Notes from TNT’s NBA Playoffs Coverage – Wednesday, April 24, 2013
TNT’s NBA coverage of the 2013 NBA Playoffs continues Thursday, April 25, with a doubleheader featuring the Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Game 3) at 7 p.m. ET and Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Game 3) at 9:30 p.m.
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith
O’Neal on the Houston Rockets’ lineup change in Game 2: “When you change your lineup after a disappointing loss, that’s just telling me you’re in slight panic mode. OKC has to continue to be passionate…and continue to bully the Houston guards because [James] Harden and [Jeremy] Lin don’t like pressure.”
Smith on the Rockets’ lineup change in Game 2: “I don’t like the lineup change. The Rockets problem is that they turn the basketball over. They don’t take care of the basketball when the game is on the line. If they take care of the basketball, they don’t have to change their lineup.”
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Game 1: Houston Rockets (102) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (105) – Thunder lead series 2-0
Announcers: Matt Devlin (play-by-play) and Mike Fratello (analyst) with Tracy Wolfson (reporter)
Fratello on the Rockets first quarter of play: “The Rockets are doing exactly what they wanted to do. They’ve attacked the rim, made threes and limited opportunities for the Thunder.”
Fratello on Thunder guard Russell Westbrook: “He’s got that toughness that keeps coming out every night.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith
Smith on Houston’s lineup change and what that meant in the first half: “The offense is running through [Patrick] Beverley. It was more an offensive move than defensive.”
Barkley on Rockets head coach Kevin McHale’s Game 2 strategy: “Kevin [McHale] took one of [Warriors head coach] Mark Jackson’s cues and said: ‘Let’s go offensive. We’re not stopping them with our regular team and [Patrick] Beverly is tough and competitive.’”
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Fratello on the Rockets’ Omer Asik: “He has woken up in the second half [seven points and 11 rebounds]. He was not nearly as aggressive in the first half.”
Fratello on Houston head coach Kevin McHale shaking up his game plan by playing a zone defense in the fourth quarter: “He went to the zone and stayed with it. You see the effect of the zone; it really slowed down and bothered the Thunder.”
Fratello on Thunder forward Serge Ibaka’s 15-foot jump shot: “He’s gotten better and better. All season long he’s gotten better at it.”
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Game 2: L.A. Lakers (91) @ San Antonio Spurs (102) – Spurs lead series 2-0
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Miller on Spurs forward Matt Bonner: “As soon as [Matt] Bonner checks in, there is no way he can guard Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol down low. They [Lakers] are going to have to take advantage of Bonner on the floor defensively.”
Miller on Lakers forward Dwight Howard and his renewed aggressive play: “This is a different Dwight Howard since Kobe [Bryant] went down. He’s so much more active.”
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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith
O’Neal on Lakers forward Dwight Howard’s play in Game 2: “He’s playing with a different type of energy. I like this Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard needs to bottle this game up, the way he’s playing [tonight in the first half].”
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Miller on Spurs guard Tony Parker: “He is just not right offensively.”
Miller on Parker and Lakers guard Steve Nash: “Both of these guys are shells of themselves.”
Miller on the importance of the three-point shot in Game 2: “The great equalizer has been the three-point shot. The L.A. Lakers have found that rhythm tonight in Game 2.”
Miller on the Lakers chances in the rest of the series: “I’m not ready to throw the towel in yet on the Lakers. I like what they did here in Game 2…the energy in Staples will be different.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith
Barkley on Dwight Howard’s performance: “If Dwight Howard doesn’t dominate, dominate, dominate – the Lakers have no chance. If Tim Duncan outscores [Howard], that’s not good.”
O’Neal on Howard: “He should ask for the ball a little more…get mean.”
Barkley on Thunder guard Russell Westbrook: “This guy [Russell Westbrook] might be the fastest guy that’s ever played in the NBA.”
O’Neal on the Houston Rockets: “If they can come into Game 3 with a little chip on their shoulder…they may have a chance [to win].”
Barkley on a potential series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks in the second round: “The Pacers and Knicks [would] be a monster series.”
Smith on Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies’ chances in the rest of the series: “When he [Zach Randolph] becomes the best player on the court, the series becomes much tougher for the Clippers.”
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