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| 2019 NBA Finals broadcast team: Mike Breen (play-by-play), Jeff Van Gundy + Mark Jackson (analysis) & Doris Burke (reporter) (ESPN Press Room) |
Record Setting NBA Finals Team: Mike Breen (play-by-play), Mark Jackson (analyst), Jeff Van Gundy (analyst) & Doris Burke (sideline reporter) To Call the Action for All Games
ESPN's Largest's On-Site Presence Yet with NBA Countdown, The Jump, Hoop Streams, SportsCenter, First Take, ESPN Radio & The Stephen A. Smith Show
24th NBA Finals on ESPN Radio Coverage to Include Hubie Brown's Record 18th NBA Finals Overall as Analyst
For the 17th straight season, ESPN will produce the NBA Finals on ABC, starting Thursday, May 30th at 9:00 p.m. (ET). This year's matchup will be the two-time defending NBA Finals champion Golden State Warriors - led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson taking on Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors - making their first ever NBA Finals appearance. NBA Countdown will precede for weeknight games at 8:30 p.m. (ET) and for Sunday game(s) at 7:30 p.m. (ET). The NBA Finals in addition any and all supplementary programming will be available on the ESPN App.
The following is the 2019 NBA Finals announcer and game charts (subject to change):
2019 NBA FINALS
(Note: Announcer and Game Charts)
(W1) Golden State Warriors vs. (E2) Toronto Raptors -- Raptors win series, 4-2 (Congratulations, Raptors, on winning your first-ever NBA World Championship!)
* Game 1: Thursday, May 30; Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors from Scotiabank Arena (Toronto)
ABC (9:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
* Game 2: Sunday, June 2; Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors from Scotiabank Arena (Toronto)
ABC (8:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
* Game 3: Wednesday, June 5; Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors from Oracle Arena (Oakland)
ABC (9:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
* Game 4: Friday, June 7; Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors from Oracle Arena (Oakland)
ABC (9:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
* Game 5: Monday, June 10; Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors from Scotiabank Arena (Toronto)
ABC (9:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
* Game 6: Thursday, June 13; Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors from Oracle Arena (Oakland)
ABC (9:00 PM ET): Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson & Doris Burke
Broadcast Team:
ESPN's record-setting NBA Finals broadcast team of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Doris Burke return to call this year's event. Here is the record that each member of the broadcast team will set this year.
* Breen: 14th NBA Finals as play-by-play commentator (2006-present); last person to call NBA Finals other than Breen (Al Michaels in 2004 & 2005).
* Van Gundy: 13th NBA Finals as game analyst (2007-present); last person to call NBA Finals other than Van Gundy (Hubie Brown in 2006; now serves as the radio analyst)
* Jackson: 11th NBA Finals as game analyst (2007-2011; 2014-present); record for African-American commentator calling a major sports championship event
* Burke: 11th NBA Finals as sideline reporter (2009-present); a record for women in a prominent NBA Finals on-air role; last person to work the sidelines for a NBA Finals other than Burke (Michele Tayofa in 2008).
NBA on ESPN officiating analyst Steve Javie will also contribute to the game coverage from the NBA Replay Center in Secaucus, N.J. This will mark Javie's 7th NBA Finals (2013-present). In addition, ESPN coordinating NBA producer Tim Corrigan with director Jimmy Moore will lead the staff for the NBA Finals production for the 12th time.
ESPN Radio:
Hubie Brown will work his 18th NBA Finals as a game analyst (his 14th on the radio side: 1978; 2007-present, plus four on television: 1989 & 1990 for CBS / 2005 & 2006 for ABC). He will describe the action alongside play-by-play commentator Marc Kestecher and reporter Ramona Shelburne. 2019 will mark the 24th time that ESPN Radio has served the national broadcast home for the NBA Finals. Kevin Winter and analyst Jon Barry will host ESPN Radio's pre-game and post-game coverage. The audio from ESPN Radio's coverage will be also available on the ESPN App.
In addition to the actual game broadcasts, ESPN will have its largest on-air presence yet at the NBA Finals this year with more shows and talent on-site than ever before. NBA Countdown, The Jump, Hoop Streams, First Take, SportsCenter and the Stephen A. Smith Show will document the event from Toronto and Golden State.
NBA Countdown:
NBA Countdown will once more serve as the pregame show for the NBA Finals on ABC, 30 minutes to prior to tip-off of each game. Michelle Beadle, in her third year as the NBA Countdown host, will lead the team. That team includes Fab Five member and veteran NBA analyst Jalen Rose, NBA Champion/"The Truth" Paul Pierce and NBA Champion/"Mr Big Shot" Chauncey Billups.
The Jump (daytime & primetime shows for NBA Finals games):
The Jump - ESPN's daily NBA show - will be continuing to air weekdays from 3 p.m. (ET) to 4 p.m. (ET) and will be open to the public while on location at the NBA Finals. Rachel Nichols will host The Jump, joined by a full cast of special guests & high-profile analysts/reporters. The show will be live from Maple Leaf Square (Jurassic Park) in Toronto for Raptors games & Lake Chalet in Oakland for Warriors games. In addition, for game nights, the Jump will be also be aired from 8 p.m. (ET) to 8:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN.
Hoop Streams:
Hoop Streams - ESPN's innovative, new NBA Twitter pre-game show - will be on-site, courtside shows during the NBA Finals, generally starting an hour before tip-off. Cassidy Hubbarth will host Hoop Streams, joined by special guests including Kendrick Perkins, Gary Striewski and much more.
SportsCenter:
SportsCenter will once again travel for on-site shows throughout the NBA Finals. Sage Steele will host the 6 p.m. edition of the show from location with several guest co-hosts (commentators). Several of ESPN's top NBA analysts and reporters will appear on all episodes of SportsCenter during the Finals.
First Take:
Beginning on Thursday, May 30th, ESPN's popular morning debate program, First Take - with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and host Molly Qerim Rose - will be live from Maple Leaf Square (Jurassic Park) outside Scotiabank Arena for Raptors home games & Lake Chalet from Oakland for Warriors home games. From 10 a.m. (ET) to noon (ET), each and every weekday until a champion is decided, the team will offer their expert insights and opinions while also welcoming a boast lineup of celebrity guests and athletes. The shows, which will include fan interaction and giveaways, are free and open to the public with doors opening 90 minutes before each show begins.
Stephen A. Smith Show:
The Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (ET) and simulcast on ESPNEWS, will be live on site of ESPN's First Take for the majority of the NBA Finals. The signature show will include reactions and analysis from host and namesake Stephen A. Smith on the latest news and storylines from the NBA Finals.
