Notes from TNT’s NBA Coverage – Thursday, March 13, 2014
TNT’s NBA coverage continues Tuesday, March 25, at 8 p.m. ET with doubleheader action featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks followed by the New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m.
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Matt Winer, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith
Barkley on Knicks head coach Mike Woodson: “Mike Woodson is not the problem with the Knicks. The Knicks stink. Mike Woodson has been totally disrespected throughout this entire process.”
Barkley on reports of Phil Jackson joining the Knicks front office: “The ‘Zen Master’ is going to have to go see Dr. Phil after seeing that team play.”
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Houston Rockets (87) at Chicago Bulls (111)
Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Rachel Nichols (reporter)
Kerr on the Triangle offense: “It’s a great offense if you’ve got great talent…much like any offense.”
Kerr on the Rockets’ James Harden: “Harden is at the point in his career where he has star status…he’s so good offensively. When he’s making the three with his ability to get to the rim, with his strength, people just bounce off of him.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Winer, Barkley, O’Neal, Smith
Barkley on the Rockets: “They are a good solid team but they aren’t a contender.”
Smith on Houston point guard Jeremy Lin: “There are a lot of different variables that he offers but he gets discredited because of what happened in New York with ‘Linsanity.’ He’s very effective and tough to play against. The credit that he gets now works against him because he got too much already [while with the Knicks].”
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Kerr on Chicago’s chances in the playoffs: “They could do some serious damage [in the playoffs] if the match-up is right. I don’t like Miami [as an opponent] for them but Indiana, with their own offensive inefficiencies…I could see Chicago and Indiana going a long way [in a series].”
Kerr on how the Rockets lack of grit could impact them in the playoffs: “They are a happy-go-lucky bunch. Led by Dwight Howard, they are very loose and the chemistry is great; but you have to question the grit. Do they have enough fire in them to get through a playoff series with all the adversity they are going to hit? That’s what you have to get through as a team if you’re going to evolve through that pain and learn those lessons.”
Kerr on Houston guard Patrick Beverley: “He’s the one guy on the team that fires the Rockets up.”
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Los Angeles Lakers (102) at Oklahoma City Thunder (131)
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Chris Webber (analysts) with Craig Sager (reporter)
Webber on the Lakers: “Think about how hard it is for a team like the Lakers to get any rhythm. They’ve had six different point guards. How can you have any consistency with different leadership [on the court]?”
Webber on Oklahoma City veteran Caron Butler: “He can score, he plays defense, he has experience and he’s happy to be [in Oklahoma City]. He wants to be sure that his impact is felt.”
Webber on the Thunder’s cohesiveness: “When you’re on a championship run, you have so many moving parts and things that may not go well. [The Thunder] have been together for so long, it seems like they can handle the misfortunes and the changes.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Winer, Barkley, O’Neal, Smith
O’Neal on Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka: “Serge Ibaka is [Oklahoma City’s] third guy, he does everything. Every championship team has a guy that does all the small things.”
Barkley on the Lakers: “The Lakers made a huge mistake not re-signing Dwight Howard. They should’ve found a way to make it work. You can’t let the best big man in the game just leave.”
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Webber on the toughness of the Thunder: “They are tough and not only because of [Kendrick] Perkins. They have Ibaka, who is one of the best defenders in the game. They have Durant and Westbrook, who is an animal…he just goes.”
Webber on the Thunder: “There was a rumor that [the Thunder] were selfish. I don’t know who started that rumor but this team is fun to watch. When you’re putting up 115 [points] a game…it’s hard to be selfish.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Winer, Barkley, O’Neal, Smith
Barkley on Russell Westbrook: “He’s never going to be a conventional point guard. He’s too talented.”
Barkley on the Clippers: “The Clippers are the favorite in the West right now.”
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