When former Rockets Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith are holding a live microphone, the game isn't always the thing. Sometimes, it's the pregame, halftime or postgame that steals the show.
Accordingly, here are selected quotes from Chuckster, Kenny the Jet and Shaquille O'Neal along with host Ernie Johnson from TNT's Game 2 coverage of the NBA Western Conference Finals.
Halftime comments, with the Rockets leading 53-46.
Barkley: "You gotta give a shout out to Eric Gordon. He's the guy who got the Rockets going ... and then James and Chris picked it up. The Warriors have not shot the ball well. They have looked lackadaisical."
Smith on Harden: "Overall, I didn't think they (the Rockets) were mentally ready to play. ... But once (Harden) found the rhythm, he went early on the shot clock, and it doesn't allow the defense to lock in on you. In the early part of the shot clock, everybody has to locate who they are guarding first."
Barkley: "The reason you get into the shot clock early is that if your first option don't work, you don't have to take a Hail Mary. ... Chris Paul and James Harden are starting the attack with 15, 20 seconds to go. Even if you don't get your shot, you can do that Hail Mary stuff later."
Pregame comments follow.
Barkley: "James (Harden) gets so lackadaisical with the ball. You have to be crisp on all your passes. You can't hope to be fouled. They have to come out aggressive. I want to see a good game tonight. I want to see the Rockets be aggressive. Don't just come get punched in the mouth and keep backing up."
Johnson asked the panel to gauge, on a scale of 1-10, the importance of Andre Iguodala's absence for Golden State.
Smith: "About a 6. I think he plays better with the second unit. He gives them versatility and ball handling."
O'Neal: "I'm going to say it's an eight. ... You cannot win championships without the super-reliable others."
Barkley: "Four. As long as they got Steph (Curry), Klay and Kevin (Durant), they're going to be favored to win games."
Barkley: "This is all about the Rockets tonight. You can talk about Iguodala or those guys, the Rockets have to come to compete. You can't lose a playoff game by 40 points. That's almost impossible. You got to have the competitive spirit. You've got to have some pride.
"I'm really hoping the Rockets bring it tonight. When we came into this series, we thought it was going to be a great series, very competitive. If they come in here tonight and get stomped in the face and don't put up any pushback, this ain't going to be quick and painless."
Johnson informed the panel that teams that trail 3-1 in a best-of-seven series are 11-233 in NBA history.
Smith: "I was fortunate to be part of that 11, looking to my left (at Barkley), but, honestly, Ernie, if you had read us that stat when we were on Houston Rockets teams playing (Barkley and the Phoenix Suns), I think we would have lost. I didn't realize it was that difficult to come back from 3-1."
Barkley: "Our teams were pretty much even. They (the Rockets) are not good as this team (Golden State). ... You're not going to beat this team three times in a row."
Barkley: "I think Chris Paul needs to have the ball more. I do. I think they need to take the ball out of James Harden's hands. As great a player as James is, he doesn't make the players around him better like a Chris Paul would. James is the MVP. He's a great offensive player, but in this situation, it comes down to making those other guys – Trevor Ariza, P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon – get better."
Barkley: "The two guys for the Rockets that have to play great are Chris Paul and James Harden, and that's why I thought it would be difficult for the Rockets to win this series. Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) do not have to play great. Chris Paul and James Harden have to play great for the Rockets to win this series."
O'Neal on Harden: "Not only does he have to play great, he has to have a spectacular game. ... Show us you're a superstar."
Barkley: "I think the guy we have to watch out for tonight is Klay Thompson. ... I think they want to get Klay going."
Smith: "You have to be adaptable, and there are certain things you can't do against this team. The pick and roll does not work against the Golden State Warriors. Open the floor up, get early into the shot clock, penetrate and pitch, at which they (the Rockets) are very good."
O'Neal: "You have to have the correct mindset and right focus and have to play the right way. If guys ain't hustling, playing hard, making the right decision, game plan shmame plan. It ain't gonna matter."
Barkley: "Give Chris Paul the ball more. Make him the orchestrator of the offense."