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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson, Kevin McHale and Steve Smith
Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose on the Bulls getting rest before the playoffs: “The biggest thing (for us) is rest. I think it can definitely help your team. We’ve done a good job of cutting practice down. We’re going over the important things in practice, we’re going hard but not for so long. Right now, we’re just trying to play good going into the playoffs.”
McHale on the Celtics chasing the Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings: “The Celtics aren’t going to catch the Bulls but they want to bump them. They want to bump them in the back fender a little bit. They want them to look in their rearview mirror and say, ‘hear we come.’”
Smith on the Bulls’ team chemistry: “Derrick Rose will not let this team lose. In close games, this team will do whatever it takes defensively to win. Their chemistry is great.”
McHale on if he is concerned with the Celtics since trading center Kendrick Perkins: “Yes, because they are ‘Sybil’, they have multiple personalities. I don’t know if they are going to run and (Rajon) Rondo is going to push the ball or are they going to walk it up and use ball movement. Are they going to play good defense or so-so defense? They have a lot of personalities and they have to narrow that down.”
Smith on Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo challenging Bulls point guard Derrick Rose on defense: “Most teams don’t have anybody that can slow down Derrick Rose. The Celtics can’t stop him but they have (Rajon) Rondo who will take that challenge. If you look at Orlando, Atlanta and Miami’s point guard situation, (Rose) gets wherever he wants to. Rondo will challenge him, pick him up and make him work.”
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Game 1: Boston Celtics (81) @ Chicago Bulls (97)
Announcers: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello with Craig Sager reporting
Fratello on the Bulls options on offense: “Chicago tries to establish (Luol) Deng and (Carlos) Boozer early in the game. They know that (Derrick) Rose is going to get his opportunities in transition, pushing the ball or in pick-and-rolls in late transitions.”
Fratello on how Celtics’ forward Jeff Green helps the team: “(Celtics head coach) Doc (Rivers) thought there were too many times they were adjusting to the other team when other teams wanted to go small against them. By getting Green and being able to play him at the four-spot, (Rivers) felt he could make those decisions rather than the other team dictating what they would do.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Bulls point guard Derrick Rose prior to the game
Sager on the possibility of Rose winning the MVP: “Everyone says that Derrick Rose should be MVP…”
Rose: “Don’t say that.”
Sager: “Why?”
Rose: “I didn’t get it yet. I want to get it from winning. I don’t care about how many points I put up or assists or anything. If I get it from winning, I think that’s special.”
Rose: “I didn’t get it yet. I want to get it from winning. I don’t care about how many points I put up or assists or anything. If I get it from winning, I think that’s special.”
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Halftime
Johnson, McHale and Smith
McHale on the depth of the Celtics’ bench: “When you can have Glenn ‘Big Baby’ Davis, Jeff Green, (Nenad) Krstic and Delonte West coming off your bench, you’re talking about a team that can go nine-deep. I love West’s game, he’s a tough, hard-nosed defender and he can make plays. He’s a tough, gritty player.”
Smith on the Denver Nuggets posing a threat in the first round of the playoffs: “Denver is a team that I think can knock a team out in the first round.”
McHale: “And do you really want to play Portland?”
Smith: “Not at all…I really don’t want to play anyone right now.”
Johnson: “No one really wants you at this stage in your career.”
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Fratello on veteran Bulls forward Kurt Thomas: “Kurt Thomas is strong, tough and smart. If you get him down low, he’s not going to let you get an easy layup. He will take a hard foul…he’s a solid guy in the locker room. He does the job he’s asked to do.”
Fratello on the Celtics: “You have to give Boston a lot of credit, they have had some season. All areas that you win games, the Celtics are low in. Rebounding, blocking shots, they aren’t a very good three-point shooting team, yet they still have the number of wins that they have.”
TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Derrick Rose following the game
Rose on his ability to get through the lane very quickly: “I’m not seeing an opening, I’m just checking off. God gave me the ability to get through holes very quickly and I’m blessed to have this talent.”
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Game 2: Portland Trail Blazers (98) @ Utah Jazz (87)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller with David Aldridge reporting
Miller on Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews: “I think he’s had a remarkable season. The things that he’s done for this Blazers team at both ends of the floor. He’s really improved his all-around game.”
Miller on the young talent on the Jazz: “If you are (Jazz head coach) Ty Corbin, you’re enthusiastic about the young talent on (the Jazz). You’ve got rookies Jeremy Evans and Gordon Hayward and you’ve got the rookie Derrick Favors, who is very talented. You’ve got Al Jefferson who is on the verge of becoming an All-Star. They have pieces to build around and things to work with.”
Miller on rookie Jazz point guard Derrick Favors: “(Favors) can run the floor, he’s very athletic and he can finish with the best of them.”
Miller on Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan: “(McMillan) is a Coach of the Year candidate because of everything that has gone down (with the Trail Blazers). Greg Oden being lost for the season (due to injury), the injuries to (Brandon) Roy and (Marcus) Camby, (Joel) Przybilla being hurt and then traded, they brought in Gerald Wallace and had to change their system.”
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Halftime
Johnson, McHale and Smith
Smith on Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum: “He does a little bit of everything and he’s a guy that can fill in. He just does everything in a calm way. He doesn’t stand out and you don’t have to run plays for him. He’s a nice complementary player who plays the game the right way.”
McHale on Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy: “He’s going to need to be big in the playoffs for this team to do well.”
Smith on Brandon Roy’s role with the Trail Blazers: “(Roy) has to learn how to play without the basketball. The basketball is in his hands 90% of the time (but)he’s going to have to learn how to be efficient, knock down open shots, post-up a little bit and be that sixth man coming off the bench.”
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Miller on the Jazz: “One losing season in all those years with (former head coach) Jerry Sloan and (former team president and general manager) Frank Layden and that’s why (Jazz) fans are spoiled. They are very spoiled, they are used to winning and they are used to perfection. They are used to seeing a good product on the floor and right now this is a team in transition.”
Miller on who the Trail Blazers match up with better in the playoffs: “(The Trail Blazers) are going to have to finish in the sixth spot (in the playoffs) because I think they have a more favorable match-up against Dallas than going against the Lakers.”
TNT’s David Aldridge interviewed Trail Blazers guard Gerald Wallace following the game
Wallace on the versatility of the Trail Blazers: “I think we’re very versatile at a number of positions. We’ve got guys who are able to guard at a variety of positions. We wreck havoc on defenses because of our long arms and size. It takes offenses out of what they want to do.”
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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Johnson, McHale and Smith
McHale on Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy: “He’s important for this team to make a Playoff push and for them to get healthy and get his legs right.”
McHale on the Portland Trail Blazers as the sixth seed in the Western Conference: “If I’m Portland right now, I’m putting every ounce of energy into that sixth spot and we’ll worry about the Playoffs later.”
McHale on the Playoffs positions in the Western Conference: “If this stays the way it is with Denver (Nuggets) and Portland (Trail Blazers) (as the fifth and sixth seed) those are two dangerous teams, they are tough match ups. These Playoffs are going to be great, there are so many good match ups.”
Smith on Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose speed: “Watching him play, some guys you say I wish I could jump like that but If I could just spin as half as fast as him.”
McHale on the importance of home court advantage in the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat series: “Great series first of all.. I think home court is an advantage in that point. People talk about home court not meaning anything, that’s not true, home court means a great deal. When you play game seven you want it on your court. I think it would be a long series and a fun series to watch.”
Smith on the Boston Celtics defensive struggles: “Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal and those bigs are not healthy; You have to give the edge to the Miami Heat right now. I think the Boston Celtics are going to have start really looking at themselves in the mirror saying ‘hey how can we get this done defensively without the O’Neals playing at the top level.”
Inside Awards: Rookie of the Year
McHale on LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin as his choice for Rookie of the Year: “I love this guy. He plays hard, he plays the right way, he’s so athletic, he attacks the rim, he’s a highlight film and you know he’s humble and he wants to become a great player. And he’s going to do nearly the impossible. He’s going to make the Clippers relevant in the City of Angels.”
Smith on Clippers forward Blake Griffin: “I call him the Charles Barkley mixed with Shawn Kemp because he can handle the basketball and he finishes around the rim like Shawn Kemp.”
Inside Awards: Coach of the Year
McHale on Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach Doug Collins as his choice for Coach of the Year: “That team (Philadelphia 76ers) started off 3-13 and on thin ice. Which way where they going to go? He stayed on them, he made them play as a team, he talked to guys about giving themselves for the team and he got his bench players to buy in. He put some of his best players on the bench. To take a team that wasn’t good last year and you start off 3-13 and turn that around, he did a heck of a job to get those guys believing. They are in the playoffs so great job.”
Inside Awards: Sixth Man of the Year
McHale on Lakers forward Lamar Odom as his choice for Sixth Man of the Year: “He’s such a versatile player, he beats you in so many different ways, he puts the ball on the floor, he can make the three, he can rebound it, he’s defending, he’s a great passer. He is truly a sixth man and he has bought into the role and he loves it.”
Smith on Odom: “I call him my handy man, he brings his tool box and whatever he needs he brings it out. What I like about him is there is no pressure to his game. I don’t have to be the star, I don’t have to be the go to guy but he plays winning basketball. They can win championships for a long time if he continues to play at this level.”
Inside Awards: Defensive Player:
Smith on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard as his choice for Defensive Player of the Year: “I look at his line up of his teammates; he doesn’t have a point guard, a snake on defense to really stop guys penetration. He had Matt Barnes and Michael Pietrus, they did an excellent job and he doesn’t have those two guys now. But what I looked at what was for a guy to add offense and to still concentrate defensively….
McHale on Dallas Mavericks Tyson Chandler as his choice for Defensive Player of the Year”: “He brought a defensive mindset to the game; I really like the fact that he changed their team so they can win a game 86-85 which they could never win before. The Dallas Mavericks had to outscore you, they brought Tyson Chandler in and now they can beat you in a tough hard-nose game.”
Inside Awards: Most Valuable Player
McHale on Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose as his choice for MVP: “He’s wearing #1 for a reason because he can flat out play. I just love the kid. One of the reasons that I chose him for MVP this year is because he has done without his starting combination up front. He starts off season with no (Carlos) Boozer and as soon as Boozer comes back no (Joakim) Noah. But what was the one constant, Derrick Rose, everynight bringing it, love him.”
Smith on Derrick Rose: “He has been so consistent. He makes teammates better. What sets him apart for me is during All-Star weekend, getting a chance to talk to him he had that Championship focus during All-Star weekend. He doesn’t let a smile come out, he’s always focused on winning, winning, winning even during the All-Star game.’
McHale on Derrick Rose’s humility: “Everyone in our league should look at him and say ‘I want to talk like this guy talks.’ Because it is all positive and all about team. I like listening to him talk basketball, he’s very humble.”
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