Q&A: Reggie Miller, Stan Van Gundy preview 2021-22 season

Reggie Miller on Kyrie Irving’s resolution to not obtain the vaccine: “You’ve acquired to go all in if you wish to win a championship.

Inside just a few days, Reggie Miller and Stan Van Gundy will share their unfiltered opinions.

Earlier than these video games start, Miller and Van Gundy, acquired a head begin with their commentary throughout a Friday convention name with a small group of reporters.

Miller and Van Gundy addressed varied subjects, together with Kyrie Irving’s ongoing absence from the Brooklyn Nets, the Nets’ NBA championship probabilities with and with out Irving, the Lakers’ sluggish preseason and extra. Under is a portion of the Q&A, which has been edited each for size and readability.

What do you make of Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated?

Miller: I perceive the place Kyrie is coming from as a result of he has each proper to suppose this out and do his homework and do no matter he desires. It’s his selection. On the flip facet, we’re coping with a staff sport. Simply as he has each proper to not need to be vaccinated as a result of he’s talking for the unvoiced and he has an agenda right here, the Nets even have their very own agenda and that’s profitable a championship. They’ve each proper, which I 100% agree with. You can’t be a part-time worker and reap the advantages.

It’s not honest if I used to be a participant on that roster coming in each day, sacrificing and doing all of the little issues to hopefully achieve success in what we do as a complete and as a corporation to attempt to win a championship. Coming in, they had been the clear-cut favourite [to win the NBA title]. I didn’t suppose it was even shut. I nonetheless have them as the favourite to win even when Kyrie weren’t to play in any respect this 12 months. I nonetheless have them as the favourite. However having stated that, it’s disappointing. These are real-live conditions the place individuals have misplaced their lives and have been laid off. Kyrie does have plenty of good in his coronary heart. He’s performed plenty of issues in the neighborhood, and I applaud him for that. However there are methods to go about this. If you end up coping with the staff state of affairs like this, you’ve acquired to be all in. You’ve acquired to go all in if you wish to win a championship.

Van Gundy: I completely agree with that. New York Metropolis had its ordinance. That had nothing to do with the NBA or the Nets making that rule. Kyrie determined to not get vaccinated. The Nets determined they don’t need him as a part-time participant. I agree with what New York Metropolis did. I agree with how the league has dealt with it. And I agree with how the Nets have dealt with it. Kyrie could make his personal resolution. However there are penalties, not just for him, however for the staff. That’s unlucky for these guys.

The one factor I’ll disagree with is that this entire ‘voice for the unvoiced’ factor. The anti-vax individuals proper now aren’t and not using a voice. I reside in Florida. Our governor is making legal guidelines to ensure individuals have selection and the whole lot. So I’m not shopping for that these individuals are unvoiced. They’re very, very, very properly represented in our society proper now. They aren’t underground. It’s by outstanding individuals, politicians and elected leaders. He’s not giving voice to the unvoiced. They’ve a voice.

Are the Nets nonetheless the favourite to win an NBA title even with a restricted Irving?

Miller: Fingers down, they had been the most effective staff. It wasn’t even shut. So let’s say Kyrie doesn’t play half of the video games, if he comes again or he’s traded. To me, they’re nonetheless the favorites, simply not as shut. Perhaps we see them win 4-2, or a seven-game sequence. I’m predicating this all on a wholesome Kevin Durant and a wholesome James Harden within the playoffs. If each of them are wholesome with no Kyrie, they’re nonetheless the favorites. Steve Nash has so many different weapons with the addition of Paul Millsap, getting LaMarcus Aldridge in addition to Blake Griffin again. We’re not giving these guys, who’re former All-Stars, sufficient credit score. They’ve a optimistic locker room presence.

It’s a must to give Millsap, Griffin and Aldridge credit score. Patty Mills was an enormous, large pickup for them coming off the bench. He’s instantaneous buckets. If everyone seems to be wholesome and no Kyrie, they’re nonetheless the clear-cut favourite. The one factor that adjustments my thoughts is that if one thing occurs to Kevin Durant. If one thing occurs to James Harden they usually nonetheless have Kevin Durant, they at all times have a puncher’s probability. However to me if Harden and Durant are wholesome, it’s lights out.

Van Gundy: I might agree with the whole lot Reggie stated. Kyrie is a good participant, don’t get me unsuitable. However he’s clearly the third-best participant on that staff. The Nets didn’t lose one in every of their two greatest. The distinction is they can not survive accidents fairly as properly. Final 12 months, they nearly by no means had all three of them. However that they had two of them, and had been high quality as a result of these guys are so good. Now in case you have a man go down for an prolonged interval or within the playoffs, that adjustments issues.

With Kyrie out and with James Harden not totally himself final 12 months, they had been two inches from beating the Bucks within the second spherical and going to the Japanese Convention finals. So I believe you need to take a look at them as the favourite. They’ve upgraded their roster and their depth is significantly higher with Millsap, Mills and Aldridge. Blake Griffin was incredible within the Bucks sequence and guarded Giannis [Aantetokounmpo] higher than anyone within the league and scored the ball very well. Steve Nash proved to be a extremely artistic offensive [coach]. You’d wish to see them get higher defensively by being artistic with getting extra turnovers or rebounding the ball somewhat bit higher so their opponents aren’t constantly getting extra photographs than them. However even with out that, they’re going to be powerful to beat. They’d the most effective offense within the historical past of the league final 12 months and barely put these guys on the ground collectively.

Do you see parallels to this 12 months’s Lakers with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony to the 2003-04 Lakers with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton? (The 2003-04 Lakers misplaced to Detroit in 5 video games within the 2004 Finals). 

Miller: I don’t. The Lakers are constructed for the playoffs. The large query goes to be if they will survive 82 video games wholesome and entire. When you get to the playoffs, the sport slows down possession by possession. It’s extra half courtroom and never as a lot quick break. Now you’re coping with expertise. That is what they’re made for, however I need to see if they will get there wholesome and entire. Each time Anthony Davis hits the ground, I believe he’s performed for a month. It scares me.

I don’t suppose it’s a good comparability to that [2003-04 Lakers team]. Nevertheless it’ll be attention-grabbing how [coach] Frank Vogel manages the season. You need to construct chemistry and continuity. For that to occur, guys should be on the ground and should be collectively. However you additionally don’t need to put on these guys down and danger harm and have them out of the lineup for 2 or three weeks. You’re going backwards then. It’ll be a really high quality line on how Frank Vogel and his employees method this roster this season. The final word aim for the Lakers is championship or bust anytime you will have LeBron [James]. They’ve the large image to climb with attending to the playoffs enjoying properly, however they should be wholesome.

What did you consider Trae Younger’s playoff performances final season vs the Knicks, and do you purchase he’s the following Reggie with how he performs towards the Knicks?

Miller: We noticed a younger participant on the most important stage develop up in entrance of our guys. All of us knew he was able to enjoying like that. However as a staff, I believe the [Hawks] opened up plenty of eyes with what they did profitable three video games on the street in Philly, beating the Knicks and pushing the champs in Milwaukee. Perhaps if Trae was wholesome, that Hawks-Bucks sequence goes seven video games. You by no means know what occurs then. I’m happy with how Nate McMillan lastly acquired his flowers from across the league and getting his simply due as a head coach. They’re younger and re-signed plenty of their items again. In order that they’re going to be enjoyable to look at.

That’s going to be going ahead a real rivalry due to Trae Younger. That’s a lacking piece within the league. I like particular person gamers. However when you’ll be able to see groups don’t actually like each other, it takes it as much as a special stage. It was similar to how we didn’t just like the Knicks or the Lakers didn’t like Sacramento. These issues are enjoyable to look at.

With you being among the best to attract fouls in your profession, what do you consider the NBA’s emphasis this season on not calling fouls for shooters that attempt to provoke contact?

Miller: The gamers will adapt. It’s humorous. I sit again and suppose, ‘May I’ve performed in as we speak’s recreation?’ If I get a defender within the air, in fact I’m going to enter him and check out to attract the foul. That got here a couple of third or half of my free throws all through my profession. It was definitely a weapon I used. However Stephen Curry, James Harden and Trae Younger must regulate and adapt.

I’ve seen just a few clips already of them doing their patent strikes with the step-back and getting the man within the air they usually bounce them, and there’s no foul. They are going to be taught to regulate similar to we realized to adust when the NBA got here out with no hand checking, not being allowed to carry anybody down low or throw arms within the again. Gamers will be taught to adapt. It would two or three weeks or a month to be taught the secrets and techniques. That’s what we do. ‘You gained’t allow us to do that? Nicely, I’ll discover one other method.’ We’re artful like that.