TNT culminated its coverage of the 2015 NBA Playoffs with last night’s victory by the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Following are video clips and notes from Tuesday’s NBA on TNT coverage.
Click here for a “Best of Inside the NBA” video clip looking back at some of the top moments from this past season.
Click here for a video clip featuring the cast of the upcoming Entourage movie making a guest appearance on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by Autotrader
Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal
Smith on guard Jeff Teague: “He’s not a guy that is going to take difficult shots, he’s a guy that just takes more. He has a clear advantage on this team, no one else has a clear advantage.”
O’Neal on the aggressiveness of Matthew Dellavedova: “He’s not a dirty player, he’s a hustle player. I understand the brotherhood, but this is the playoffs and all that goes out of the window.”
O’Neal on power forward Tristan Thompson: “He’s a great player. Tristan Thompson has been the heart and soul of this team all year.”
Smith on LeBron James: “What poison are you going to pick with LeBron? I think LeBron James can get 10 assists and 18 rebounds every night. To make him more of a passer allows you to not get him a 40-point night. To me, he is going to rebound and assist and when he scores he compounds everything on you and it is just too hard.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers (118) @ Atlanta Hawks (88); Cavs sweep Atlanta Hawks 4-0; advance to 2015 NBA Finals for the first time since 2007
Marv Albert play-by-play) Chris Webber & Reggie Miller (analysts) with Rachel Nichols and David Aldridge (reporters)
Miller on guard Matthew Dellavedova: “A lot of people have been weighing in on hustle versus dirty play. There is one thing you can say about Dellavedova; he’s not going to change how he plays the ball game and I like that.”
Webber on team chemistry: “We talk a lot about chemistry starting in the locker room. Chemistry is when you know where a guy is without looking and that is what this team has right now.”
Webber on staying consistent with how you play: “I remember this same situation with Patrick Beverley when he was playing that type of way. Some guys have to stick with what got them there.”
Miller on the distinction between dirty plays: “If you are Matthew Dellavedova, be who you are. Just be careful when doing that. He’s not a dirty player but those are borderline dirty plays. There is a big difference.”
Webber on guard Kyrie Irving returning for Game 4: “This is definitely a calculated risk. You just don’t want to see anything happen.”
Webber on [head coach David] Blatt’s adjustments: “It seems as if all the adjustments he made early on in the year prepared him for all the adjustments he has to make now.”
Miller on how the Cavs adjusted to team injuries: “I think this team really changed their identity. It was somewhat a blessing in disguise when [Anderson] Varejao went down. They went out and got [Timofey] Mozgov and that gave them a rim protector. [Kevin] Love goes down…which is difficult for everyone but Tristan Thompson comes in. This has made them better defensively for playoff basketball. Where it may rear its ugly head is against Golden State.”
Barkley on the risk of playing guard Kyrie Irving in Game 4: “These are the same Chihuahuas out here in Atlanta. There is a pitbull in Golden State. You can’t take any chances when you are up 3-0.”
Webber on the Cavs lineup: “They have so many talented players and so many substitution patterns they can put in.”
Miller on LeBron’s journey of leaving Cleveland only to return to take a young team to the NBA Finals: “He had to go away and find a way to win a championship. I know how tough it is in a small market. The fans were heartbroken… For LeBron to go to Miami, he had to find a way to win. Now he is back here showing this younger team how to win like he did in Miami.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Kia
Johnson, Barkley, Smith and O’Neal
Smith on the Hawks in Game 4: “When they got up about nine, 12 points, the realization that their season was over hit. You never know how that feels. It’s not quitting, its just defeat. Hats off to the Hawks…great season.”
O’Neal on the Hawks getting over the hump: “You learn from this. Nobody expected them to go this far. We knew it was going to be tough for them to win. They now have the blueprint to win. I still think they are a few key pieces away. They play good team ball but you have to have a 1-2 punch you can rely on.”
Smith on what the Hawks need for next season: “The first issue they have to address is size. They are too small. Tristan Thompson looked like Wilt Chamberlin on the offensive and defensive board.”
O’Neal on the Cavs: “It’s just their time. I’m really excited for the city of Cleveland and LeBron.”
Barkley on power forward Tristan Thompson: “He’s a terror on the offensive board. This was just a complete win by the Cavs.”
Smith on LeBron reaching his fifth consecutive NBA Finals: “This is his best accomplishment in all of his runs.”
O’Neal on LeBron’s legacy: “We all grew up on great sports stories. If this kid wins for this town, it will have to be a top 10 sports story. Guy grew up here, left…was criticized, won in Miami and came back.”
Barkley on the potential matchup between the Cavaliers and Warriors in The Finals: “The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to win the World Championship this year. [Tristan] Thompson has solidified the power forward spot… They have athletic ability on the perimeter now. [Timfoey] Mozgov saved their season…because they were just too small. The addition of [Iman] Shumpert and J.R. Smith made them a legit NBA team. Kyrie [Irving] has to be healthy. I think the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to win.”
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