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Chat Reel: Marty Burns

'Sixers need all their role players to chip in'

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's NBA chat with Marty Burns. Welcome, Marty, and thanks for joining us.
Marty Burns: Great to be here.

From Woody: Many people say Game 4 is a must win for the Sixers, but I thought Game 3 was a must win for them. Do you think the Sixers can win three of the next four games?
Marty Burns: It's going to be very difficult. For the Sixers to win, they need to play so hard on the defensive end that it seems to take a lot out of them. With all the injuries they have accumulated, it seems like it would be hard to maintain the type of defensive intensity and pressure they would need to beat the Lakers. Shaq has so much power inside that it takes the starch out of even a healthy team. If the Sixers can win Game 4, they have a shot. But if they lose on Wednesday night, then realistically, it is all over.

From David: Which poison do you think the Sixers will choose to live with tomorrow, Shaq or Kobe?
Marty Burns: Preferably they would like to try to limit Shaq and Kobe both, and hope to make the rest of the Lakers' supporting cast beat them. For much of the first two games, Shaq and Kobe were straining for help from their teammates. Finally, Derek Fisher and Brian Shaw came through late in Game 2 and then Robert Horry stepped up in Game 3. Still, Philly thinks its best chance is to make those other guys come through under pressure. Of course, stopping Shaq and Kobe both is nearly impossible, so if Philly had to choose one, it would be to stop Shaq first. The Sixers would rather make Kobe take jump shots and hope he misses than give Shaq room to operate inside.

From Steve-o: It seems like L.A. is outperforming Philadelphia in all the statistics, but how do the Sixers keep hanging around in these games?
Marty Burns: The Sixers are just doing what they've done all season long. They play such tenacious defense, and they don't quit. It makes it tough for an opponent to sustain a big run and turn a game into a blow out. Also, in the Finals, there are so many TV timeouts that it's tough for any team to generate the kind of momentum that often fuels big runs on the scoreboard. The bottom line is that the Sixers don't panic when they get down. And Allen Iverson is such a fierce competitor that it's difficult to keep them down when you've got them down.

From Luke: What do you think of the verbal dueling between Shaquille O'Neal and Dikembe Mutombo? Mutombo says Shaq is fouling, and Shaq says Mutombo is flopping. Who is right?
Marty Burns: Both players have a legitimate gripe. Mutombo has flopped on occasion during the Finals. However, just as many times Shaq has lowered his shoulder and dislodged Mutombo or some other helpless Philadelphia defender and not been called for the offensive foul. Shaq is clearly getting frustrated, but he just needs to settle down and play through it. This is typical NBA playoff basketball. Star players like Shaq and Iverson tend to get a little bit more favorable treatment from the referees when they're at home. Shaq had his way in the first two games in L.A. Now he has to accept a little higher burden of proof in the First Union Center. That's why teams fight all season for home-court advantage.

From markfromphilly: Will anything less than a seventh game truly warrant respect for the Sixers?
Marty Burns: For most people, the Sixers already have gained a ton of respect. A week ago, many so-called experts were picking the Lakers to sweep. They were talking about L.A. as possibly the greatest playoff team of all time. After three games, nobody is saying that anymore. Iverson's determination and Philly's overall resiliency have made believers out of most observers. If they lose three in a row in Philly, some of the talk might resurface. But as long as the Sixers can send it back to L.A., they will have earned respect from the national media and nobody will put them down. After all, they've already done what the Spurs and Kings couldn't do.

From David: With Aaron McKie hobbling, who's the best bet to step up as another scoring threat for the Sixers?
Marty Burns: Good question. That's what Larry Brown wants to know. So far, it has been a different player each game. Matt Geiger came through in Game 1. Todd MacCulloch did it in Game 2. And Mutombo showed he was capable of putting up big numbers in Game 3. Basically, the Sixers need all their role players to chip in. If Eric Snow can hit some shots, McKie can hit some, and Mutombo can make a few more baskets, it should be enough. Then they might be able to pick up some additional scoring off transition opportunities from guys like Raja Bell and Jumaine Jones. But, in order to do that, they need to force turnovers, because those guys can't seem to create their own shots.

From 1201: Allen Iverson has stated that he has not changed, only matured and grown from life experience. I happen to agree. Do you think some of the fans and certain members of the media unfairly labeled him as a thug, and, if so, why?
Marty Burns: Whether Philly wins the title, Iverson has emerged as a big winner during the 2001 Finals. He has shown America that he is not the thug many people seem to think he was. He has shown great leadership, passing the ball out of double teams and doing the little things needed to win, such as rebound and play defense. He's also taken the opportunity to soften his image by smiling and joking with the press and basically showing less distrust. Iverson admits he has made mistakes in the past. But he seems to be maturing. He just turned 26 last week, so he's still a young man. Maybe he's just growing up a little, and maybe people are finally starting to look past his appearance.

From Steve-o: Do you expect an explosive 50-point night from Iverson during one of these games, like in the Toronto series?
Marty Burns: Yes. Iverson has shown throughout the playoffs that while he frequently shoots a low percentage, he's capable of going off on any given night. His style of play isn't always conducive to scoring that many points for the simple fact that he's being chased around by so many defenders. Sometimes his shots might not fall, but they lead to offensive rebounds and put-backs for Mutombo and his other teammates. However, when his outside shot is falling, he becomes unstoppable. We saw it in the Raptors series and against the Bucks. Now, the Lakers are a much better defensive team than either Milwaukee or Toronto. And the presence of Shaq inside will make it difficult for Iverson to generate a lot of points in the paint, but he is still capable of putting up 50 points if his outside shot is falling. He's such a competitor that I would expect him to look to score more if his teammates continue to struggle in this series.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Marty Burns. Marty, thanks for joining us and enjoy the rest of the NBA Finals.
Marty Burns: Thanks for having me.

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