TNT is in Phoenix for NBA All-Star 2009 February 12-15

(AP Photo/David Banks)

Coverage of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam tips off Friday, February 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 14, TNT will televise coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which includes the Haier Shooting Stars competition, the Playstation Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, and the Sprite Slam Dunk. TNT’s coverage of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 15 begins at 8 p.m. ET.

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com (live in Phoenix)

Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Chris Webber

Phoenix Suns general manager and former TNT NBA analyst Steve Kerr joined the crew on-set

Kerr on the Suns trading forward Amar’e Stoudemire before the trade deadline: “I’ve said all week that we are listening to (other teams’ trade offers) because we’re an underachieving team.  We have to figure out a way to get better and we have to figure out a way that we’re going to be successful going forward.  That doesn’t mean that we’re going to move everybody, we might not do anything, but we are listening.  It just so happens that we have a very glamorous team with Amar’e (Stoudemire), Shaq (O’Neal) and Steve Nash.  We’ve got a very high profile team so people are talking about us in the news.”

Kerr on building around an older team: “It was four years of (the Suns) having a really good team but not getting to the (NBA) Finals.  Maybe we were a little ambitious, maybe we were saying, ‘alright, let’s go for it.’  We knew we were going to gamble a little bit and I think there is some honor in that.  You have to go for it when you have a chance.  Unfortunately, things have not panned out as we hoped they would up to this point.  That’s why we have to look at options and see where we are going from here.”

Kerr on who to blame when his team underachieves: “Ultimately, me.  I’m the one who has put this team together.  I’m the ultimate person who’s responsible for that and then everyone else plays a part in it.  We could be coaching better this year, we could be playing better and we’ve had guys who have been up and down a little bit.  We don’t have any excuses, injuries have not been a factor and we just have not come together (as a team).  If the mix isn’t right, ultimately, that’s my responsibility.”

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Game #1:  Miami Heat (95) @ Chicago Bulls (93)

Announcers: Dick Stockton and Mike Fratello with David Aldridge reporting

Fratello on the Bulls’ quick transition game: “Some teams run for layups, other teams run to spot up and hit jump shots.  The Bulls come right at you, they are very athletic and quick in transition.”

Fratello on Suns forward Shawn Marion struggling since changing positions: “Shawn Marion was most effective when he was a four-man because he could outrun the other fours.  When he went to the three-spot, that’s more of a skill position, and some of his deficiencies showed up.”

Fratello on how the return of Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich from injury has improved the team: “(Kirk) Hinrich coming (back from injury) is one of the reasons why this Bulls team is playing better.  Derrick Rose, the rookie, had it all on his shoulders and there wasn’t a veteran (guard) back there with him to teach him the nuances of the NBA.  As soon as Hinrich came back, there was a little more leadership (on the court), they can bring (Hinrich) off the bench to give Rose a break and then they can play Hinrich with Rose together and they have two guys in the backcourt that can make plays instead of just one.”

Fratello on the durability of Bulls forward Andres Nocioni: “(Andres) Nocioni is never a question mark.  He only says, ‘yes, I can play.’  Doesn’t matter if its practice or a game, he is going to play.  (Bulls head coach) Vinny Del Negro can’t get him to take a night off.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Smith and Webber

Webber on who will win the H-O-R-S-E contest which can be seen during Inside the NBA this Saturday, Feb. 14: “I think the younger guys may have an advantage only because they might try some trick shots.  They are all great shooters.”

Smith: “It’s the guy with the most tricks (who will win).  Joe Johnson is steady, Kevin Durant is a great player, O.J. Mayo has tricks.  He is the guy who is going to have the advantage because he has the most tricks.”

Smith on players trying trick shots during games of H-O-R-S-E:  “There’s no basketball player alive that will only shoot jumpers in a H-O-R-S-E competition.  That’s like going to a dance and never doing a swing move.  You gotta’ break it down one time.”

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Fratello on Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s struggles against the Chicago Bulls: “(Dwyane) Wade has always seemed to have a problem when he plays against Chicago.  Many times when guys go back to their hometown and get all the attention from their family and friends, distractions take place.  But for some reason (the Bulls) are a team that Dwyane Wade has had trouble having big games against.”

Fratello on how the Heat utilize guard Dwyane Wade late in games: “(The Heat) put the ball in (Dwyane) Wade’s hands at the end of the game and let him create on his own.  When his perimeter game is going, he’s nearly impossible to guard.”

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Game #2:  Boston Celtics (99) @ Dallas Mavericks (92)

Announcers: Marv Albert, Doug Collins and Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting

Collins on the Dallas Mavericks’ up-tempo style of play: “With Jason Kidd, (the Mavericks) are looking to run more.  They aren’t as much of a half-court team, they push the tempo.”

Collins on Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle: “Rick Carlisle is a really good offensive coach.  He does a great job of going game to game and picking the matchups he wants to attack.”

Miller on his H-O-R-S-E strategy: “You’ve got to be the player that shoots first so you can set the tone.  If it’s me, I’m going behind the arc…way behind the arc.”

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Halftime

Johnson, Smith and Webber

Smith on how Mavericks guard Jason Kidd needs to become more of an offensive threat for his team to compete in the Western Conference: “The Dallas Mavericks are a team that are (currently) a number five seed (in the Western Conference) and in a week, could easily be a number eight seed and on the way out (of the playoffs).  With (injured guard) Jason Terry out, what’s going to have to happen is Jason Kidd has to become an offensive basketball player.  He can no longer be a stand-still, pass (the ball) around guy.  He is a stationary three point shooter and he has to become more offensively aggressive.  He has to average between 12 and 14 points (per game) for them to save their season.”

Webber on players struggling to concentrate on the last day before the All-Star break: “Do you remember when it was the last day of school and the teacher would try to give you a test?  Are you kidding me?  I was ready to go home, it’s been a long season, if I didn’t make (the All-Star team) let me get home and see my family for a couple of days.  If I did make (the All-Star team) let’s hurry up and get it over with so I can get back.  It’s hard to keep your concentration on this day.”

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Miller on what Celtics guard Rajon Rondo needs to work on in the off-season: “You like to see young players, especially during the summer, work on something.  If I’m (Rajon) Rondo, I have to work on a 15 to 17 foot jump shot in my sleep.  If he does that, he’s going to be dangerous in this league because teams aren’t guarding against him, especially off the pick-and-roll.”

Miller on Celtics guard Ray Allen ability to shoot coming off of screens: “I don’t know if there is anyone better in the league right now at running off of screens than Ray Allen.  He gets his feet set, gets the ball delivered and he’s a gamer out here knocking down shots.”

Collins on Mavericks forward Devean George: “Devean George is one of (the Mavericks) better defensive players.  He used to make big shots when he was with the Lakers but since he’s been here (in Dallas), he hasn’t been able to knock down those shots.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Celtics guard Paul Pierce following the game

Pierce on winning the last game before the All-Star break: “(This win) is going to make All-Star Weekend that much sweeter.  This game is the hardest game because you have to focus and you’re thinking about the break.  It’s the last game before the break and it was a big win for us.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Smith and Webber

Smith on Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle helping to improve the offense of forward Dirk Nowitzki: “I will say this about (Mavs head coach) Rick Carlisle, he’s figured out a way to make Dirk Nowitzki a better offensive basketball player. (Carlisle) has forced him to be a great offensive player on every possession, where he settled for jump shots so many other times.”

Smith on coaches getting tossed out of a game as motivational technique: “I never thought that a coach getting thrown out of the game motivated me that much. The coaches I’ve played for, and I’ve been blessed to play for some great ones, they always had a passion and I always felt that they were in the foxhole with me. So to prove a point that he’s passionate about the game, Doc Rivers doesn’t have to prove that to Kevin Garnett and the rest of the team because they know that already.”

Webber on being motivated by his coaches receiving technical fouls during the game: “Sometimes it’s good to see your coach get out of character, if you’re down 30 points or down two points, we’ve got to see you raise your game too. That ‘win it for the Gipper’ speech, it’s nothing today, we’re going to practice…you’ve got to find some ways to motivate and we like to see our coach get kicked out. We had a rule where we would pay the fines for our coaches if they got technicals for fighting for us.  Sometimes it’s nothing more than a chemistry builder and I’ve seen it work before.”

Smith on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard “(Dwight Howard) is the Dominique (Wilkins), the Vince Carter, the Michael Jordan of this era.  In terms of dunkers, (he is a) guy who can get up off the floor and be creative and do what he wants in the air.”

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