TNT NBA Inside Update

The following was submitted by TNT…

TNT’s NBA Thursday coverage continues on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. ET with a doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers @ Utah Jazz

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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith

Barkley on the San Antonio Spurs: “The Spurs are the team of the decade….By the way, I’m going to go out on a limb. The Spurs are the second best team in the West behind the Los Angeles Lakers…They are playing better. They are finally getting their chemistry together. . They are only just starting to play well. First of all no one can beat the Lakers, let me stop giving people fool’s gold, but the Spurs can beat any other team in the West in a 7-game series.”

Smith on the teams he feels are better than the Spurs in the West: “The biggest surprise right now in terms of upper echelon in the West has the be the Phoneix Suns as the #2 seed, but I think that the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets are better than the San Antonio Spurs. Especially the Denver Nuggets, I think when healthy they are the most talented team besides the Los Angeles Lakers in the West.”

Barkley on Vinny Del Negro’s tenuous status as Bulls’ head coach: “I have to say something about Vinny Del Negro, it is a disgrace the way the Bulls are treating him telling him he is going to get fired. They said he was going to get fired but they couldn’t find a replacement. That’s a travesty to let him hang in the wind right now. It’s not Vinny Del Negro’s fault they suck.”

Barkely on Bulls center Joakim Noah: “I love his game. He is like a Dennis Rodman to me. He is a rebounding machine.”

Barkley on his New Year’s Resolutions: “I have two new resolutions: by the end of the season I will have lost 50 pounds and I am going to learn Spanish…During the Playoffs I am going to be able to do an entire package in Spanish.”

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Game 1: Miami Heat (78) @ San Antonio Spurs (108)

Announcers: Marv Albert and Mike Fratello with Craig Sager reporting

Fratello on the Miami Heat: “For Miami to be successful against an upper level team they must be outstanding on the defensive end…When they’ve faltered they’ve relaxed on the defensive end.”

Fratello on Spurs forward Tim Duncan: “San Antonio talks about the great hands that (forward) DeJuan Blair has, however they always come back with ‘the best hands on the Spurs belong to Tim Duncan.’”

Fratello on Spurs forward DeJuan Blair: “He is a very undersized player for his position but always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Most of his shots are in that area; close to the lane and near the rim. He has a great ability to get guys up in the air.”

Albert on Craig Sager’s garish New Year’s Eve jacket: “You know incredibly before buying that sports jacket Craig put time and thought into making that purchase.”

Fratello on Heat forward Michael Beaseley: “Beaseley has been very consistent over the past 15 games; understanding his role as the power forward and then when they move him over to the small forward position.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Smith on Spurs guard Manu Ginobili: “The one thing with (Spurs head coach Gregg) Popovich, it seemed like early in the year he didn’t trust Ginobili. The cross-over from right to left, he is the only one in the NBA to use it. Here’s a guy who doesn’t need to come off the bench anymore. I thing you have Roger Mason, who is admirable, George Hill, they have guys who can play. It is time for him to be a starter again.”

Barkley on the Rockets attempt to trade guard Tracey McGrady: “Tracey McGrady might as well relax because he’s not going anywhere.”

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Sager interviewed Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich following the third quarter

Sager on the third quarter: “Well coach, you held Miami to 13 points, seven turnovers and just five field goals, what was the key?”

Popovich: “I think they were looking at your suit.”

Popovich on the improved play of Manu Ginobili: “He’s getting back to himself, basically. He is getting over the injury and each game he is starting to look more like Manu Ginobili which is necessary for us to do anything.”

Fratello on the strong early season play by the Houston Rockets: “It’s amazing when you put some tough-minded guys together that have some skill; the ability to get some scoring, shot distribution and energy…it’s an exceptional season so far.”

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Game 2: Philadelphia 76ers (X) @ LA Clippers (X)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller and Doug Collins with Cheryl Miller reporting

Collins on the 76ers improved play: “This is a big game for the 76ers. They are coming off back-to-back wins and trying to string something together…This is an opportunity for them to start feeling good about themselves and possibly play themselves into a playoff spot.”

Collins on Clippers forward Chris Kaman: “Well he is and probably would be a shoe-in if he was on a winning team. He is definitely putting up All-Star numbers, his points and rebounding, he is having his best year as a pro.”

Collins on the running 76ers: “You turn the ball over against the Sixers it’s a layup. It reminds me of when Eddie Jordan was coaching New Jersey and it was Jason Kidd, Kerry Kittles, Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin. I always felt like that was a sprint medley relay team. This Philadelphia team, the way they are constructed right now: one big and four smalls, gets out and runs.”

Miller on injured Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin: “If he is going to be the face of your franchise why rush him out there and maybe further injure himself? Bring him along slow and he gets a chance to watch and look at the league as a whole. It’ll be there, but you just can’t rush him.”

Collins on Griffin’s possible return this year: “Let’s face it, even if he comes back the chances of this team making the playoffs is very slim, so don’t rush him back. I think Utah is in the eighth spot right now. The Clippers are not going to pass the Utah Jazz.”

Miller on Clippers guard Baron Davis: “When he is on, when he is clicked in, he is one of the top, if not the top point guards in the league. You can throw out all the names; Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, but when he is off he can be one of the worst guards in the league.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on the make-up of the Philadelphia 76ers: “They getting Lou Williams back, who is playing very well for them, and they move Allen (Iverson) really to the two position. And the Sixers have gone young, make no mistake about it with Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams, (Andre) Iguodala, (Samuel) Dalembert and (Maurice)Speights coming off the bench, that’s their team of the future, and Elton’s stable because he knows he will be coming off the bench, and that’s his job.”

Barkley on Oklahoma City’s core of young players: “Let me tell you something (Kevin Durant), Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook, they are the new triplets.”

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Collins on Clippers center Marcus Camby: “This guy is such a great player. I don’t know that he has ever gotten his due for what a great job he has done in the NBA shot blocking and rebounding. There are going to be a lot of teams that are trying to win a championship that are going to try to get him come trade deadline, especially if the Sixers are out of the mix.”

Collins on the importance of playing defense: “Coach (Hank) Iba used to have a great line: ‘If you don’t want to play defense your substitute will.””

Collins on Sixers guard Lou Williams: “Lou Williams has got a sweet jump shot.”

Miller following Chris Kaman’s postgame comments that the goal of the Clippers in the New Year is to make the playoffs: ‘It’s a goal but I don’t know if they’re good enough and have the talent to catch Utah.”

Collins: “To me the goal should be consistency.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on Oklahoma City guard/forward Kevin Durant making the 2010 NBA All-Star Game: “If he’s not an All-Star I’m not going.”

Johnson: “You’ve got to go to Dallas.”

Barkley: “I’m thinking about going to Dallas this weekend to see my Eagles beat down on the Cowboys.”

Barkley on a late foul call on the Utah Jazz that gave Thunder forward Nick Collison two late free throws to win 87-86: “That’s a terrible call. The players need to decide the game. I don’t think you can make that call.”

Barkley on the Rockets deserving to have a representative at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game: “We were debating between Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry. One of those guys has got to make the All-Star team because no one thought they could make the playoffs.”

Smith on the Detroit Pistons: “This guy here (Ben Gordon), you add him with Rip Hamilton. Tayshaun Prince is playing well. This Detroit team is an eight seed.”