I forgot to put the NBA schedule launch in the viewing picks today. My bad. Anyway, with the NBA getting ready to resume training camp and open its season on Christmas Day, NBA TV got into high gear by releasing the 2011-12 schedule. We have the quotage from host Vince Cellini with Turner Sports analysts Steve Smith, Greg Anthony and Mike Fratello. Let’s check out what was said tonight.
Notes from NBA TV’s Coverage of the 2011-12 NBA Schedule Launch on Game Time Tuesday, December 6, 2011
NBA TV’s Game Time
Vince Cellini (NBA TV host), Steve Smith (NBA TV analyst), Greg Anthony (NBA TV analyst), Coach Mike Fratello (TNT/NBA TV analyst)Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh on the Finals rematch with the defending champion Dallas Mavericks: “It’s exciting for us to be back playing basketball. It’s exciting for the fans. Christmas Day is always big games. To open up the season with that, I think it’s great. It’s going to be a little bitter for us because we’re going to have to watch them raise their banner, but it will be great motivation.”
Bosh on what he will bring to the Heat this season: “During the summer I looked at a lot of film. I saw a lot of situations where I could’ve been really aggressive and I missed some opportunities. This year I don’t think there will be many surprises as far as my teammates go.”
Bosh on whether he ever got used to the circus atmosphere of playing for Miami last season and being everyone’s “big game” last year: “I wasn’t ready for it. It constantly surprised me. I love big game situations and with us it was every night. I didn’t have the right attitude to attack every situation, every night. I have taken note and I’m going to push myself to get better every single day and to win every night.”
Smith on how teams will look at this year’s schedule: “If you catch a team on a back-to-back-to-back night…You’ve got to dissect the schedule all the way through trying to manufacture how you can get to a championship and win it.”
Smith on the Heat’s focus this season: “Going through losing a championship, they’ll be more focused.”
Smith on the Dallas Mavericks’ need to re-sign Tyson Chandler: “I think right now Tyson Chandler is the most important free agent because he allowed them to play in a different style. I think the Dallas Mavericks have to have Tyson Chandler back.”
TNT/NBA TV analyst Mike Fratello on the Boston Celtics: “This team sorely needs back-up players. Boston is going for it right now. Depth is the biggest concern for the Celtics.”
NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony on the Chicago Bulls starting the season on the road for seven of their first nine games: “If you play .500 or just above that, you feel real good about that. On the road is where you really develop that chemistry because you have that ‘us against the world’ mentality.”
Smith on what it will take for the players this season to succeed with the rigorous 66-game schedule: “Take care of your body and get ready for this marathon.”
And coming up, I’ll provide the TV schedules for ESPN/ABC, NBA TV and TNT.
