NBA Q&A: Grant Hill

Posted by Unknown on Friday, February 14, 2014 with No comments
Courtesy of Justin Terranova
Q: Best part of All-Star weekend as a player?
A: A lot of retired guys were watching, it was Dr. J (Julius Erving) and Magic Johnson and that was always fun. Early on in my career, guys that I was a fan of as a kid and in college — Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan — getting a chance to play with them was great.
Q: Do you expect the Knicks to make the playoffs still?
A: You keep on waiting for the Knicks to get hot and turn that corner, but at some point you are who you are. And I am beginning to think that this is who they are. I am not sure they’ll get into the playoffs.
Q: What’s been the biggest difference between the Knicks this year and last?
A: It’s just a different team. The guys they had that spread the floor and gave Carmelo [Anthony] room to operate — Jason Kidd, Chris Copeland and Steve Novak — are gone. People laughed at Rasheed Wallace and their other veteran signings, but they really knew what it takes to police a locker room and provide that veteran leadership. Now, you get rid of those guys and they are missing that. They got off to a slow start and the rock isn’t moving like it was last year.
Q: Do you think a losing year like this would keep Anthony from re-signing with the Knicks?
A: I think it could. He’s getting older and you want to be in a situation where you are going to win. And he came to New York, he got in the playoffs and now it’s almost like they are regressing. To go through a potential season with no playoff opportunity, it could play a role.
Q: Can the Nets be a dangerous playoff team?
A: I think Brooklyn could be a tough matchup for someone; Miami’s had some trouble with them. Coming out of the All-Star break, I expect [Paul] Pierce and [Kevin] Garnett to have more of a sense of urgency in their games. The playoffs are what you play for and those guys have been there and know what it takes. And once they get there, they’ll be ready to go.