2008 NBA Playoffs Begin Saturday on ESPN and ABC
Source: ESPN
Apr 18, 2008 - 2:49:43 PM
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ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2008 NBA Playoffs will begin with five games this weekend, highlighted by four games on Saturday, April 19 – the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James hosting the Washington Wizards and Caron Butler at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN; the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan at the Phoenix Suns and Shaquille O’Neal at 3 p.m. on ABC; the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki visiting the New Orleans Hornets and Chris Paul at 7 p.m. on ESPN; and the Utah Jazz and Carlos Boozer at the Houston Rockets and Tracy McGrady at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. Additionally, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant will host the Denver Nuggets and Allen Iverson Sunday, April 20, at 3 p.m. on ABC.
Mike Breen will call both ABC broadcasts with analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Michele Tafoya. ABC’s GMC NBA Countdown, with host Stuart Scott and analysts Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon, will preview both weekend games at 2:30 p.m. ESPN commentators for Saturday’s games: Dave Pasch, analyst Rick Carlisle and reporter Holly Rowe for Washington/Cleveland; Mike Tirico, analyst Hubie Brown and reporter Lisa Salters for Dallas/New Orleans; and Dan Shulman, analyst Doris Burke and reporter Heather Cox for Utah/Houston.
All NBA games airing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will also be available on ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ABC HD, respectively. ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts will be simulcast via ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV.
ESPN Radio’s opening weekend coverage will include Phoenix/San Antonio Saturday, April 19, and Denver/Los Angeles Sunday, April 20 (broadcasts at 2:35 p.m.). Jim Durham will describe both games with analyst and Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay. ESPN Deportes will televise a doubleheader Saturday, April 19 – Dallas/New Orleans at 7 p.m. and Utah/Houston at 9:30 p.m.
ESPN will present a SportsCenter NBA Playoff Preview Special, with host Mark Jones and analysts Jalen Rose and Stephen A. Smith, Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m. Additionally, ESPN2 will televise a pair of 30-minute shows recapping some of the best moments of the season Friday, April 18, beginning at 8 p.m. The shows, produced by NBA Entertainment, will count down the top 10 games and plays of the season.
2008
NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule
All dates and
times subject to change
|
Date |
Time
(ET) |
Teams/Commentators |
Network |
|
Fri., April
18 |
7 p.m. |
SportsCenter NBA
Playoff Preview Special |
ESPN, ESPN
HD |
| |
|
Mark Jones, Jalen Rose, Stephen
A. Smith |
|
|
Sat., April
19 |
12:30
p.m. |
Washington at Cleveland,
Game 1
Dave Pasch, Rick Carlisle, Holly
Rowe |
ESPN, ESPN HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV |
|
|
2:30
p.m. |
GMC NBA
Countdown |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
Stuart Scott, Jon Barry, Michael
Wilbon |
|
|
|
3 p.m. |
Phoenix at San Antonio,
Game 1 |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff
Van Gundy |
|
|
|
2:35
p.m. |
Jim Durham, Dr. Jack
Ramsay |
ESPN
Radio |
|
|
7 p.m. |
Dallas at New Orleans,
Game 1*
Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Lisa Salters |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
|
9:30
p.m. |
Utah at Houston, Game
1*
Dan Shulman, Doris Burke, Heather
Cox |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
Sun., April
20 |
2:30
p.m. |
GMC NBA
Countdown |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
Scott, Barry, Wilbon |
|
|
|
3 p.m. |
Denver at L.A. Lakers,
Game 1 |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff
Van Gundy, Michele Tafoya |
|
|
|
2:35
p.m. |
Jim Durham, Dr. Jack
Ramsay |
ESPN
Radio |
|
Fri., April
25 |
7 p.m. |
Detroit at Philadelphia,
Game 3
TBD |
ESPN2, ESPN2 HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV |
|
|
7:30
p.m. |
Kia NBA
Shootaround |
ESPN, ESPN
HD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
8 p.m. |
New Orleans at Dallas,
Game 3
TBD |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
|
10:30
p.m. |
San Antonio at Phoenix,
Game 3
TBD |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
Sat., April
26 |
8 p.m. |
Boston at Atlanta, Game
3
TBD |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
|
10:30
p.m. |
Houston at Utah, Game
4
TBD |
ESPN, ESPN
HD,
ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile
TV |
|
Sun., April
27 |
12:30
p.m. |
GMC NBA
Countdown |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
1 p.m. |
Cleveland at Washington,
Game 4 |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
3:30
p.m. |
San Antonio at Phoenix,
Game 4 |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
Fri., May
2 |
TBD |
Boston at Atlanta, Game 6
(if nec.) |
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
Cleveland at Washington,
Game 6 (if nec.) |
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
Houston at Utah, Game 6
(if nec.) |
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
L.A. Lakers at Denver,
Game 6 (if nec.) |
TBD |
|
|
|
TBD |
|
|
Sun., May
4 |
12:30
p.m. |
GMC NBA
Countdown |
ABC, ABC
HD |
|
|
1 p.m. |
First Round, Game 7 (if
nec.) |
ABC, ABC
HD |
| |
|
TBD |
|
| |
3:30
p.m. |
First Round, game 7 (if
nec.) |
ABC, ABC
HD |
| |
|
TBD |
|
*
denotes ESPN Deportes telecast
NBA Playoffs on ESPN
ESPN will offer multimedia coverage of the NBA Playoffs across 16 platforms: ABC, ABC HD, ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Radio, ESPNEWS, ESPNEWS HD, ESPN.com, ESPN360.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN International, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Mobile TV. ESPN will produce up to 44 Playoff and Finals games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, all available in high definition.
The NBA Finals on ABC are scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 5. Additionally, for the 13th straight year, ESPN Radio will broadcast first- and second-round games, every game from both Conference Finals and The Finals.
SportsCenter
SportsCenter will present game previews and reviews, in-depth highlights, post-game reaction, and comprehensive analysis from ESPN’s team of NBA analysts and reporters.
ESPN International
ESPN International will broadcast the NBA Playoffs throughout Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean), the Middle East, Africa and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands). Commentary and analysis will be provided in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Additionally, ESPN International will broadcast the NBA Finals in Brazil, Sub-Sahara Africa and Oceania.
ESPN.com
ESPN.com will feature content from an award-winning roster of NBA reporters, including Marc Stein, J.A. Adande, Chris Sheridan, John Hollinger, Scoop Jackson, David Thorpe and TrueHoop blogger Henry Abbott, plus contributions from ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons, ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher, Chris Broussard, and Chris Palmer, and Page 2’s Jemele Hill and LZ Granderson.
Daily coverage will include:
- Daily Dime and Daily Dime TV – ESPN.com’s signature editorial and video
package will bring “10 drops of NBA knowledge” daily to fans throughout the
Playoffs, examining the key developments of each series;
- Series homepages – each matchup throughout the Playoffs will have its own
home, featuring in-depth information in one central place (previews, recaps,
video highlights, statistical comparisons, series and team histories, injury
reports, projections, predictions and research notes);
- TrueHoop – blogger Henry Abbott will bring his signature wit and
wisdom to readers throughout the Playoffs;
- Podcasts – twice-weekly podcasts will be available through ESPN’s PodCenter
and iTunes, featuring NBA Insider Chad Ford;
- Scouting Reports – ESPN Scouts Inc. will provide complete scouting reports,
including video, for every series;
- SportsNation – polls and chats will be conducted throughout the Playoffs;
- Dr. Jack Ramsay will provide analysis and interviews during the NBA Finals.
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic will televise an
NBA Playoff marathon Friday, April 18, beginning at 1 p.m. including:
- 1 p.m. – Chicago at Cleveland, 1989 Eastern Conference First Round,
Game 5: Michael Jordan hits a double-clutch jumper as the Bulls defeat
the Cavs 101-100;
- 3 p.m. – Houston at Phoenix, 1995 Western Conference Semifinals,
Game 7: Houston’s Mario Elie drains a three-pointer with 7.1 seconds
remaining to give the Rockets the victory;
- 5 p.m. – Indiana at New York, Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 1:
the Pacers win 107-105 behind two three-pointers and two free throws
from Reggie Miller in the game’s final 16.4 seconds;
- 7 p.m. – L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, Western Conference Semifinals,
Game 5: L.A.’s Derek Fisher hits a buzzer-beater with 0.4 seconds left
to give the Lakers a 3-2 series advantage;
- 9 p.m. – Phoenix at Dallas, Western Conference Semifinals, Game 6:
Phoenix’s Steve Nash sinks a three-pointer to force overtime and
another key three in overtime to defeat the Mavs.
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