can beat them at a possible game 7 so let’s just stay comfortable at No. 2.’”
Barkley on the best team in the East: “The Indiana Pacers are the best team in the NBA. The two things that concern me — turnovers and Lance Stephenson.”
Barkley on Clippers forward Blake Griffin: “I think he’s being more aggressive without Chris Paul. This guy is going to take them to the next level. He’s being more assertive and more aggressive; he’s playing fantastic.”
Webber on Blake Griffin’s improvement: “He slowed his game down. He’s been attacking the basket. I think Doc Rivers has that effect on him. The fact that Chris Paul is out, he can’t rely on getting lobs, he has to earn it in the paint. I think he has improved a lot.”
Barkley on the Washington Wizards: “The Wizards might be the third best team in the Eastern Conference if Bradley Beal can stay healthy.”
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Portland Trail Blazers (113) at Houston Rockets (126)
Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) with Rachel Nichols (reporter)
Miller on the Houston Rockets: “This is how this team was built; (with) speed and power at the rim.”
Miller on Rockets center Dwight Howard: “As long as he makes quick moves, there is no one in the center position that can guard him. There’s no one that can guard him down low, it’s when he holds the basketball and is indecisive; that’s when he runs into trouble.”
Miller on Rockets forward Chandler Parsons: “I’m not sure there is another player in the league that is better moving without the basketball on those backcuts than Parsons.”
Miller on Parsons improvement: “What I’ve always loved about his game, is that he is constantly in motion. Every year he has improved his shooting…scoring average.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal, Webber
Barkley on Howard: “When he makes quick, decisive moves he is a totally different player. He’s the key. He has to make sure one guy can’t guard him.”
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Miller on Portland teammates LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez: “I really love the way LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez communicate and play with one another on both ends of the floor.”
Miller on the Rockets: “They are going to have to find a better defensive identity going forward. They can’t continually come down and shoot threes; they have to find ways to stop teams at the defensive end.”
Miller on the Trail Blazers: “They are going to have to find more points – other than Mo Williams offensively. But I like their starting five, they are very committed.”
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GameBreak
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal, Webber
O’Neal on the Trail Blazers growth: “They are learning a little bit from their failures last year. I watched this team and they are so together. They are playing so well right now.”
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Indiana Pacers (102) at Golden State Warriors (94)
Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Kerr on Pacers forward Paul George: “That’s where he has really improved, that mid-range game…(he has) a lot more patience this year. In year’s past he would attack the rim when there was nothing there. Now he is much more comfortable pulling up and hitting that 12 or 15 footer.”
Kerr on Warriors guard Klay Thompson: “What Klay Thompson maybe isn’t known for, but should be, is his defense.”
Kerr on Warriors center David Lee’s chances on making the All-Star team: “He made the team last year; he’s having a better season this year, but I don’t think he will make the team just based on numbers.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal, Webber
O’Neal on Pacers center Roy Hibbert: “I like Roy’s game. He has a super effective game. He’s not going to give you a lot of points but he’s going to give you everything else you need as a big man.”
O’Neal on the Pacers potential: “This team looks really tough. They may give Miami a run for their money.”
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Kerr on Warriors guard Stephen Curry: “He’s the best shooter I think I have ever seen. What separates him is his ability to free himself off the dribble. Very few players in the history of the league have had range and ball handling ability. I don’t think anybody has that skill set that Curry has.”
Kerr on Indiana’s defensive ability: “Indiana is so good defensively; they are able to play against smaller lineups effectively.”
Kerr on the benefit of the Pacers having multiple ball handlers: “They don’t have a traditional penetrating point guard. George Hill is more of a combo guard. You need other players to make plays. To have (Lance) Stephenson as that secondary ball handler is huge for this club.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal, Webber
Barkley on two improved NBA teams: “Other than the Phoenix Suns, the other surprise in the NBA is the Atlanta Hawks. They are doing a fantastic job.”
O’Neal on the Pacers: “When you are on a team that prides itself on defense, it causes you not to panic. The Pacers are a team that is not panicking…under any situations.”
Barkley on Wizards guard Bradley Beal: “I would take him and Klay Thompson right now for the future of the 2-guard position.”
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