Courtesy: ESPN
The ESPN networks have another busy week of basketball for this week. And it all begins this afternoon on ESPN.
ESPN and its family of networks have another week of extensive NBA coverage for fans this week. It all begins this afternoon on ESPN with another new episode of The Jump. Host Rachel Nichols will have all of the latest NBA headlines. She will be joined by Tracy McGrady and Zach Lowe for insight and commentary into each headline. That is at 3pm ET on ESPN. Doris Burke, Jalen Rose, and Chauncey Billups pick things up at 7:30pm ET on ESPN’s NBA Countdown charged by Mountain Dew. The half-hour pre-game show will come ahead of tonight’s Eastern Conference match between the Wizards and Bulls. Chicago is in last place in the Eastern Conference’s playoff race while Washington is currently out of the hunt for a spot in the post season. So both teams will be playing hard albeit for different reasons. The Spurs and Kings round out the days’ coverage in the late game. Tipoff for the game is scheduled for 10:30pm ET on ESPN. Mark Jones and Mark Jackson will have the call for the game. Sacramento is well out of the playoff race. San Antonio on the other hand currently sits second in the Western Conference behind Golden State, which currently leads the conference at 50 – 5 so far on the season.
The ESPN networks’ NBA Coverage continues Thursday night on ESPN Radio as the Thunder host the Warriors in another Western Conference matchup with major playoff implications. Oklahoma City currently sits third in the Western Conference at 40 – 16, which is well back from the conference and league–leading Warriors (50 – 5). Rachel Nichols will have a preview of Thursday night’s game on Thursday afternoon’s edition of The Jump. Raja Bell and Zach Lowe will join Nichols for the 3:30pm ET broadcast on ESPN.
ESPN’s NBA coverage returns to television Friday evening in a double header schedule. First up on the schedule is an Eastern Conference matchup between the Bulls and Hawks. Both teams will be playing for their playoff lives in Friday night’s game. Atlanta currently sits sixth overall in the Eastern Conference, two games back from the conference-leading Cavaliers. Chicago meanwhile sits last in the conference’s playoff race eleven games back from Cleveland. Mark Jones will have the call for the game. He will be joined by Doris Burke for additional commentary. Later Friday night the Grizzlies and Lakers face off in the night’s Western Conference showdown. The Lakers (11 – 47) are at the bottom of the Western conference and completely out of the playoff picture. Memphis is still in the playoff picture, sitting fifth in the conference fourteen and a half games back from Golden State. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 10:30pm ET on ESPN. Dave Pash will have the call for the game. He will be joined by Jon Barry for additional commentary. Sage Steele, Jalen Rose, and Doug Collins will lead off the evening on ESPN’s NBA Countdown at 7:30pm ET. Earlier in the afternoon Rachel Nichols, Raja Bell, and Zach Lowe will preview both of the evening’s games on The Jump. That will be at 3:30pm ET on ESPN.
Golden State and Oklahoma round out the week’s NBA coverage on the ESPN networks Saturday on NBA Primetime on ABC. The game will be simulcast on ABC and ESPN Radio with tipoff scheduled for 8:30pm ET on ABC. Mike Breen will have the call for Saturday night’s game on television. On the radio side Kevin Calabro will have the call. Breen will be joined on ABC by Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and reporter Lisa Salters. PJ Carlesimo will join Kevin Calabro on ESPN Radio’s broadcast of Saturday night’s game. Sage Steel, Jalen Rose, and Doug Collins will preview the game on NBA Countdown at 8 pm ET live on ABC. The complete schedule for this week’s NBA coverage across the ESPN networks is noted below.
| Date | Time (ET) | Telecast/Commentators | Network (s) |
| Wed, Feb 24 | 3:30 p.m. | The Jump presented by State FarmRachel Nichols, Tracy McGrady, Zach Lowe | ESPN |
| 7:30 p.m. | NBA Countdown charged by Mountain DewDoris Burke, Jalen Rose, Chauncey Billups | ESPN | |
| 8 p.m. | Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls presented by State FarmMike Breen, Jon Barry | ESPN | |
| 10:30 p.m. | San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings presented by State FarmMark Jones, Mark Jackson | ESPN | |
| Thu, Feb 25 | 1 a.m. | NBA TonightCassidy Hubbarth, Brad Daugherty | ESPN2 |
| 3:30 p.m. | The Jump presented by State FarmRachel Nichols, Raja Bell, Zach Lowe | ESPN | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City ThunderRadio: Kevin Calabro & PJ Carlesimo | ESPN Radio | |
| Fri, Feb 26 | 1 a.m. | NBA TonightCassidy Hubbarth, Bruce Bowen | ESPN2 |
| 3:30 p.m. | The Jump presented by State FarmRachel Nichols, Raja Bell, Zach Lowe | ESPN | |
| 7:30 p.m. | NBA CountdownSage Steele, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins | ESPN | |
| 8 p.m. | Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks presented by State FarmMark Jones, Doris Burke | ESPN | |
| 10:30 p.m. | Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers presented by State FarmDave Pasch, Jon Barry | ESPN | |
| Sat, Feb 27 | 1 a.m. | NBA TonightCassidy Hubbarth, Jorge Sedano | ESPN2 |
| 8 p.m. | NBA CountdownSage Steele, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins | ABC | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder presented by La QuintaMike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters
Radio: Kevin Calabro, P.J. Carlesimo |
More information on this week’s NBA coverage across the ESPN networks is available online now along with all of the latest NBA headlines at:
Website: http://espn.go.com/nba
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBAonESPN
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