Nba Daily Show - Apr. 22 – the starters

FLYING GAME TO THE HOUSTON ROCKETS. >> SELF-PROCLAIMED BEST BACK COURT AND THEY CRUSH THE RAPTORS IN TORONTO AGAIN. >> THUNDER FIRE HEAD COACH BROOKS. >> IT'S APRIL 22ND. STARTERS START NOW. >> GOOD EVENING SWEET WORLD AND WELCOME TO THE STARTERS, WHETHER JOINING US LIVE ON-LINE OR LISTENING TO THE PODCAST OR CATCHING US ON NBA T.V. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. I'M J.E. SKEETS AND THIS IS AS THE MULL IS. >> STARTERS AREN'T GETTING BENCHED NOT TODAY AT LEAST. >> AND INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY. LEE ELLIS. >> LEIGH LEIGH. >> WE HAVE ACTION PACKED SHOW THIS EVENING AND WE'LL GET TO THE THUNDER FIRING HEAD COACH SCOTTY BROOKS NEWS LATER IN THE SHOW BUT FIRST THE GAMES LAST NIGHT IN HOUSTON WHERE LONG TIME FRIENDS, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW. SMITH AND HOWARD PROVED AN UNSTOPPABLE COMBINATION HELP THE ROCKETS TO THE WIN OVER IN THE MAVS. HOUSTON HAS A 2-0 LEAD IN THE SERIES BUT IF YOU'RE A MAVS FAN I HAVE MUCH WORSE NEWS THAN THAT. CHANDLER PARSONS IS NOW OFFICIALLY OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT KNEE AND INTERESTINGLY WE'RE JUST LEARNING THAT RAJON RONDO IS OUT INDEFINITELY WITH A BACK PROBLEM. AND I SAY THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHAT WENT DOWN LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS NOT A GOODNIGHT FOR RAJON RONDO. >> QUITE PECULIAR HE WAS YANKED BECAUSE HE WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION. THERE'S NO ATTENTIVENESS. WHEN YOU'RE IN A PLAYOFF GAME AND GET CALLED AN EIGHT SECOND VIOLATION FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THERE'S SERIOUS ATTENTIVENESS FOR YOUR GUY SUPPOSED TO BE CARRYING THE TEAM AND ALLOWING THE APPOSING POINT GUARD TO CARRY IT. GETTING INTO IT WITH JAMES HARDEN AS WELL. HE TOOK HIMSELF OFF THE FLOOR. >> HE DID. BECAUSE HE WAS LIKE YOU SAID. FOULING AND JUST GETTING RILED UP AND NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THE MAVERICKS OUT THERE AND BASICALLY HURTING THEM FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. >> VALIANT EFFORT JUST TO BE SAID. RAYMOND FELTON AND JJ BAREA AND THIS TEAM WAS AHEAD IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. THAT'S HOW HARD THIS TEAM WAS WORKING. >> RONDO, CAREER LOW. TEN MINUTES BECAUSE YOU KNOW CARLISLE DECIDED TO BENCH HIM AFTER THE TWO FOULS AND RONDO DID NOT STICK AROUND TO TALK TO REPORTERS. I'M TRYING TO WATCH THE WAY HE'S WALKING. >> WAS SITTING ON A CUSHION ON THE BASELINE. >> LOOK. SEVEN ASSUMING THAT MAVS ARE JUST CALLING IN A BACK PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO GET AROUND AND HOPEFULLY THE STORY GOES AWAY QUICKER OF RONDO AND CARLISLE AND RONDO NOT GIVING IT HIS ALL CHECKING OUT MENTALLY OF THIS GAME WHICH HE NO DOUBT DID AND WE'LL RUN WITH BAREA AND FELTON TO SEE IF THEY CAN WIN. >> WHAT'S HE GOING TO BUTT HEADS OVER WITH RONDO. AGAIN LAST NIGHT YOU SAW HIS ATTITUDE AND EFFORT AND ENERGY ON THE COURT WAS HORRIBLE SO IF YOU'RE CARLISLE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO DROP TOO FAR BEHIND LIKE THE ROCKETS. THEY'VE LOST THE FIRST TWO AND RONDO WAS ATROCIOUS. CARLISLE HAD NO OPTION AND SAT HIM DOWN. >> LAST TIME WE'VE SEEN HIM IN A DALLAS MAVERICKS UNIFORM THEN? YOU DON'T EXPECT HIM THERE NEXT YEAR? >> HIGHLY. I UNDERSTAND HIM NOT WANTING TO TAKE A CHANCE BUT YOU SAW WHAT HE DID THERE IN GAME TWO. HE JUST WASN'T THERE MENTALLY. HE CHECKED OUT SO HOW CAN WE GO TO GAME THREE WITH THIS GUY AS OUR STARTING POINT GUARD. THEY DIDN'T HAVE DEVIN HARRIS AND HE'LL COME BACK BUT THEY WENT WITH BAREA AND FELTON AND THEY NEED HELP AND RONDO IS NOT HELPING. >> SOME PEOPLE ARE THROWING OUT THE IDEA THAT HE'S CENT SENDING A MESSAGE WALKING THE BALL UP TO RICK CARLISLE BECAUSE AGAIN THEY HAVE BUTTED HEADS ABOUT RONDO WANTS TO PLAY, LET HIM CALL THE PLAYS OF COURSE RICK CARLISLE WANTS TO DO THAT SO MAYBE RONDO SENDING A MESSAGE SAYING I'LL JUST WALK IT UP HERE WHICH IS CRAZY TO THINK IF TRUE. >> IF THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING BUT RONDO SEEMED CALCULATEING SO IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF HE WAS TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE BUT IF YOU WERE A TRADE HATER COMING EVERYTHING YOU SAW WAS WHAT YOU WERE WHERE I HAD ABOUT GOING INTO THE TRADE AND BETWEEN HIM NOT SHOWING UP, HE HAD FOUR JUMPERS OR WHATEVER IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF GAME ONE GETTING BENCHED FOR FELTON. CAUSING WAVES IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND BEING HUGE STORY IN THE IMMEDIATE YAY! THINK THAT IT WAS A WORTHY SHOT IN THE DARK THAT THE MAVERICKS TOOK BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT GOING TO WIN A FIRST ROUND SERIES ANYWAY BUT TRADE --ING HIM HAS NOT WORKED OUT. >> SOMETHING JUST OCCURRED TO ME. RONDO HAS NOT BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR A LONG TIME AND MAYBE HE FORGOT THE 8 SECOND RULE USED TO BE A TEN SECOND RULE. >> RICK CARLISLE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO HIDE HIM ON OFFENSE. THEIR OFFENSE WAS ALL ABOUT SPACING JUST MOVE THE BALL AROUND WHOEVER GETS OPEN AND RONDO DOESN'T ALLOW THAT. >> RONDO WILL BE A STORY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ROCKETS AND HOW THEY PICKED UP THE WIN. BEFORE THE SHOW WE SHADE THAT WAS POSSIBLY JOSH SMITH'S GREATEST BASKETBALL QUARTER OF HIS LIFE. IT SOUNDS HILARIOUS TO SAY BUT HE JUST TOOK OVER THIS GAME AND A LOT OF IT JUST THROW TOGETHER HOWARD INSIDE. >> MAKING PLAYS LEFT AND RIGHT AND ASSISTING ON EVERY DUNK THAT WAS NOT HIS OWN AND YOU CAN SEE WHY THE ROCKETS ARE NOT MISSING MONTEUNIS RIGHT NOW AND HE CAN MAKE PLAYS WITH HIM RATHER THAN HARDEN HAVING TO DO ANYTHING. >> IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT. WATCH THE ROCKETS TRY TO PUT DIRK NOWITZKI IN A PICK-AND-ROLL SITUATION AND WE SAW IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN DOWN THE STRETCH AND DIRK NEVER LOOKED SLOWER WITH THE NUMBER OF TIMES JOSH SMITH BLUE BY HIM AND I FEEL BAD FOR TYSON CHANDLER RIGHT NOW. WELL DO HELP OUT ON YOUR GUY OR STAY ON MINE BECAUSE EVERY TIME HE HELPS OUT USUALLY A DUNK. >> TYSON CHANDLER TOWARDS THE END OF THIS GAME HE'S LIKE I'M NOT LETTING MY GUY SO IT'S JOSH SMITH'S GUY. >> MARK CUBAN CAN'T EVEN WATCH. >> KEVIN MCHALE HAS BEEN STRESSING FOR A TIME AND LAST NIGHT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. HARDEN ONLY PLAYED FOUR MINUTES WHEN THE ROCKETS WENT ON THE RUN AND HARDEN HASN'T BEEN SHOOTING WELL SO FAR BUT IT HASN'T EFFECTED THE ROCKETS AT ALL. GREAT FOR HOUSTON. YOU HAPPEN WE WITH HIM. YOU HAVE TO PLAY MINUTES AND BE AGGRESSIVE. HE DID THAT. >> YOU SAW THE RESULT IN THE END. DOMINANT AT THE END AND IF HE PLAYS LIKE THAT CONTINUALLY THEN IT REALLY GIVES THE HOUSTON ROCKET AS GOOD CHANCE IN THE WEST AND I REALLY ENJOY SEEING HIM PLAY LIKE THIS. MADE HIS FREE THROWS AND DIDN'T DO ANY OF THOSE SILLY PLAYS THAT HAVE CAUSED HIM PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. >> HAD 15 SHOTS AND ONLY THREE ROUND UP POST ATTEMPTS. 0-3 BUT THIS IS JUST HIS FORTE. PICKING AND ROLLING AND DROP OFFS AND IF HE CAN BE A DEANDRE JORDAN EXTREME THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. THE POST UPS ARE FINE EVERY ONCE IN A BLUE MOON BUT HE'S UNSTOPPABLE. SHOWED YOU THE PERCENTAGES AND PICK-AND-ROLL 75% FROM THE FIELD IN POST UPS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THAT. SOMETHING LIKE 43 SERVE %. >> SEEMS TO BE LABORING WITH THOSE INJURIES AND NOW HE JUST LOOKS EXPLOSIVE AND FRESH. >> MENTIONED MCHALE AND I THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB TRYING TO SPEED UP THE TEMPO WITH SMITH AND CLINT AND THE YOUNG GUY THAT PLAYS 88 MINUTES. SMART MOVE AND JOSH SMITH, YOU KNOW HE'S GOING BY DIRK AND I THINK THEY HAVE TO GET OUT IN THERE JUST TO SLOW HIM DOWN. >> DIRK CAN'T HANDLE HIM AT ALL. >> HE NEEDS TO PLAY LIKE 40 MINUTES. HE CAN GUARD HARDEN AT TIMES. >> 40 MINUTES IN THE PLAYOFF GAME HAS NOT HAPPENED BEFORE? >> THIS TEAM IS SO THIN. CHANDLER PARSONS OUT FOR THE ENTIRE PLAYOFFS AND RICHARD JEFFERSON GETTING AS MANY MINUTES WHO IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE OUT THERE. THEY'RE KILLING DIRK AS THE PICKER AND AS WELL AS THE ON BALL DEFENDER. SO HE NEEDS TO DO THAT. >> INTERESTED SO SEE WHAT RICK CARLISLE DOES. >> DON'T TELL HIM. >> WHEN WE RETURN. WELL I'LL PROBABLY CURL UP INTO A BALL AND CRY LITTLE BIT. YEP, TALK ABOUT THE RAPTORS AND WIZARDS WHEN WE RETURN. YOU'RE WATCHING "THE STARTERS". >> WELCOME BACK TO THE STARTERS TIME FOR ME TO EAT SOME CROW. ONE GAME AFTER SCORING TEN POINTS JOHN WALL DOMINATED TORONTO AND KYLE LAURIE FOR 26 POINTS A PLAYOFF. CAREER-HIGH 17 TIMES TO DIMES TO PICK UP THE VICTORY AND STILL STEAL BOTH GAMES IN CANADA. THIS GAME GOT AWAY FROM THE RAPS AND WASHINGTON JUST KILLED THEM. 71 POINTS IN THE FOUR MINUTES. >> TWO GUARD HEAVY TEAMS. ONE SET GETTING IT DONE WHILE THE OTHER IS NOT AT ALL. LOOK AT THEM RIGHT NOW AND FEELS LIKE THE WIZARDS HAVE AN ADVANTAGE AT EVERY POSITION. PLAYING 1-5 AND THE BENCH WHICH NO ONE SUSPECTED. JOHN WALL WAS SO FUN TO WATCH THE WAY HE WAS GETTING IT DONE. YOU FELT LIKE SOME GUYS ARE PLAYOFF PERFORMERS AND HE'S LIKE I'M WINNING THIS GAME TO GO 25-15. JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN. ONLY FIVE GUYS HAVE 25 POINTS OR 15 PLUS ASSISTS OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS AND JOHN WALL IS NOW ONE OF THEM. THAT IS SPECIAL, SPECIAL, SPECIAL. >> LOOK AT THE LIST. I AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK THIS SERIES HAS SUDDENLY COME DOWN TO THE GUARDS AND WHO'S GOING TO BRING IT ON A NIGHT-TO-NIGHT BASIS AND IT'S WALL AND BE MUCH MORE THAN LAURIE WHO OF COURSE HAS INJURIES AND PICKED UP THE SHIN CONTUSION AND EVEN LOU WILLIAMS. >> AND PIERCE NOT WANTING TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS AGAIN. I'M NOT DOING IT. TWEETED PIERCE AND SAID WE'RE SWEEPING THEM. WOULD ANYONE BE SURPRISED? >> NOT AT ALL BUT THE WAY THEY'VE PLAYED IS NOT A SURPRISE. THEY CAN'T DEFEND ANYONE AND WASHINGTON IS NOT A FANTASTIC TEAM BUT HE DID THAT. >> KYLE LAURIE IS NOT STAYING ON THE FLOOR. AGAIN IS IT INJURIES? IT'S IN THESE GAMES. IT'S NOT VASQUEZ AND LOU WILLIAMS TRYING TO GUARD THEM. THAT'S FAIR BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING PHENOMENAL BUT IN MUCH BETTER POSITION IF HE'S OUT THERE. VASQUEZ CAN'T GUARD ANYONE. TRAILING JOHN WALL IN EVERY PLAY AND LIEU C NOT A GREAT DEFENDER EITHER SO I DISAGREE AND LAURIE HAS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO STAY OUT THERE. TERRIBLY FRUSTRATED BOTH WITH SHOT SELECTIONS AND THEN GETTING FOULS. SOME OF THEM TICKY ATTACKY THE THIRD ONE WAS REALLY DUMB ON HIS PART. NINE MINUTES TO GO AND YOU REACH IN AND GIVE THE LAYUP? HE KNOWS THAT AND THAT KILLED HIM. I'VE BEEN TERRIBLY IMPRESSED WITH HIM IN THE BOUNCE-BACK ESPECIALLY AFTER MISSING SHOTS IN GAME ONE. >> THEY GET ANYWHERE THEY WANT TO BECAUSE THE RAPTORS CAN'T PLAY DEFENSE AND THE RAPTORS CAN'T GET WHERE THEY WANT BECAUSE THE WIZARDS ARE UP AND THEN IT COMES TO THE BIG GUYS AND THE BIG GUYS HAVE OUT PLAYED THE RAPTORS IN EVERY SINGLE MINUTE SO FAR. PATRICK PATTERSON NEEDS MORE MINUTES AND THEY NEED GUYS TO PLAY HARD AND TOUGH. >> YOU CAN'T POINT OUT ONE THING WHEN YOU LOSE BY 20 POINTS AND YOUR ALL-STAR THAT INJURED JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SEASON HAS GONE YOU HAVE TO CARRY THE TEAM. FIRST TIME ALL-STAR AND HE CAN'T GO FOR 6.5 POINTS A GAME. IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. >> NOT GOING TO WORK ON SUCH A GUARD HEAVY TEAM SO DEPENDENT ON OUTSIDEJS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH KYLE IS HE'S NOT GETTING OFFENSE OFF TO A GOOD TEMPO. >> HE CAN'T BECAUSE HE'S NOT ON THE FLOOR ENOUGH. BUT TO DEROZEN HAD 20 POINTS LAST NIGHT BUT I SAID HE NEEDS TO GET TO THE FREE-THROW LINE. HE'S BEEN THERE EIGHT TIMES IN TWO GAMES AND MADE FIVE OF THEM. I KNOW SOMETIMES HIS BALL HANDLING IS NOT THE GREATEST BUT HE NEEDS TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND SOMETHING JUST TO GET TO THE FREE-THROW LINE AND GET FOULS. THAT MID RANGE FEELS SO MUCH WORSE WHEN YOUR TEAM IS STRUGGLING LIKE THEY ARE. >> PEOPLE WANT THEM TO BE MORE LIKE JAMES HARDEN TO SHOOT THREES LIKE LAST YEAR BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE HANDLE SO HAS TO SETTLE FOR SOMETHING FROM TEN TO 16 FEET AND HE'S NOT A GREAT SHOOTER NOT TO MINT MENTION IT'S NOT AN EFFICIENT SHOT. >> AS RAPTOR FANS I'M SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS EGG THEY THROUGH UP THERE BUT AGAIN CREDIT IT TO THE WIZARDS. BE IS 22? PORTER HAD A GREAT GAME LAST NIGHT AGAIN 22. YOUNG, YOUNG NUCLEUS HERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITIONS IN THIS LEAGUE. JOHN WALL I'M GLAD HE BECAME AN ALL-STAR BUT HAS TAKEN IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. KILLING THE RAPTORS. >> NOT THE BEST REFLECTION OF THE DEFENSE DEEPER IN THE PLAYOFFS BUT BE AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE FIRST GAME HE COULD NOT SHOOT. BE LAST NIGHT TOOK THE SAME SHOTS AND DROVE INSIDE AND SO MUCH BETTER LAST NIGHT ONCE HE SAW A FEW GO DOWN HIS CONFIDENCE ROSE AND HERE YOU SEE THE SHOT CLOCK COMBINED. LOOK INSIDE ALL 13 FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS INSIDE THE RESTRICTED AREA. >> THEY'RE WORKING TO GET IN THE LANE AND THAT'S FRUSTRATING. DEROZEN'S LINE LOOKS SEXY. BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S HAPPENING. JUST DOESN'T WORK WITH THIS TEAM IF HE WAS WORKING ON A TEAM WITH PLAYER MOVEMENT AND BALL MOVEMENT HIS SHOTS WOULD BE DIGESTIVE BUT THREE FREE-THROWS DOESN'T WORK ON THIS TEAM THAT TAKES JUMPER AFTER JUMPER AND WE THOUGHT THIS MAY HAPPEN JUST WATCHING THE TEAM. ALL THEY DO IS RELY ON DEROZEN JUST TO SHOOT THE OUTSIDE, J'S. WIZARD SERIES DID NOT LOSE AS THEY HEAD BACK TO WASHINGTON. QUICKLY, CAVS AND CELTICS PUT UP ANOTHER FIGHT BUT IN THE END, LITTLE TOO MUCH LEBRON AND KYRIE IRVING AND THEY PICK UP THE 99-91 VICTORY SO THEY ALSO GO TO THE 2-0 LEAD. EVERY SINGLE SERIES RIGHT NOW 2-0 WHICH IS SORT OF MIND-BOGGLING. LEBRON JUST DID LEBRON THINGS. DID PASS JERRY WEST. MOST POINTS IN PLAYOFF HISTORY LAST NIGHT PASSING HIM AND NOW MOVING TO SEVENTH JUST BEHIND YOUR JORDAN'S AND KAREEMS AND KOBE'S. >> HIGHLY RESPECTED GAME FROM CELTICS. PUSHING THE CAVS TO THE LIMIT RIGHT DOWN TO THE END OF IT BUT THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO JUST DEFER BOTH LEBRON AND IRVING. THEY JUST KILLED THEM IN THE FIRST QUARTER. >> FOR LE BRONS PART IT SEEMS HE'S SPENDING THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS GETTING EVERYONE ELSE COMFORTABLE AND DECIDING IT'S THE FOURTH QUARTER AND I'M GOING TO TEND GAME AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID. >> SAYING SO MUCH. I'VE SEEN EVERYTHING. SORT OF IS SCARY. WHEN WE COME BACK THE THUNDER HAVE FIRED HEAD COACH SCOTT BROOKS AND WE'LL BREAK DOWN TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN WE RETURN. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE STARTERS THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER HAVE FIRED HEAD COACH SCOTT BROOKS AFTER SEVEN SEASONS ON THE JOB AND A TRIP TO THE FINALS IN 2012 AND 300 WINS HE WAS LET GO. COACH'S CONTRACT HAD BEEN GUARANTEED WITH TEAM OPTION FOR THE 2016-17 SEASON BUT THEY'RE MOVING ON. MAYBE A BIT OF SHOCK IN TERMS OF TIMING BY A LOT OF US THINKING THIS MIGHT BECOMEING WITH THE WHOLE DURANT DILEMMA AND HIS ONE YEAR REALLY LEFT UNTIL HE HITS FREE-AGENCY. THIS MAY BE A WIN NOW MENTALITY AND THEY DON'T THINK HE CAN DO IT JICHLT WHY THIS YEAR? WE KNOW THIS YEAR WASN'T HIS FAULT WITH ALL THE UP INJURIES WHY NOT A COUPLE OF YEARS PAST? THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE DOING FOR IT DURANT SO THERE'S NO EXCUSES NEXT YEAR BASICALLY FOR THEM TO SAY WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD INCLUDING FIRE A COACH FOR YOU. BUT THIS YEARS WE SEE HERE AND HOW MANY GAMES WERE MISSED IT WASN'T SCOTT BROOKS FAULT. >> THE TEAM SAYS IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS YEAR AND A LONG-TERM THING MAKING YOU THINK IT'S A DURANT CENTRIC THING FROM A TALENT STANDPOINT THERE'S NOTHING MORE AND YOUR PLAYING FOR A TITLE BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING AND YOU DON'T WIN A TITLE IT LOOKS BAD SINCE THAT'S THE ENTIRE POINT OF BRING IN A COACH. >> BUT YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM FOR ONE YEAR PERHAPS LONGER THAN IF YOU LOOK LIKE DEREK FISHER YOU WOULD RATHER TRY AND WIN SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE. PROBABLY TWO OF THE TOP TEN OR 12 AND THE OPPORTUNITY THEY'RE IN THEY PRIME AND YOU HAVE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. INTERESTING BECAUSE AFTER THE SEASON SCOTT BROOKS SAID HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK AND WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM SAM AND THE GENERAL MANAGER DOESN'T COME OUT AND ENDORSE HIM STRAIGHT AWAY. >> FASCINATING TO SEE A NEW COACH WORK WITH HIM AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO. THAT'S ONE THING SCOTT DOESN'T GET CREDIT FOR. HE LET RUSSELL GO AND GOT THE BEST BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR RUSSELL TO TAKE IT JUST TO THAT NEXT LEVEL. JUST SORT OF REIGN IT IN AND BECOME A CHAMPION BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY. ANY OF THESE PAST YEARS, THE THUNDER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHAMPIONS AND IF THERE WASN'T A KEY ENERGY INJURY IN THE PLAYOFFS INCLUDING WESTBROOK OR IBAKA THEY COULD BE CHAMPIONS. >> U.S.A. TODAY TWEETED HE MADE THIS CALL WITHOUT CONSULTING ANY OF THE PLAYERS WHICH I THINK IS A LITTLE SURPRISING TALKING ABOUT THIS DURANT ANGLE BECAUSE A BIT OF IT SCREAMS K.D. WHO YOU WANT TO COACH HERE? WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME IN AND HELP YOU GET TO A TITLE? THAT AS BIT OF A SHOCKER TO ME. >> POSSIBLY TRUE BUT GENERAL MANAGERS LIKE TO SAY YOU PLAY AND WE'LL WORRY ABOUT THE REST. >> THERE'S PLENTY OF GOOD GUYS AND WHO HAVE THEY GET THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF GUYS THAT WANT THESE FOR THE REASONS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COACH. >> GOT TO BE A GUY THAT CAN COACH OFFENSE WELL AND THAT IS REPERTOIRE. ALVIN GENTRY AND THE WARRIORS ASSISTANT DID IT SO WELL IN PHOENIX AND THAT'S ALL THIS THUNDER TEAM NEEDS YOU LOOK FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS AND DESPITE INJURIES TOP THREE OR SO ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FLOOR WHICH IS INCREDIBLE AND NOW THEY JUST NEED TO DO IT IN THE POST-SEASON AND STAY HEALTHY AND I THINK AGAIN SCOTT BROOKS LOOKS AT THE RESUME AND SAYS WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE WON ONE HAD WE BEEN HEALTHY. >> LED THE FINALS SERIES. >> YEAH AND IF NOT FOR PHANTOM PUSH OFF MAYBE THEY WIN THE SERIES BUT - I MEAN JUST SO CLOSE AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE. >> I DON'T THINK THIS WILL TAKE TOO LONG. I HAVE A FEELING HE HAS SOMEONE SPECIFIC IN MIND TO REPLACE AND MAYBE THAT'S TIMING. I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH TO GET THEM TO THE TITLE. >> HE HAS TO GET THIS RIGHT. IF HE MESSES THIS UP AND DURANT AND WESTBROOK LEAVES HIS JOB IS IN JEOPARDY. >> HEAR WHAT YOU THINK. WERE YOU SHOCKED? LET US KNOW ON TWITTER. ONE MORE BREAK AND WHEN WE COME BACK A VERY SOLID WEDGIE? WELL YOU PUT YOUR THUMBS UP FOR THAT? >> BACK ON THE STARTERS TIME FOR THE SOLID PLAY OF THE NIGHT. >> TWO TEAM VERY SOLID PLAY AND DOUBLE ENDER START WAS HOUSTON ROCKETS WITH A DOUBLE BLOCK AND THEN ROCKETS GO DOWN IN TRANSITION AND WITH A BLOCK HIMSELF. DWIGHT HOWARD. >> VERY SEXY. >> I KNOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO A SEXY FACE AND THAT'S WHAT I CALL IT. >> LOOK AT THAT SEX APPEAL. >> WE ALSO HAD A SEXY WEDGIE. FANTASTIC WEDGE. HOWARD POST UP ATTEMPT GETS BLOCKED RIGHT IN THERE. PROVIDING THE SEXINESS AND SOLIDNESS ON THE SHOW. >> FINALLY A REAL ONE. >> WEDGIES IN THE AIR. WE SHOULD SEE ANOTHER ONE SOON. >> COUNTING THE POST-SEASON WITH THE REGULAR SEASON FOR TOTAL WEDGIES AT 42 ON THE YEAR. WILL WE HIT 50 BY THE TIME THE CONFETTI DRAWS. NETS AND HAWKS. KAK KAKAW. ACROSS THE BOARD. HORFORD GOOD TO GO AND MILSAP TAKEN OFF THE PROTECTIVE PAD AS WELL AND PARKER AND AFFLALO PLAYING. HEALTHY GUYS BACK AND HOPEFULLY A SERIES TIED ONE, ONE. >> WE'LL TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE TOMORROW. THANKS FOR JOINING US AND REMEMBER IF YOUR BACK COURT IS NOT LEADING, YOU'LL BE LEFT