We have some press releases from NBA TV and TNT in regards to action today and from Tuesday. Let’s get to them so I can get to other stuff.
First, NBA TV airs a trade deadline special this afternoon.
NBA TV Airs Trade Deadline Special on Thursday, Feb. 18NBA Insider David Aldridge and Former GM Kevin McHale Serve as Show’s AnalystsNBA TV will provide comprehensive coverage of the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, Feb. 18 as teams make their final moves of the season to bolster their rosters. NBA GameTime: Trade Deadline Special will air from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET and feature host Rick Kamla, NBA Insider David Aldridge and former general manager and current NBA TV analyst Kevin McHale. The trio will follow all the news and transactions and as well as provide analysis of trades and the impact on teams across the league.In addition, NBA.com will provide breaking news, updates and analysis of all transactions as the trade deadline looms.
Don’t forget TNT has a doubleheader tonight.
TNT NBA Thursday Returns with a Spectacular Doubleheader Featuring Nuggets @ Cavaliers (8 p.m. ET), Followed by Celtics @ Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET)Special One-Hour Pre-Game Show at 7 p.m. (ET) Features Trade Deadline CoverageTNT NBA Thursday continues on February 18 with a special one-hour edition of NBA Tip-Off at 7 p.m. (ET). Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst) will preview the night’s action and will be joined by TNT NBA Insider David Aldridge to break down all the moves made at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Following the pre-game show, the network will present an exclusive doubleheader beginning at 8 p.m. (ET). The first game will feature two of the top teams in the NBA when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers host Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets. Play-by-play announcer Marv Albert will call the game alongside analysts Mike Fratello and Reggie Miller with Craig Sager reporting. In the second game of the night, a legendary rivalry continues as Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics visit Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Doug Collins (analyst) will be courtside with Cheryl Miller reporting. The Emmy® award-winning studio show Inside the NBA with Johnson, Barkley, McHale and Smith will recap the games.
TNT NBA THURSDAY SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Feb. 187 p.m. NBA Tip-OffErnie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)8 p.m. Denver Nuggets @ Cleveland CavaliersAnnouncers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)10:30 p.m. Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles LakersAnnouncers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)Post-game Inside the NBAErnie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)NBA ON TNT UPCOMING SCHEDULE:Thursday, Feb. 258 p.m. NBA Tip-OffErnie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)8:15 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston CelticsAnnouncers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst), Reggie Miller (analyst) and David Aldridge (reporter)10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets @ Golden State WarriorsAnnouncers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Doug Collins (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)Post-game Inside the NBAErnie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Here are notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night earlier this week.
Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night – Tuesday, February 16, 2010Phoenix Suns (109) @ Memphis Grizzlies (95)New Orleans Hornets vs. Cleveland CavaliersNew York Knicks vs. Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami HeatPortland Trail Blazers vs. New Jersey NetsLos Angeles Lakers @ Memphis GrizzliesPhoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City ThunderDetroit Pistons @ Sacramento KingsPhiladelphia 76ers @ Golden State WarriorsCLIP OF THE DAYQUOTE OF THE DAY“I want to say I feel like I’m going to get ‘Jay Leno-ed;’ I‘m going to be here this week and then next week (Kevin) McHale is going to be back.”— Brent Barry on replacing Kevin McHale for Tuesday’s NBA TV Fan Night**** **** **** ****Pre-Game ShowErnie Johnson, Brent Barry and Chris WebberWebber on Portland acquiring center Marcus Camby in a trade: “I think it’s a good trade, but very frankly I don’t think Portland has a chance to do anything seriously this year anyway. I don’t think they are going to go far in the playoffs, you have the Lakers there, but if Marcus Camby is there next year with a healthy Greg Oden and (Joel) Pryzbilla they might have the best defensive frontline in the game.”Barry on the Clippers/Portland trade: “I think it’s really a win-win; for Portland’s side getting Marcus Camby and his veteran leadership is certainly going to help that ball club, but for the Clippers they get a solid point guard in Steve Blake and they also get a guy for the future in Travis Outlaw, a guy who can really score the basketball. He (Outlaw) might be a really good
fit next to Blake Griffin next year when he gets healthy.”Webber on the trade rumors surrounding Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire: “I really think he’s being energized. He played great before the break, he’s going to play great after but I think he even said it; ‘(I’m) used to it, it’s kind of like High School recruiting.’ I think it effects him less than the average player because he’s heard these rumors for so long.”Barry on the Stoudemire trade rumors: “When is it the last straw for either side? Amare Stoudemire’s name has been thrown around for two years. Management and him have had to deal with this for a long time so are we at the breaking point?”Webber on what trading Suns leading scorer would mean to Phoenix: “I think they are trying to find their identity. As long as you have Steve Nash whoever they bring in is going to play pretty well, just ask Boris Diaw and the rest of the guys that used to play with him.”Newly acquired Portland center Marcus Camby joined the studio team via ArenalinkCamby on learning about the trade during a Clippers sponsor dinner with his former teammates: “It’s kind of ironic that right when we just got started I heard this trade might actually happen and go down. It is kind of ironic that I’m actually here in Portland and tonight we actually face the Clippers.”Johnson: “How did that meal go down?”Camby: “It didn’t go down, it didn’t go down. Once I found out what was going on I just had to gather my thoughts and look forward to the new day, which is today.”Barry on replacing McHale for Tuesday’s Fan Night: “I want to say I feel like I’m going to get ‘Jay Leno-ed;’ I‘m going to be here this week and then next week (Kevin) McHale is going to be back.”Johnson: “Well don’t feel that way, that is what’s going to happen.”Barry on the announcement that Nuggets coach George Karl is taking a leave of absence due to a recurrence of cancer: “We know Coach Karl is battler, and we know he’ll battle this. We hope to see him anywhere around the game but hopefully on the Denver Nuggets bench at some point.”Webber on Coach George Karl: “We know he is going to be battling. I know he is going to texting his point guard (Chauncey) Billups on the bench, too. I don’t think he’s going to take much off because he’s a basketball guy, he’s going to watch every single minute.”***** ***** *****Halftime ReportJohnson, Barry and WebberWebber on the Nets wire-to-wire victory over the Bobcats: “They may win every game after the All-Star break, they way they are playing.”Barry: “Easy, Webber.”Webber: “Okay, my bad, Ernie had me pumped out with those highlights.”Barry on Heat guard Dwyane Wade vs. the 76ers: “He thought it was Sunday all over again, he just decided to take over.”Webber: “They (Philadelphia) play defense like it’s the All-Star Game.”Barry on the Suns improved defense: “The one thing I like about them is they talk a lot about the defensive mindset…They get down and dirty and try to play. I know ‘Suns’ and ‘defense’ don’t really go together but they at least give an effort and that’s a big reason the Suns have played well of late.”***** ***** *****NBA GameTimeJohnson, Barry and WebberBarry on how the Phoenix Suns dominated the Memphis Grizzles in the second half: “The bench in the second quarter for Phoenix was the difference, they had a huge run and in the third quarter they were able to sustain and maintain the lead and that made it a lot easier for them to rest Steve Nash. They really moved the ball well.”Webber on Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash’s impact on his team: “Very few players have a big impact on the game without scoring. The good thing about Steve Nash is that he keeps his dribble. He showed you that he can get as many as assists as a team on any given night and impact his team without scoring.”Barry on what the Grizzles have to do in the second half of the season: “When you come off the All-Star break, the last team you want to play is the Phoenix Suns. That is a tough game. The second thing about Memphis is that they can not be happy with what they did in the first half of the season. They have a lot of young guys and were being talked about a lot and they were in the playoff chase. There are still two months to go. They have to focus on the things they did well in the first have, correct the things they did wrong and try to make run.”The Fan Night crew talked to Phoenix Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire via ArenaLinkStoudemire on how he stays focused in the midst of trade talks: “It is pretty easy to focus; you have a game plan in mind. As the Phoenix Suns we are trying to make the playoffs and that keeps me focused. Secondly, going out there and playing for my teammates, we all rally together As a teammate, we rally together and try to get these wins and once I’m on the court that is my freedom zone, so I block everything out and focus on that.”Stoudemire on his immediate future: “Me and my agent have a great direct line of communication. Right now, I’m just trying to rack up these wins and get ready for the playoffs.”Stoudemire on the Suns chances in the playoffs with him remaining on the team: “I think that would be a great look for the Suns. With the team we have right now, that is all I have right now. So we have to focus, stay together as a unit and go out there and fight every night and try and rack up these wins. As you know it is tough in the West, but we have a great chance of making the playoffs and perhaps go further.”Stoudemire on his regiment for the next few days during trade talks: “My motto is ‘why worry when you pray.’ I never worry about a situation. I never take my focus off the basketball game. I definitely hang out with my family and we have a g
ood time off the court. I never lose sleep. It never bothers me to that magnitude. But at the same time, we have to stay together and rack up these wins in the midst of these trade talks.”Stoudemire on his ultimate goal: “To contend for a championship. Obviously, I think that is what every young star wants is to win a championship. That is my ultimate goal and I figure wherever we can do that, let’s go.”Barry on Stoudemire’s character off the court: “Amar’e Stoudemire, for everything that he has gone through has never really had any issues off the court. He has never really been a troubled player in our league. Given the circumstances over the past few years, he has remained professional. That’s why I think these teams are interested in him.”Webber on the Suns’ chemistry: I think it is trade talk because there are things that have happened that we don’t know about because in the locker room they are really tight-lipped. I think chemistry has been an issue with those guys in the locker room at times. He seems committed. It is really hard to get rid of a guy that says the right things all the time. It is really good for him to come on because I know he is tired of hearing those questions. To have that focus year after year and not take it personal is what I admire about him most.”Webber on Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry: “I love his game, one because of his pedigree of his father, two because he is a great player, and three (because) he looks like he is 14 years old and he still goes to work and plays hard.”Johnson: “You know that they call him on that?”Webber: “What?”Johnson: “Middle school.”Barry on Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant not playing against the Golden State Warriors: I’m going to call this an opponent dependent game not played – O.D.G.N.P. I think this is a game that they wanted to rest Kobe one more outing.”Webber on the Philadelphia 76ers: “One reason you make trades is to gain an identity. Right now, I don’t think the 76ers have an identity and I think they are searching for one.”
That’s it for this post.
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