ESPN Networks Highlight Western Conference In This Week’s NBA Coverage

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has announced its NBA coverage schedule for this week. And in this week’s schedule of games the Thunder and Clippers will be highlighted.

This week’s NBA broadcast schedule kicks off tonight with a double header schedule on ESPN. First up on the night is a cross-conference matchup between Memphis and Boston. While the showdown pits teams from opposite conferences against one another it still will have its own playoff implications. Boston currently sits third overall in the East, seven games back from Cleveland while Memphis currently sits 5^th in the West, eighteen and a half games back from the Warriors. Neither team has yet clinched a playoff berth. So win or lose tonight’s game between the Celtics and Grizzles will play a big part in the teams’ playoff fates. Tipoff for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7pm ET. Mark Jones will have the call for the game. He will be joined by Tim Legler for additional commentary.

Second up on the night is a Western Conference matchup between Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Thunder welcome the Clippers into the Chesapeake Arena in a game that will also determine both teams’ playoff fates. That is because neither team yet has clinched its berth in the post season. Oklahoma City currently sits third in the west with the Clippers not too far behind in fourth. Neither team has a chance of catching the Warriors or Spurs. But both teams can potentially set their place in the playoffs. Tipoff for the game is set for 9:30pm ET. The game will be simulcast on ESPN and ESPN Radio. Dave Pasch will have the call for the game on ESPN. He will be joined by Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, and Chris Broussard for additional commentary. On the radio side, Marc Kestecher will have the call for the game. He will be joined by P.J. Carlesimo for additional commentary.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s double header schedule Rachel Nichols, Tracy McGrady, and Brian WIndhorst will have a preview of the night’s games and will look ahead to the rest of the week’s schedule in The Jump beginning at 1pm ET on ESPN2.

After Wednesday night’s double header ESPN will shift its attention to college basketball. It will be carrying coverage of the ACC Tournament and Big Ten Tournament Thursday and Friday. The NBA action picks back up on Saturday night at 8:30 pm ET with a Western Conference matchup between Oklahoma City and San Antonio. The Spurs will play host to the Thunder on NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC presented by La Quinta beginning at 8:30pm ET on ABC. Mike Tirico will have the call for Saturday’s game. He will be joined by analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson for additional commentary. Sage Steele, Jalen Rose, and Doug Collins will preview the night’s matchup and look back on the week’s other games ahead of Saturday’s showdown between the Western Conference opponents. San Antonio has already clinched its spot in the post season. But Oklahoma City has not yet solidified its spot in the playoffs. If it doesn’t clinch Wednesday night, a win Saturday could set its spot in that race.

Cleveland and the Clippers round out the week’s NBA coverage on ESPN and the ESPN networks Sunday afternoon on NBA Sunday Showcase presented by BBVA. Cleveland sits atop the Eastern Conference but has yet to clinch its spot in the playoffs. So the team will be looking to punch its post season ticket in the game. That is because the Raptors, who currently sit second in the East, are currently only two games back from Cleveland. So they are making things very interesting for Cleveland heading into the regular season’s final stretch. Win or lose Wednesday Sunday’s game will still have its own implications for the Clippers, too. That is because the Clippers sit fourth in the West. The fifth-place Grizzlies don’t have a chance of catching the Clippers and the Clippers likely won’t catch the Thunder either. So L.A. will be looking to solidify its place in the post season once and for all Sunday against the Cavs. Mike Breen will have the call for the game. He will be joined by analyst and Hall of Famer Hubie Brown for additional commentary. Reporter Lisa Salters will also be courtside throughout the game for all of the latest updates and more. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30pm ET. The game will be simulcast on ABC, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Radio. Kevin Calabro will have the call on ESPN Radio. He will be joined by P.J. Carlesimo for additional commentary. The full schedule for this week’s NBA coverage across the ESPN networks is noted below.

 

 

Date	Time (ET)	Telecast/Commentators	Network (s)
Tues, Mar 8	3:30 p.m.	The Jump presented by State Farm Rachel Nichols, Tracy McGrady, Brian Windhorst	ESPN
Wed, Mar 9	1 a.m.	NBA Tonight Cassidy Hubbarth, Tim Legler	ESPN2
	1 p.m.	The Jump presented by State Farm* Rachel Nichols, Tracy McGrady, Brian Windhorst	ESPN2
	7 p.m.	Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics Mark Jones, Jon Barry	ESPN
	9:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Chris Broussard Radio: Marc Kestecher, P.J. Carlesimo	ESPN, ESPN Radio
Thu, Mar 10	1 a.m.	NBA Tonight Cassidy Hubbarth, Brad Daugherty	ESPN2
	3:30 p.m.	The Jump presented by State Farm Rachel Nichols,	ESPN
Fri, Mar 11	1 a.m.	NBA Tonight Cassidy Hubbarth, Brad Daugherty	ESPN2
	3:30 p.m.	The Jump presented by State Farm Rachel Nichols	ESPN
Sat, Mar 12	1 a.m.	NBA Tonight Cassidy Hubbarth, Amin Elhassan	ESPN2
	8 p.m.	NBA Countdown Sage Steele, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins	ABC
	8:30 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs  presented by La Quinta Mike Tirico, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters	ABC
Sun, Mar 13	1:30 a.m.	NBA Tonight Cassidy Hubbarth, Amin Elhassan	ESPN2
	3 p.m.	NBA Countdown presented by Straight Talk Wireless Sage Steele, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins	ABC
	3:30 p.m.	Cleveland Cavaliers  at Los Angeles Clippers presented by BBVA Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox Radio: Kevin Calabro, P.J. Carlesimo	ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio

 

 

More information on the ESPN networks’ NBA coverage is available online along with all of the latest NBA headlines at:

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/nba

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBAonESPN

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Networks To Offer Extensive Coverage Of The 2015 NBA Draft Presented By State Farm

Courtesy: ESPN

The 2014 – 2015 NBA season is officially in the books. But the road to the 2015 – 2016 season has already begun.

This Thursday, June 25th, ESPN will carry exclusive coverage of the 2015 NBA Draft presented by State Farm live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Coverage for this year’s draft is expected to begin at 7pm ET. This year’s broadcast marks the 13th consecutive year that ESPN has carried the draft. NBA fans that won’t be near a TV during the draft won’t have to worry about missing a minute of its coverage as they can hear all the coverage on ESPN radio and online via WatchESPN. Rece Davis will anchor this year’s broadcast. He will be joined at the desk by ESPN college basketball analyst and NBA Draft expert Jay Bilas, college basketball analyst Jay Williams, and NBA analyst Jalen Rose. Mark Kestecher will anchor ESPN Radio’s broadcast. He will be joined by Ryen Rusillo and analyst P.J. Carlesimo for additional insight and commentary.

ESPN’s coverage and insight of this year’s NBA Draft presented by State Farm doesn’t stop at the desk. ESPN NBA analyst Tom Penn will add to the network’s coverage with front office perspective while ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla have a look at international players poised to be drafted into the NBA. Heather Cox will be in the green room and Shannon Spake, new to the draft this year, will have interviews with draftees once selections are made. ESPN college basketball insiders Andy Katz and Jeff Goodman will each offer additional draft and NBA news throughout the broadcast. Brian Windhorst, Ramona Shelburne, and Chris Broussard will each be embedded with one of three teams throughout the Draft for even more coverage–Windhorst with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Shelburne with the Lakers and Broussard with the Knicks.

Leading up to the big night, ESPN2 will air a special one-hour NBA Draft preview show Wednesday night at 7pm ET. Following the Draft, ESPNU will provide Post-Draft coverage beginning at midnight. Anish Shroff, Tim Welsh, and Seth Greenberg will be on hand for commentary.

NBA fans can get more information on the ESPN networks’ coverage of the 2015 NBA Draft presented by State Farm onine at:

Website: http://www.espn.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBAonESPN

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN To Broadcast NBA Draft For 12th Consecutive Year This Thursday

Courtesy: ESPN

The NBA season is over. But that doesn’t mean that the NBA is completely done for the season. Officials with ESPN have announced that the Worldwide Leader in Sports will have exclusive coverage of the league’s annual draft this year.

The 2014 NBA Draft presented by State Farm will be broadcast live this Thursday, June 26^th on ESPN. It marks the twelfth consecutive year that ESPN has broadcasted the annual draft event. It also marks the second consecutive year that the draft has come live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Rece Davis will anchor the broadcast from ESPN’s main set. Davis will be joined by ESPN college basketball inside Jay Bilas and ESPN NBA analysts Jalen Rose and Bill Simmons.

Thursday’s live broadcast from the Barclays center will be preceded by ESPN’s NBA Draft Preview Show Wednesday, June 25^th at 7pm on ESPN2. ESPNU will also broadcast the ESPNU Draft Special each day this week from 4 – 5 and the ESPNU Draft Recap at midnight Thursday after the draft.

Throughout Thursday’s broadcast of the 2014 NBA Draft presented by State Farm, audiences will get extra in-depth analysis from ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla and ESPN NBA analyst Tom Penn. Fran Fraschilla will offer insights on international prospects. Jeff Goodman, Heather Cox, Chris Broussard, Andy Katz and Jay Williams will each have reports and interviews. Marc Kestecher will anchor ESPN Radio’s simulcast of the 2014 NBA Draft presented by State Farm. Analysts P.J. Carlesimo and Ryen Rusillo will offer extra commentary for the broadcast.

More information on Thursday’s coverage of the 2014 NBA Draft presented by State Farm is available online at http://espn.go.com/nba and http://www.facebook.com/NBAonESPN. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.