The NBA on ESPN
Genre	Basketball
Running time	3 hours
Starring	Various personalities (see below)
Country of origin	USA
Original channel	ESPN (1982-1984 and 2002-) ESPN2 (2002-2006) ABC (2006-)
Original run	1982–Present

The NBA on ESPN is the de facto title for the presentation of National Basketball Association (NBA) games on the ESPN family of networks. ESPN first televised NBA games from 1983 to 1984, and has been airing games currently since the 2002-03 NBA season. Image File history File links Espnba2. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... The NBA on ESPN is the de facto title for the presentation of National Basketball Association (NBA) games on the ESPN family of networks. ... ESPN (formerly an acronym for the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... ESPN2 debuted on October 1, 1993, as a sister station of ESPN. Nicknamed the deuce, ESPN2 was to be branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross, snowboarding, and BMX racing. ... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America. ... ESPN (formerly an acronym for the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... The 1982-83 NBA Season was the 37th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 1983-84 NBA Season was the 38th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

Overview

ESPN airs NBA games on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Games on Wednesdays and Fridays air on the ESPN cable network, while games on Sundays primarily air on ABC as part of ESPN on ABC. Most NBA games on the ESPN cable network air on Fridays at 8:00 p.m ET and 7:30 p.m PT as part of "Coast to Coast" doubleheaders. Games on Wednesdays are mostly single games, televised at 9:00 p.m ET (usually following an ACC college basketball game). The ABC broadcast network airs ESPN NBA games on Sunday afternoons at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m ET. In addition to games on ABC, several Sundays throughout the season also feature ESPN televised games, usually during the evening. NBA Wednesday is a weekly presentation of the National Basketball Association on ESPN. NBA Wednesday starts the first Wednesday of the NBA season, and runs throughout the entire season. ... NBA Friday Coast to Coast is a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on ESPN. NBA Friday starts the first Friday of the NBA season, and with the exception of the Friday before the NBA All-Star Game and college basketball Championship Week, typically runs uninterrupted throughout the entire... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... ESPN on ABC logo, September 2006-Present ESPN on ABC screenshot, HD version. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... The Pacific Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is one of the oldest collegiate athletic leagues in the United States. ...

ESPN's presentation of games is referred to as NBA (name of day) (i.e, NBA Wednesday, NBA Friday and NBA Sunday). Games on holidays or days when ESPN does not usually air games (Tuesdays, Saturdays, etc) are branded as NBA Special Edition. NBA Wednesday is a weekly presentation of the National Basketball Association on ESPN. NBA Wednesday starts the first Wednesday of the NBA season, and runs throughout the entire season. ... NBA Friday appears every Friday with live coverage of the biggest games in primetime sense the 2002 season, during the National Basketball Association regular season on ESPN and is avalible in high definition on ESPN HD. It begins in early November and appear just about every week untill the conclusion...

ESPN's NBA logo for the 2004 Eastern Conference Final.

As part of the NBA's cable-heavy TV deal, ESPN airs one Conference Final per year (the Eastern Conference Final in 2003, 2004 and 2006 and the Western Conference Final in 2005 and 2007). Most Conference Final games are televised on ESPN itself, with usually Game 4 and Game 7 set aside for ABC. Outside of the Conference Finals, ESPN airs playoff games only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (with competitor TNT airing the majority of games on the other nights of the week). Image File history File linksMetadata Espneastfinal. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Espneastfinal. ... The National Basketball Association Conference Finals occur at the conclusion of the NBA Playoffs when the final four teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences face off. ... The National Basketball Association Conference Finals occur at the conclusion of the NBA Playoffs when the final four teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences face off. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... The NBA on TNT, known since October 2002 as TNT NBA Thursday, is a TV show which broadcasts National Basketball Association games on TNT. TNT began airing NBA games in 1988, and aired games on multiple nights of the week (usually twice a week with sister network TBS airing another...

ESPN airs the NBA Draft each season, as well as the NBA Draft Lottery (with the exception of 2003, when ABC aired the Draft Lottery prior to a Conference Final game on the network). The NBA Draft is an annual U.S. event in which the National Basketball Associations (NBA) thirty teams can select young players who wish to join the league. ... The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event selecting the top three picks of the following NBA Draft. ... The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2002-03 NBA season. ...

For the 2006-07 NBA season, ESPN used ABC's theme music from the previous two years, marking the second time that the network took its corporate sibling's NBA theme. Also, NBA games used graphics that had previously been only used on ESPN's coverage of Monday Night Football. Because of the move from ABC Sports to ESPN on ABC, ESPN's graphics, music and complete presentation will be used on games televised on ABC. The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... Monday Night Football (MNF) is a live television broadcast of the National Football League. ... ESPN on ABC logo, September 2006-Present ESPN on ABC screenshot, HD version. ...

Announcers

2002-03

Originally, ESPN (and ABC's) lead broadcast team was Brad Nessler and Bill Walton. Nessler and Walton (eventually joined by Tom Tolbert on ABC) worked NBA Wednesday games most weeks during the 2002-03 season. For NBA Friday, Mike Tirico and Tom Tolbert worked late night West Coast games while John Saunders and Sean Elliott did the early games. For the playoffs, ESPN added Jim Durham to its list of television play-by-play voices and used the ABC main team of Nessler, Walton and Tolbert for its coverage of the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals. Brad Nessler Brad Nessler, one of the leading play-by-play commentators in the business, calls college basketball games for ESPN and college football games for ABC Sports. ... William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California), is an American former basketball player and current television sportscaster. ... Byron Thomas Tolbert (born October 16, 1965 in Long Beach, California) is an American sports radio personality/television color analyst for the National Basketball Association. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Mike Tirico is the lead broadcaster for ESPNs presentation of Monday Night Football. ... Byron Thomas Tolbert (born October 16, 1965 in Long Beach, California) is an American sports radio personality/television color analyst for the National Basketball Association. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... John Saunders, is currently a journalist for ESPN and ABC. Before working for ESPN, he worked in Baltimore for WMAR and for City-TV in Toronto. ... Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968 in Tucson, Arizona) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Jim Durham is an American basketball sportscaster. ... The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2002-03 NBA season. ...

2003-04

Brad Nessler and Doc Rivers prior to a game in the 2004 Eastern Conference Final.

After low ratings on ABC and for the Conference Finals, ESPN reshuffled its announcing group. With the addition of Al Michaels to the ABC NBA line-up, ESPN dissolved the Nessler-Tolbert-Walton team, keeping Nessler as the main announcer but pairing him with Sean Elliott and Dan Majerle. Walton was demoted significantly, working games sporadically (including most of the NBA Sunday games with either Jim Durham or Brent Musburger). Tolbert stayed with Mike Tirico in a new three-man booth that also included newcomer George Karl. Image File history File links Braddoc. ... Image File history File links Braddoc. ... Brad Nessler Brad Nessler, one of the leading play-by-play commentators in the business, calls college basketball games for ESPN and college football games for ABC Sports. ... Glenn Anton Doc Rivers (born October 13, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former pro basketball player and current head coach of the Boston Celtics. ... The 2004 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2003-2004 season. ... Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American television sportscaster. ... Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968 in Tucson, Arizona) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Daniel Lewis Majerle (surname pronounced MAR-lee; born September 9, 1965 in Traverse City, Michigan) is an American former professional basketball player. ... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... Jim Durham is an American basketball sportscaster. ... Brent Woody Musburger (born May 26, 1939 in Portland, Oregon) is an American sportscaster for ABC. // Educated at Northwestern Universitys Medill School, Musburger began his career as a sportswriter for the now-defunct Chicago American newspaper. ... Mike Tirico is the lead broadcaster for ESPNs presentation of Monday Night Football. ... George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania) is a former NBA and ABA player and current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. ...

Also added to the ESPN line-up was Mike Breen, who became the number three announcer behind Tirico and Nessler. Breen worked most of his games with Bill Walton. Mike Breen is one of ESPNs play-by-play announcers for its coverage of the NBA. He is also one of NBCs play-by-play announcers for The AFL on NBC. Breen is currently in his 14th season as an NBA broadcaster, with some of those 14 taking... William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California), is an American former basketball player and current television sportscaster. ...

For the 2004 Eastern Conference Final, ESPN used Nessler along with ABC's lead analyst Doc Rivers for every game of the series. Game 6 between Detroit and Indiana was the last NBA game Nessler has called to date. The 2004 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2003-2004 season. ... Glenn Anton Doc Rivers (born October 13, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former pro basketball player and current head coach of the Boston Celtics. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...

2004-05

Brad Nessler was dropped from ESPN/ABC's NBA coverage altogether starting with the 2004-05 NBA season. Mike Breen was promoted to lead announcer for ESPN, continuing to work games with Bill Walton (including the Pacers-Pistons brawl). Sean Elliott was dropped, along with Dan Majerle, Doc Rivers (who had become coach of the Boston Celtics) and George Karl (who left during the season to coach the Denver Nuggets. Jim Durham's role increased and ESPN hired former NBC analyst Steve Jones (Durham and Jones would work several regular season games together). ESPN did not use Jones and former cohort Bill Walton in games together during the regular season. Tom Tolbert's role decreased significantly; he was reduced primarily to west-coast games. Brad Nessler Brad Nessler, one of the leading play-by-play commentators in the business, calls college basketball games for ESPN and college football games for ABC Sports. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Mike Breen is one of ESPNs play-by-play announcers for its coverage of the NBA. He is also one of NBCs play-by-play announcers for The AFL on NBC. Breen is currently in his 14th season as an NBA broadcaster, with some of those 14 taking... William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California), is an American former basketball player and current television sportscaster. ... The Pacers-Pistons brawl was an on-court altercation at a National Basketball Association game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, which quickly spread into the stands. ... Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968 in Tucson, Arizona) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Daniel Lewis Majerle (surname pronounced MAR-lee; born September 9, 1965 in Traverse City, Michigan) is an American former professional basketball player. ... Glenn Anton Doc Rivers (born October 13, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former pro basketball player and current head coach of the Boston Celtics. ... The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania) is a former NBA and ABA player and current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. ... The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. ... Jim Durham is an American basketball sportscaster. ... The NBA on NBC was a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) from 1990 to 2002. ... Stephen Howard Snapper Jones is one of the most respected and watched NBA analysts. ... Byron Thomas Tolbert (born October 16, 1965 in Long Beach, California) is an American sports radio personality/television color analyst for the National Basketball Association. ...

In the playoffs, ESPN used the team of Mike Breen and Bill Walton for its coverage of the 2005 Western Conference Final. Al Michaels partnered with newly-added Hubie Brown for the NBA Finals on ABC. The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2004-2005 season. ... Hubert Jude Hubie Brown (born September 25, 1933 in Hazelton, Pennsylvania) is a former basketball coach and television analyst. ...

2005-06

ESPN's announcing teams remained stable in the 2005-06 NBA season, except for the after-effects of Al Michaels' departure to NBC. Mike Breen and Bill Walton worked games together during the first half of the season; after Breen was promoted to lead broadcaster for ABC, Mike Tirico became the number two broadcaster and ended up working several games with Walton (and later, Steve Jones). During the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Breen worked games with ABC partner Hubie Brown, including the 2006 Eastern Conference Final. The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... NBC (an abbreviation for National Broadcasting Company, its former corporate name) is an American television network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center and is shown on basic cable in Canada. ... Mike Breen is one of ESPNs play-by-play announcers for its coverage of the NBA. He is also one of NBCs play-by-play announcers for The AFL on NBC. Breen is currently in his 14th season as an NBA broadcaster, with some of those 14 taking... William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California), is an American former basketball player and current television sportscaster. ... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... Mike Tirico is the lead broadcaster for ESPNs presentation of Monday Night Football. ... Stephen Howard Snapper Jones is one of the most respected and watched NBA analysts. ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs is the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-2006 season. ... Hubert Jude Hubie Brown (born September 25, 1933 in Hazelton, Pennsylvania) is a former basketball coach and television analyst. ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs is the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-2006 season. ...

2006-07

For the 2006-07 NBA season, Hubie Brown moved to ESPN full time as the lead color commentator, paired with Mike Breen. Mike Tirico and Bill Walton remained as the number two team, with Steve Jones being replaced by newcomer Jon Barry. Tom Tolbert remained in his reduced role, in a broadcast team with ESPN WNBA play-by-play man Dave Pasch or Mark Jones. WNBA players and women's college basketball game analysts Becky Hammon and Kara Lawson were added as sideline reporters, while Doris Burke increased her work. The trio largely replaced Lisa Salters (who had added Saturday Night Football to her duties) and Stuart Scott. John Saunders, with former NBA Shootaround colleagues Greg Anthony and Tim Legler worked Sunday night games televised by ESPN, as they had in the previous season. The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Jon Barry posing with fans Jon Alan Barry (born July 25, 1969 in Oakland, California) is a professional basketball player, most recently played for the Houston Rockets. ... The WNBA on ESPN2 is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of Womens National Basketball Association games on ESPN2. ... Dave Pasch is a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN2, calling college football and WNBA games. ... Becky Hammon shooting a basketball during her visit to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, February 2002. ... Kara Marie Lawson (born February 14, 1981 in Alexandria, Virginia) is a professional basketball player for the Sacramento Monarchs in the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA). ... Doris Burke is a sideline reporter for ESPN College Basketball games. ... Lisa Salters is a reporter for ESPN and ABC Sports. ... ABC Saturday Night College Football is the banner title for ABCs prime-time college football matchups, which will begin September 2, 2006 when the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish meets the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Stuart Scott Stuart Scott (born July 19, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American sportscaster for ESPN, most visibly as an anchor on SportsCenter. ... John Saunders, is currently a journalist for ESPN and ABC. Before working for ESPN, he worked in Baltimore for WMAR and for City-TV in Toronto. ... NBA Shootaround is a National Basketball Association pregame show for ESPNs coverage of the NBA. Typically, the program airs at 7:30 p. ... Gregory C. Anthony (born November 15, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Timothy Eugene Legler (born December 26, 1966 in Washington, D.C.) is a former professional basketball player in the NBA at the shooting guard position from 1990 to 2000, and now currently appears regularly on the ESPN programme NBA Shootaround and basketball analyst for SportsCenter. ...

Fred Hickman became the primary studio host, working with a rotating team of analysts. Additions included Jamal Mashburn and Allan Houston. Fred Hickman is an anchor for ESPN. In 1977, Hickman began his broadcasting career as a news anchor at KLWW-AM in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ... Jamal Mashburn (born November 29, 1972) is a professional basketball player in the NBA who plays small forward for the New Orleans Hornets. ... Allan Houston Allan Wade Houston (born April 20, 1971, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA) is a former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing shooting guard for the National Basketball Associations New York Knicks. ...

Personalities

Current

• Greg Anthony (game and studio analyst, 2002 - present)
• Jon Barry (game analyst, 2006 - present)
• Mike Breen (play-by-play 2003 - present)
• Dee Brown (studio analyst, 2005 - present)
• Hubie Brown (game analyst, 2006 - present)
• Ric Bucher (contributor, 2003 - present)
• Doris Burke (sideline repoter, 2004 - present)
• Swin Cash (studio analyst, 2006 - present)
• Jim Gray (sideline reporter, 2003 - present)
• Becky Hammon (sideline reporter, 2006 - present)
• Allan Houston (studio analyst, 2006 - present)
• Mark Jones (sideline reporter, 2004 - 2006, play-by-play, 2006 - present)
• Steve Jones (game analyst, 2004 - present)
• Kara Lawson (sideline reporter, 2006 - present)
• Tim Legler (game and studio analyst, 2004 - present)
• Jamal Mashburn (studio analyst, 2006 - present)
• Bill Raftery (alternate game analyst, 2004 - present)
• John Saunders (play-by-play, 2002 - 2004 and 2006 - present, studio host, 2004 - 2005)
• Lisa Salters (sideline repoter, 2005 - present)
• Stephen A. Smith (studio analyst, 2003 - present)
• Marc Stein (contributor, 2003 - present)
• Mike Tirico (play-by-play, 2002 - present)
• Tom Tolbert (game and studio analyst, 2002 - present)
• Kiki Vandeweghe (studio analyst, 2006 - present)
• Bill Walton (game analyst, 2002 - present)

Gregory C. Anthony (born November 15, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a former NBA basketball player. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Jon Barry posing with fans Jon Alan Barry (born July 25, 1969 in Oakland, California) is a professional basketball player, most recently played for the Houston Rockets. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Mike Breen is one of ESPNs play-by-play announcers for its coverage of the NBA. He is also one of NBCs play-by-play announcers for The AFL on NBC. Breen is currently in his 14th season as an NBA broadcaster, with some of those 14 taking... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Dee Browns no-look dunk at the 1991 Slam Dunk Competition For other persons named Dee Brown, see Dee Brown DeCovan Kadell Dee Brown (born November 29, 1968, in Jacksonville, Florida) is a former professional basketball player. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Hubert Jude Hubie Brown (born September 25, 1933 in Hazelton, Pennsylvania) is a former basketball coach and television analyst. ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs is the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-2006 season. ... Ric Bucher is an NBA analyst and insider for ESPN and ESPN.com. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Doris Burke is a sideline reporter for ESPN College Basketball games. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Swin Cash meets George W. Bush after winning the WNBA Championship with the Detroit Shock. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Jim Gray may refer to: James N. Gray, computer scientist James P. Gray, judge and Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Becky Hammon shooting a basketball during her visit to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, February 2002. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Allan Houston Allan Wade Houston (born April 20, 1971, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA) is a former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing shooting guard for the National Basketball Associations New York Knicks. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... It has been suggested that Mark Jones (basketball) be merged into this article or section. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs is the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-2006 season. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Stephen Howard Snapper Jones is one of the most respected and watched NBA analysts. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Kara Marie Lawson (born February 14, 1981 in Alexandria, Virginia) is a professional basketball player for the Sacramento Monarchs in the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA). ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Timothy Eugene Legler (born December 26, 1966 in Washington, D.C.) is a former professional basketball player in the NBA at the shooting guard position from 1990 to 2000, and now currently appears regularly on the ESPN programme NBA Shootaround and basketball analyst for SportsCenter. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Jamal Mashburn (born November 29, 1972) is a professional basketball player in the NBA who plays small forward for the New Orleans Hornets. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Bill Raftery (b. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... John Saunders, is currently a journalist for ESPN and ABC. Before working for ESPN, he worked in Baltimore for WMAR and for City-TV in Toronto. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Lisa Salters is a reporter for ESPN and ABC Sports. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Stephen Anthony Smith (born October 14, 1967), usually referred to as Stephen A., is a sportswriter and media personality from Hollis, Queens in New York City. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Marc Stein is a Dallas-based NBA writer and insider for ESPN and ESPN.com. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Mike Tirico is the lead broadcaster for ESPNs presentation of Monday Night Football. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Byron Thomas Tolbert (born October 16, 1965 in Long Beach, California) is an American sports radio personality/television color analyst for the National Basketball Association. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Ernest Maurice Kiki Vandeweghe III (born August 1, 1958 in Wiesbaden, Germany), is a former National Basketball Association player and the current General Manager of the Denver Nuggets. ... The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California), is an American former basketball player and current television sportscaster. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

Former

• David Aldridge (sideline repoter, 2002 - 2004)
• B.J. Armstrong (studio anaylst, 2005 - 2006)
• Brent Musburger (play-by-play, 2002 - 2006)
• Jim Durham (play-by-play, 2003 - 2006)
• Sean Elliott (game analyst, 2002 - 2004)
• Kevin Frazier (studio host, 2002 - 2004)
• Tim Hardaway (studio analyst, 2002 - 2003
• Dana Jacobson (sideline reporter, 2006)
• Mark Jackson (studio analyst, 2003 - 2004)
• George Karl (game analyst, 2003 - 2004)
• Sal Masekela (sideline reporter, 2002 - 2003)
• Brad Nessler (play-by-play, 2002 - 2004)
• Dave O'Brien (alternate play-by-play, 2002 - 2003)
• Doc Rivers (game analyst, 2004)
• Dan Shulman (alternate play-by-play, 2005)
• Paul Silas (studio analyst, 2005 - 2006)
• Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter, 2002 - 2004)

David Aldridge is a sports analyst for the television cable network, TNT. Aldridge is a graduate of American University and worked as a writer for the Washington Post. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Benjamin Roy Armstrong, Jr. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Brent Woody Musburger (born May 26, 1939 in Portland, Oregon) is an American sportscaster for ABC. // Educated at Northwestern Universitys Medill School, Musburger began his career as a sportswriter for the now-defunct Chicago American newspaper. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Jim Durham is an American basketball sportscaster. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968 in Tucson, Arizona) is a former NBA basketball player. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Kevin Frazier (born on May 20, 19??) is currently the weekend host of Entertainment Tonight. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Timothy Duane Hardaway (born September 1, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former National Basketball Association player, who in his prime was one of the leagues best at the point guard position. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Dana Jacobson Dana Jacobson joined ESPN as an ESPNEWS anchor in December 2002 and soon became a regular anchor on the 6 P.M. edition of SportsCenter. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Mark Jackson is the name of several notable people: Mark Jacko Jackson, Australian Rules footballer, actor. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania) is a former NBA and ABA player and current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Selema Sal Masekela is an American television host. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Brad Nessler Brad Nessler, one of the leading play-by-play commentators in the business, calls college basketball games for ESPN and college football games for ABC Sports. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Dave OBrien is an American baseball announcer who formerly called games for the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets and currently calls various MLB games on ESPN. He has been a play-by-play commentator for ESPN since 2002 handling MLB telecasts, and soccer play-by-play... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Glenn Anton Doc Rivers (born October 13, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former pro basketball player and current head coach of the Boston Celtics. ... The 2004 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2003-2004 season. ... Dan Shulman (born 1967 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian-born sportscaster with ESPN, serving as the networks voice for baseball games on television and radio. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Paul Theron Silas (born July 12, 1943 in Prescott, Arizona) is a former pro basketball player and coach. ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Michelle Tafoya doing her job for the cameras. ... The 2002-03 NBA season is the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

Studio team

NBA Shootaround

NBA Shootaround is ESPN's main studio program, airing before each NBA Friday Coast to Coast telecast. Shootaround and other in-game studio programs originally consisted of Kevin Frazier and Tim Hardaway on Fridays with Stuart Scott replacing Frazier on Wednesdays. After horrible reviews for Hardaway, ESPN brought in Greg Anthony to replace him on Friday nights. Frazier and Anthony became ESPN's main studio team and worked most of the playoffs. For the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals, ESPN used ABC's halftime team of Mike Tirico and Sean Elliott for all the games. NBA Shootaround is a National Basketball Association pregame show for ESPNs coverage of the NBA. Typically, the program airs at 7:30 p. ... NBA Shootaround is a National Basketball Association pregame show for ESPNs coverage of the NBA. Typically, the program airs at 7:30 p. ... NBA Friday Coast to Coast is a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on ESPN. NBA Friday starts the first Friday of the NBA season, and with the exception of the Friday before the NBA All-Star Game and college basketball Championship Week, typically runs uninterrupted throughout the entire... Kevin Frazier (born on May 20, 19??) is currently the weekend host of Entertainment Tonight. ... Timothy Duane Hardaway (born September 1, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former National Basketball Association player, who in his prime was one of the leagues best at the point guard position. ... Stuart Scott Stuart Scott (born July 19, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American sportscaster for ESPN, most visibly as an anchor on SportsCenter. ... Gregory C. Anthony (born November 15, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Mike Tirico is the lead broadcaster for ESPNs presentation of Monday Night Football. ... Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968 in Tucson, Arizona) is a former NBA basketball player. ...

2003-04 was the first year of the longest-tenured ESPN studio team. Frazier and Anthony were joined by controversial writer Stephen A. Smith and NBA legend Bill Laimbeer. Laimbeer, departing to continue coaching in the WNBA, was replaced by Tim Legler during the 2004 NBA Playoffs. Smith, Legler and Anthony were joined by John Saunders (replacing Frazier, who left to host Entertainment Tonight) from late 2004 to the end of the 2005-2006 season. The 2003-04 NBA season is the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. ... Stephen Anthony Smith (born October 14, 1967), usually referred to as Stephen A., is a sportswriter and media personality from Hollis, Queens in New York City. ... Bill Laimbeer at the White House after winning the WNBA Championship with the Detroit Shock. ... The Womens National Basketball Association or WNBA is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States. ... Timothy Eugene Legler (born December 26, 1966 in Washington, D.C.) is a former professional basketball player in the NBA at the shooting guard position from 1990 to 2000, and now currently appears regularly on the ESPN programme NBA Shootaround and basketball analyst for SportsCenter. ... The 2004 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2003-2004 season. ... John Saunders, is currently a journalist for ESPN and ABC. Before working for ESPN, he worked in Baltimore for WMAR and for City-TV in Toronto. ... Entertainment Tonight is a daily television entertainment news magazine that is syndicated by CBS Paramount Domestic Television throughout the United States and Canada. ... The 2004-05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The 2005-06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. ...

ESPN's studio team was generally more criticized ^[1] than praised. After the Pacers-Pistons brawl, ESPN's studio team came under severe criticism, both by the media^[2] and by ESPN itself ^[3] for their stance regarding the actions of Indiana Pacer Ron Artest (who infamously entered the stands to confront a fan, sparking the melee). Saunders came down hard on Detroit fans, referring to them as "punks", while Anthony and Legler defended Artest. The Pacers-Pistons brawl was an on-court altercation at a National Basketball Association game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, which quickly spread into the stands. ... The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Ronald (Ron) William Artest, Jr. ...

For the 2006-07 NBA season, Saunders was replaced by Fred Hickman, with the remaining team left in tact.^[4] Previous reports by The Big Lead.com and The New York Post indicated that Anthony, Legler and Smith along with Saunders would be replaced by Dan Patrick, Michael Wilbon and Mark Jackson^[5]. The 2006-07 NBA season is the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Fred Hickman is an anchor for ESPN. In 1977, Hickman began his broadcasting career as a news anchor at KLWW-AM in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ... The first edition of The New York Post of July 6, 2004 incorrectly declared that U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry would choose U.S. Representative Dick Gephardt to be his vice-presidential running mate that day (in reality, Kerry chose John Edwards). ... Daniel Patrick Pugh (born May 15, 1956), better known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster from Mason, Ohio. ... Michael Wilbon Michael Wilbon (born November 19, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American sportswriter and columnist. ... Mark Jackson is the name of several notable people: Mark Jacko Jackson, Australian Rules footballer, actor. ...

Other

ESPN airs several NBA-related studio programs, including NBA Fastbreak (a nightly wrap-up of NBA games), NBA Coast to Coast (a Tuesday night whip-around show, including live cut-ins to games) and NBA Matchup (a Sunday morning review of the week's NBA games). To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... NBA Coast to Coast (formerly known as NBA Fastbreak Tuesday and NBA Nation) is a weekly NBA-themed studio program which airs Tuesday nights on ESPN2. ...

Ratings

ESPN's highest rated NBA game was Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons. The game scored a 5.5 cable Nielsen rating, with nearly five million viewers. To put that in context, Monday Night Football on ESPN has posted ratings of 9+ in two of its first three telecasts. ESPN's highest rated regular season contest was the first matchup between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming. The game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets scored a 3.82 cable Nielsen rating. The National Basketball Association has achieved a rapid rise and fall in television ratings since from the 1997-1998 NBA season, when ratings for the NBA Finals achieved a record high, to the 2002-2003 NBA season, when ratings for the same event hit an all-time record low. ... When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are generally referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by the New York City-based firm Nielsen Media Research to determine which shows television viewers watch at what times. ... The 2006 NBA Playoffs is the postseason of the National Basketball Associations 2005-2006 season. ... The Miami Heat are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Monday Night Football (MNF) is a live television broadcast of the National Football League. ... Shaquille Rashaun ONeal (born March 6, 1972), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yao Yao Ming (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yáo Míng) (born September 12, 1980 in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese professional basketball player and is currently considered one of the premiere centers in the National Basketball Association. ... The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, who play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The Houston Rockets are a professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. ...

Generally, ESPN's regular season ratings are the same as competitor TNT's. During the playoffs, TNT has higher ratings, especially during the Conference Finals (from 2003 to 2005, TNT's Conference Final ratings were at least a full ratings point higher than ESPN's: 4.6 to 2.8 in 2003, 6.3 to 3.8 in 2004 and 5.0 to 4.0 in 2005). In 2006, for the first time ever, ESPN's Conference Final coverage averaged higher ratings than TNT's, averaging a 4.8 to TNT's 4.6.

See also

• NBA Friday Coast to Coast
• NBA Wednesday
• NBA Sunday
• NBA Shootaround
• NBA Fastbreak
• NBA Coast to Coast

NBA Friday Coast to Coast is a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on ESPN. NBA Friday starts the first Friday of the NBA season, and with the exception of the Friday before the NBA All-Star Game and college basketball Championship Week, typically runs uninterrupted throughout the entire... NBA Wednesday is a weekly presentation of the National Basketball Association on ESPN. NBA Wednesday starts the first Wednesday of the NBA season, and runs throughout the entire season. ... The NBA on ABC is the de facto name for a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the American Broadcasting Company television network in the United States. ... NBA Shootaround is a National Basketball Association pregame show for ESPNs coverage of the NBA. Typically, the program airs at 7:30 p. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... NBA Coast to Coast (formerly known as NBA Fastbreak Tuesday and NBA Nation) is a weekly NBA-themed studio program which airs Tuesday nights on ESPN2. ...

References