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 5th 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
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