NBA TV analyst and three-time NBA champion Kevin McHale breaks down the playoffs and talks about whether it’s time for the Lakers and Celtics to make major changes.
Q: What has been the difference between the Heat in the playoffs and the one that sometimes struggled during the regular season?
A:
It seems as if (Dwyane) Wade and (LeBron) James have found their sea legs together and are playing very well. Chris Bosh has done a good job of chipping in, except for a bad Game 3 against the Celtics.
Q: So they are the team to beat?
A:
The team that I have seen play the best is Dallas. The question is: When the matchup changes will they be able to maintain that? The Heat have to be playing with great confidence, though, and match up well with the teams left.
Q: Do the Lakers and Celtics have to make major changes to get back in contention?
A:
I don’t think either has to blow up their teams and start over again. Are they getting older? Of course, they are. Is the window closing? Sure. But that’s happening with a lot of teams. I think they should look to get a person or two to fit in. But it’s always hard to break up a team that’s won a championship, been to The Finals.
Q: The Thunder’s two stars have received criticism for how they’ve played together. Is there a quick fix?
A:
You’ve got a guy in Russell Westbrook, who is determined to search out his offense a lot — maybe too much. And they are going through a grinding-out, tough series against the Grizzlies and Durant is finding out he’s trying to work harder to get the ball and Westbrook has to work harder to get it to him. As unbelievably talented as Durant is, we sometimes forget how young he is. When you start playing people four, five, six times in a row, you start catching a rhythm for what they are trying to do.
Q: You had your share of playoff shots. What was your take on the one by Andrew Bynum at the end of the Lakers-Mavericks series?
A:
At that point, the game and series is over. If you want to make a statement, you do it in the start of the second game after losing the first one at home. It was just a frustration thing at that point. Don’t take a cheap hit when it doesn’t make a difference.