NBA Finals To Begin Thursday On ABC

Here’s the first of several press releases of the day. The NBA Finals begin Thursday and ESPN will produce the games, airing them on ABC. Celtics-Lakers will tip off at 9 p.m. ET Thursday.

The NBA Finals Begin Thursday Exclusively on ABC

The 2010 NBA Finals, featuring the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers, will tip off Thursday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET exclusively on ABC.  Mike Breen will be the voice of The Finals on ABC, joined by analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Doris Burke.  ABC’s NBA Countdown will preview the action, with host Stuart Scott and analysts Magic Johnson, Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon at 8:30 p.m. ESPN Radio’s coverage of The Finals will be anchored by play-by-play commentator Jim Durham, Hall of Famers Dr. Jack Ramsay and Hubie Brown and reporter Ric Bucher. Marc Kestecher will be the ESPN Radio studio host with analyst Will Perdue.

ESPN’s multi-platform presentation of The Finals will include coverage across ABC, ABC HD, ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Radio, ESPN International, ESPNEWS, ESPNEWS HD, ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPNDeportes.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN The Magazine.

On game nights, ABC’s primetime lineup will include:

• NBA Countdown pregame show 30 minutes prior to every broadcast;
• Games 1 (June 3), 3 (June 8), 4 (June 10), 6 (June 15, if necessary) and 7 (June 17, if nec.) at 9 p.m.;
• Games 2 (June 6) and 5 (June 13, if nec.), both on Sundays, at 8 p.m.;
• a special 30-minute edition of The Jimmy Kimmel Show immediately before NBA Countdown pregame show each game night.

All ABC broadcasts will include the following production elements:

• the Emmy Award-winning “Hall of Fame” open;
• in-game interviews with coaches, along with each coach being “wired” for sound;
• pregame and halftime locker room access;
• 32 high definition video sources;
• “SkyCam” providing aerial views of the action;
• utilization of six Super Slo Mo cameras;
• “ESPN Axis” creating virtual replays, with video from live action processed via computers to create virtual freeze frames from multiple angles;
• Orad graphics technology allowing for 3D lines and arrows, hi-res snap zoom capabilities, player and pass tracking and an enhanced graphic interface;
• Spanish-language SAP commentary by Alvaro Martin and Carlos Morales;
• NBA Countdown studio show will include the use of virtual graphics.

The Finals on ABC Schedule (Best of 7)

All Times ET

Thurs., June 3, 9 p.m. – Game 1: Boston at L.A. Lakers – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Sun., June 6, 8 p.m. – Game 2: Boston at L.A. Lakers – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Tues, June 8, 9 p.m. – Game 3: L.A. Lakers at Boston – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Thu., June 10, 9 p.m. – Game 4: L.A. Lakers at Boston – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Sun., June 13, 8 p.m. – Game 5: * L.A. Lakers at Boston – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Tue., June 15, 9 p.m. – Game 6: * Boston at L.A. Lakers – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

Thu., June 17, 9 p.m. – Game 7: * Boston at L.A. Lakers – ABC, ABC HD, ESPN Radio

* if necessary

Additional Finals Content

SportsCenter, Studio Programming & Special Shows

ESPN’s SportsCenter will provide news and information, analysis, and highlights throughout The Finals. Host Stuart Scott and analysts Magic Johnson, Jon Barry and Mike Wilbon will provide pre- and postgame segments, while Hannah Storm will host the 6 p.m. edition’s NBA segments on game nights. Bruce Bowen, Avery Johnson, Tim Legler, Jamal Mashburn, Jalen Rose and Byron Scott will all provide analysis during The Finals.

Additionally, ESPN’s NBA Fastbreak postgame shows, along with Pardon the Interruption, Around the Horn, Colin Cowherd and ESPN2’s First Take, will include Finals content.

ESPNEWS

ESPNEWS will provide live pre- and postgame news conferences, along with daily news and information.

ESPN.com

Coverage will include:

• special Finals page with previews, predictions, scouting reports, video highlights, stats, Insider breakdowns and trend spotting, injury reports, series history, schedules, TV listings, brackets and more;
• Daily Dime and Daily Dime TV throughout The Finals;
• for the first time, ESPN.com will feature Daily Dime Live, a live web app which allows fans to interact with multiple ESPN reporters and bloggers while the game is in progress;
• video highlights and scouting reports throughout The Finals;
• TrueHoop and TrueHoop Network blogging throughout The Finals;
• in-depth feature stories on the players and people making news in The Finals;

chats with NBA legends;

• special Finals analytics and rankings by ESPN.com stat analyst John Hollinger;
• complete coverage of every Finals game by ESPN.com reporters Marc Stein, J.A. Adande, Chris Sheridan, John Hollinger, Ric Bucher, Chris Broussard, Scoop Jackson, Henry Abbott and Kevin Arnovitz;
• ESPNBoston.com and ESPNLosAngeles.com will offer comprehensive coverage of the Finals.

ESPN Radio’s 15th Season of The Finals

The NBA on ESPN Radio’s 15th season of exclusive, live, national play-by-play broadcast of the NBA’s post-season will culminate with The Finals.

ESPN International

ESPN International will broadcast The Finals via ESPN UK (United Kingdom), ESS (Asia), TSN (Canada), Pac-Rim, sub-Saharan Africa (Atlantic), Caribbean, Brazil, DOS Mexico, Latin South, Australia HD, and Brazil HD.   

ESPN Deportes

Alvaro Martin and Carlos Morales will provide NBA Finals updates on ESPN’s Spanish-language edition of SportsCenter (aired in the U.S. and Latin America), ESPN Deportes Radio – the only 24/7 Spanish-language radio network in the country – and ESPNDeportes.com.

ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic will televise an NBA Finals marathon Wednesday, June 3, from 7 a.m. until midnight (9 p.m. PT):

•       7 a.m. – SportsCentury: Bill Walton

•       8 a.m. – SportsCentury: Bill Russell

•       9 a.m. – Homecoming: Dwyane Wade

•       10 a.m. – Up Close Classics: Isiah Thomas

•       10:30 a.m. – Up Close Classics: Magic Johnson

•       11 a.m. – Up Close Classics: Wilt Chamberlain

•       11:30 a.m. – Up Close Classics: Michael Jordan

•       12 p.m. – SportsCentury: Magic Johnson

•       1 p.m. – SportsCentury: Larry Bird

•       2 p.m. – 1987 NBA Finals, Game 4: Lakers vs. Celtics

•       4 p.m. – 1985 NBA Finals, Game 5: Celtics vs. Lakers

•       6 p.m. – 1985 NBA Finals, Game 6: Lakers vs. Celtics

•       8 p.m. – 1984 NBA Finals, Game 4: Celtics vs. Lakers

•       10 p.m. – 2008 NBA Finals, Game 4: Celtics vs. Lakers

ESPN Mobile Properties

ESPN will offer Finals coverage via the mobile web, ESPN MVP and Scorecenter XL for iPad, which allows fans to follow the action with play-by-play analysis, live commentary, and comprehensive stats. On the iPhone, fans can access Scorecenter for live scoring and game stats. ESPN alerts will also be offered across platforms and carriers with sign up via the mobile web.

ESPN3.com

ESPN3.com will offer replays of each Finals game, available at 2:30 a.m. each night through 12 p.m. the following afternoon.

Lots of coverage provided by ESPN.