Playoffs 2000:Up Close: Brent Musburger

Up Close: Brent Musburger
Associated Press

Shortly before Game Six of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles, ESPN Radio's Brent Musburger shared his perspective on the 2000 event with Up Close host Gary Miller. And read this edited transcript of the June 19 show to find out how the NCAA Basketball Tournament matches up with the NBA Finals in Musburger's mind.

Miller: What do you expect tonight, because everyone has their theory, oh, the Lakers have got it back at Staples and they are going to blow the Pacers out by 30, but Indiana has them scared because they don't know how to close teams out. What does this announcer think?
Musburger: This announcer thinks that the Lakers will hit them with everything they have got in the first quarter. And if the Pacers don't shoot, Gary, better then they have in this building in four games this year, they are going to be in trouble. But if they hang with them and the Lakers look down toward their bench about two timeouts into tonight's game, and Reggie Miller's knocking down a few baskets and (Rik) Smits is knocking down a few short hooks, then I think the choke factor could set in with Los Angeles, and we could be in for a great war. One thing to remember, if this game stays close and gets down to the fourth quarter, Indiana has an edge because they shoot free throws so much better than the Lakers. So I think it could go either way. I fully expect Phil Jackson's Lakers to really try to jump all over them in the first quarter of tonight's game. I mentioned four games, and what is interesting, Gary, the Pacers lost twice here in the Finals, once during the season to the Lakers, and the Clippers, the Clippers beat them in that building. And you know the Pacers have a mountain a climb over. But it is going to be interesting. I think the fans in LA will be back into it. They saw the reaction in Indiana.

Miller: Let's analyze some of that analysis. A couple of key names in there: one, and you talk about the struggles they had in Staples Center. Reggie Miller comes out with, perhaps all things considered, the worst game of his career - at the worst time, especially the NBA Finals. How many of those ghosts will haunt him in his first few shots tonight, his 1 for 16 performance in Game 1?
Musburger: Well, the fact that he played so well back in Indiana, he should be able to put it aside. There is a real factor here is they do not shoot well in this building. I think that it's somewhat vast, it's built for basketball and hockey and the shooting background is not imminent. And I think that if you look at the statistics of the opponents who have come in and played the Lakers, you could see it. They don't shoot well at the Staples. And therefore he has to overcome it. And Austin Croshere and Rik Smits should try to get closer to the basket. Try to shoot easier baskets and not try to live at the perimeter as they did going 6 for 6 from 3-point land in the Game 5 blowout when they won by 33 points. So it's going to be an interesting game. Obviously Shaquille O'Neal will get his points tonight. But, what will he do at the free throw line? That is the question whenever you deal with the Lakers in a big game.

Miller: Smits has been in an up-and-down role. One day he might as well be in his street clothes, the next day they decide that he should be out there and assert himself and score from the outside. What kind of effect do you think he will be in Game Six?
Musburger: When the series started, I think he was intimidated by Shaq, as many people are, justifiably so. I mean, this a very well conditioned 350-pound athlete. That is a lot bigger than Wilt Chamberlain was at his prime, for example, and he is muscular. And Smits backed away from him, I thought. But in Indiana, Larry Bird and his coaching staff did a great job of motivating and driving Smits, and he started to come at him down the stretch. In fact, if you do down to the overtime loss (Game 4) and you go back to the fourth quarter, the only thing I would second guess Bird about in the whole playoff series so far is that I would have brought Rik Smits back into the game in the fourth quarter. Shaq, remember, was playing with five fouls. Even though Shaq is not going to guard him because they're going to create a different kind of a matchup, I think the contact underneath with a 7'4" center is apt to pick up the sixth foul and get rid of Shaquille. If we go back to the game, Gary, if either of two shots go in, we are looking at Pacers up 3-2 tonight. Travis Best at the end of regulation couldn't knock it down over Shaq. Reggie Miller in overtime had a three pointer to win the game. Think about that, what if we came in here 3-2 Pacers, what the mood would be like in this city?

Miller: What did you think when Reggie released that shot? (in overtime in Game 4)
Musburger: Well, I saw (Robert) Horry coming at him and I honestly thought it was a little flat when he released it. But Reggie's Reggie and I have seen him do it in the Garden against the Knicks. I guess I was surprised that they went for the 3. I would have kicked it in and tried to play on. But you can't take it away - he is a great shooter. And when he backed it up and Horry just came flying at him, it was all for the ball of wax right there. And it just clanked up the front of the iron.

Miller: How much do you try to anticipate and how much do you let the action come to you when you do the games?
Musburger: Well, I probably anticipate too much. I suppose if there is a criticism of me, I'm emotional and I try to get involved in it and I try to coach both teams and I'll second guess anybody at a given time. But there is nothing more exciting to me than an NBA Final.

Miller: Really...everything?
Musburger: Yes everything and I'll tell you why. Everyone asks me about the NCAA tournament and I have had some great, great finals. But it's not as emotional, is it? We're in a neutral setting. This is not neutral. People are taking sides. In Indiana, people were standing up in the front row and tonight they will be standing up in the front row. The raw emotion and what goes on when the two teams clash, I think the only thing comparable to it would be a National Hockey League six- or seven-game series, and I've never really covered that. That's the only major sport that I haven't covered on a play-by-play basis. But these guys are rung out. Coaches and players by the time we get to the end of it. I just don't think there is anything like it.