Inside the NBA: Quotes of the week

What broken economic model?

AEG President Tim Leiweke on the improving media environment for sports leagues:

“We could see a doubling or tripling of media rights still come. Live is live. Live programming is everything.”

Taking one for the team

Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni, who reportedly opposed the Carmelo Anthony trade:

“The bottom line, either you’re going to be a team player, as we ask our players to do, and if it’s better for the organization to do it, you do it. And it’s not, ‘Oh my, what’s going to happen to me?’”

Coach-of-year candidate, so far

Sacramento Coach Paul Westphal:

“I would say that any coach that doesn’t get fired probably should be mentioned for coach of the year. There’s coach-of-the-year material and fired.”

Thanks, they needed that, or anything

Denver Coach George Karl, breaking a taboo by saying he’d rather play Dallas than Oklahoma City:

“They [the Thunder] have two All-Stars who are really in their prime. … I just think right now our speed might have more effect against Dallas than it will against Oklahoma City.”

It’s just the less they play, the better we do

Phoenix Coach Alvin Gentry, on replacing Vince Carter and Robin Lopez in the starting lineup:

“It’s not a reflection on those two guys. It’s just us trying to look at different lineups and different combinations.”