List of NBA Finals broadcasters

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The following is a list of the television networks and announcers that have broadcast NBA Finals games over the years.

Contents 1 2000s 1.1 Notes 2 1990s 2.1 Notes 3 1980s 3.1 Notes 4 1970s 4.1 Notes 5 1960s 5.1 Notes 6 1950s 7 Broadcasters 8 See also

[edit] 2000s

Year	Network	Play-by-play commentator	Color analyst(s)	Sideline reporter(s)	Studio host	Studio analyst(s)	Trophy presentation
2008	ABC	Mike Breen	Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy	Michele Tafoya	Stuart Scott	Michael Wilbon, Jon Barry and Magic Johnson	Stuart Scott
2007	ABC	Mike Breen	Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy	Michele Tafoya and Stuart Scott	Dan Patrick	Michael Wilbon, Jon Barry and Grant Hill	Dan Patrick
2006	ABC	Mike Breen	Hubie Brown	Lisa Salters and Stuart Scott	Dan Patrick	Mark Jackson and Michael Wilbon	Dan Patrick
2005	ABC	Al Michaels	Hubie Brown	Michele Tafoya and Stuart Scott	Mike Tirico	Bill Walton and Greg Anthony	Mike Tirico
2004	ABC	Al Michaels	Doc Rivers	Michele Tafoya and Stuart Scott	Mike Tirico	Tom Tolbert and Byron Scott	Mike Tirico
2003	ABC	Brad Nessler	Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert	Michele Tafoya and Stuart Scott	Mike Tirico	Sean Elliott and guest analysts	Mike Tirico
2002	NBC	Marv Albert	Bill Walton and Steve Jones	Jim Gray and Lewis Johnson	Bob Costas	Tom Tolbert	Ahmad Rashad
2001	NBC	Marv Albert	Doug Collins	Jim Gray and Lewis Johnson	Ahmad Rashad	Kevin Johnson and P.J. Carlesimo	Ahmad Rashad
2000	NBC	Bob Costas	Doug Collins	Jim Gray and Ahmad Rashad	Hannah Storm	Bill Walton, Steve Jones, and Isiah Thomas	Ahmad Rashad

     Expected announcer, subject to change.

[edit] Notes

• 2007:The finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers was the lowest rated NBA finals ever (6.2 percent rating over four games).
• 2006: Lisa Salters was the main sideline reporter alongside Stuart Scott with Michele Tafoya on maternity leave. She was the main ABC sideline reporter for that season before sliding back to secondary reporter with Tafoya's return.
• 2003: The series between the San Antonio Spurs and the New Jersey Nets was the lowest rated NBA Final (6.5 percent over six games) until 2007.

[edit] 1990s

v • d • e 1990s NBA Finals broadcasters
Year	TV	Play by play	Color	Sideline	Pregame host	Pregame analysts	Trophy presentation
1999	NBC	Bob Costas	Doug Collins	Ahmad Rashad and Jim Gray	Hannah Storm	Isiah Thomas, John Salley and Peter Vescey	Ahmad Rashad
1998	NBC	Bob Costas	Doug Collins and Isiah Thomas	Ahmad Rashad and Jim Gray	Hannah Storm	Bill Walton, John Salley and Peter Vescey	Ahmad Rashad
1997	NBC	Marv Albert	Matt Guokas and Bill Walton	Ahmad Rashad and Jim Gray	Hannah Storm	Julius Erving, Steve Jones and Peter Vescey	Ahmad Rashad
1996	NBC	Marv Albert	Matt Guokas and Bill Walton	Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm	Bob Costas	Julius Erving, Steve Jones and Peter Vescey	Ahmad Rashad
1995	NBC	Marv Albert	Matt Guokas and Bill Walton	Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm	Bob Costas	Julius Erving, Steve Jones and Peter Vescey	Bob Costas
1994	NBC	Marv Albert	Matt Guokas	Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm	Bob Costas	Julius Erving, Bill Walton and Peter Vescey	Bob Costas
1993	NBC	Marv Albert	Mike Fratello and Magic Johnson	Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm	Bob Costas	Julius Erving, Bill Walton and Peter Vescey	Bob Costas
1992	NBC	Marv Albert	Mike Fratello and Magic Johnson	Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm	Bob Costas	Julius Erving, Quinn Buckner and Peter Vescey	Bob Costas
1991	NBC	Marv Albert	Mike Fratello	Ahmad Rashad and Steve Jones	Bob Costas	Pat Riley, Quinn Buckner and Peter Vescey	Bob Costas
1990	CBS	Dick Stockton	Hubie Brown	James Brown	Pat O'Brien	None	Pat O'Brien

[edit] Notes

• 1998:The finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz was the highest rated NBA finals ever (18.7 percent rating over six games).
• 1994: During Game 5 (June 17, 1994) most NBC affiliates (with the noted exception being WNBC-TV out of New York) split the coverage of the game between NFL Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson's low speed freeway chase with the LAPD. Bob Costas (NBC's anchor for NBA Finals coverage) said during the telecast from Madison Square Garden that the Simpson situation was "not just tragic but now surreal."
• 1992: Magic Johnson helped call Games 1, 4, and 5; Hannah Storm was the first female sportscaster to work an NBA Finals for national television.
• 1993: Magic Johnson was unavailable for Game 6 (the series clincher) because he was attending his brother Larry's wedding.

[edit] 1980s

v • d • e 1980's NBA Finals broadcasters
Year	TV	Play by play	Color	Sideline	Pregame host	Pregame analysts	Trophy presentation
1989	CBS	Dick Stockton	Hubie Brown	Pat O'Brien and James Brown	Brent Musburger	N/A	Brent Musburger
1988	CBS	Dick Stockton	Billy Cunningham	Pat O'Brien and James Brown	Brent Musburger	N/A	Brent Musburger
1987	CBS	Dick Stockton	Tom Heinsohn	Pat O'Brien and James Brown	Brent Musburger	N/A	Brent Musburger
1986	CBS	Dick Stockton	Tom Heinsohn	Pat O'Brien	Brent Musburger	Julius Erving Moses Malone	Brent Musburger
1985	CBS	Dick Stockton	Tom Heinsohn	Pat O'Brien	Brent Musburger	N/A	Brent Musburger
1984	CBS	Dick Stockton	Tom Heinsohn	Pat O'Brien	Brent Musburger	Kevin Loughery	Brent Musburger
1983	CBS	Dick Stockton	Bill Russell	Pat O'Brien	Brent Musburger	Kevin Loughery	Brent Musburger
1982	CBS	Dick Stockton	Bill Russell	Pat O'Brien	Brent Musburger	N/A	Dick Stockton
1981	CBS	Gary Bender	Bill Russell and Rick Barry	Rod Hundley	Brent Musburger	N/A	Rod Hundley
1980	CBS	Brent Musburger	Rod Hundley and Bill Russell	Rick Barry	N/A		Rick Barry

[edit] Notes

• 1989: Pat O'Brien was the pre-game and halftime host for Game 2 because Brent Musburger was on assignment.
• 1987: James Brown was the sideline reporter for Game 4 (the Magic junior skyhook game) because Pat O'Brien attended the birth of son Sean Patrick. O'Brien called Games 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
• 1982: Every game of the NBA Finals was broadcast live and its been that way every since.
• 1981: The series between the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets was the lowest rated NBA Final in history (6.7 rating over six games), until the 2003 NBA Finals drew only 6.5 percent of American television households.
• From 1979-1981, CBS aired weekday NBA Finals games on tape delay. Games were televised after the late local news (11:30 p.m.) in the CBS Late Movie time slot.

[edit] 1970s

v • d • e 1970's NBA Finals broadcasters
Year	TV	Play by play	Color	Sideline	Pregame host	Pregame analysts	Trophy presentation
1979	CBS	Brent Musburger	Rick Barry and Rod Hundley	N/A	N/A
1978	CBS	Brent Musburger	Rick Barry and John Havlicek	N/A	N/A
1977	CBS	Brent Musburger	Rick Barry and Steve Jones	N/A	N/A
1976	CBS	Brent Musburger	Mendy Rudolph and Rick Barry	Sonny Hill	N/A		Mendy Rudolph
1975	CBS	Brent Musburger	Oscar Robertson	N/A	N/A
1974	CBS	Pat Summerall	Rick Barry and Rod Hundley	N/A	N/A
1973	ABC	Keith Jackson	Bill Russell	N/A	N/A
1972	ABC	Keith Jackson	Bill Russell	N/A	N/A
1971	ABC	Chris Schenkel	Jack Twyman	N/A	N/A
1970	ABC	Chris Schenkel	Jack Twyman	N/A	Howard Cosell	N/A	Howard Cosell

[edit] Notes

• 1970: - The first NBA Final to be nationally televised in full.

[edit] 1960s

v • d • e 1960's NBA Finals broadcasters
Year	TV	Games	Play by play	Color	Sideline	Pregame host	Pregame analysts	Trophy presentation
1969	ABC	3, 5-7	Chris Schenkel	Jack Twyman	N/A	N/A
	Synd.	4	Bob Wolff	Ed McCauley
1968	ABC	1, 4	Chris Schenkel	Jack Twyman	N/A	N/A
1967	ABC	2, 5	Chris Schenkel	Jack Twyman	N/A	N/A
1966	ABC	1, 5	Chris Schenkel	Bob Cousy	N/A	N/A
	Synd.	7	Bob Wolff	Jack Twyman
1965	ABC	1, 5	Chris Schenkel	Bob Cousy	N/A	N/A
1964	No national coverage
1963	No national coverage
1962	NBC	1, 2	Bob Wolff	Bud Palmer	N/A	N/A
1961	NBC	1, 3, 4	Lindsey Nelson	Bud Palmer	N/A	N/A
1960	NBC	1, 3-4, 7	Lindsey Nelson	Curt Gowdy	N/A	N/A

[edit] Notes

• 1969 - Game 7 was televised by ABC in prime time.
• For the majority of the 1960s, ABC only televised Sunday afternoon games, including the playoffs. ABC was not did not have to televise a potential NBA Finals deciding game if it occurred on a weeknight.
• 1962 - All of the games from Boston were televised in Los Angeles on Channel 9 (then called KHJ-TV) with Chick Hearn on play-by-play. For Game 7, Jack Drees joined the broadcast team. In addition, Chick Hearn indicated that Game 7 was being syndicated around the nation to a variety of cities.

[edit] 1950s

v • d • e 1950's NBA Finals broadcasters
Year	TV	Games	Play by play	Color	Sideline	Pregame host	Pregame analysts	Trophy presentation
1959	NBC	1, 2	Lindsey Nelson	Curt Gowdy	N/A	N/A
1958	NBC	1	Lindsey Nelson	Curt Gowdy	N/A	N/A
1957	NBC	1, 7	Lindsey Nelson	Curt Gowdy	N/A	N/A
1956	NBC	1	Lindsey Nelson	Curt Gowdy	N/A	N/A
1955	NBC	2, 6	Marty Glickman	Lindsey Nelson	N/A	N/A
1954	DuMont	2, 5	Marty Glickman	Lindsey Nelson	N/A	N/A

[edit] Broadcasters

• DuMont: 1953-1954
• NBC: 1954 - 1962
• ABC: 1962 - 1973
• CBS: 1973 - 1990
• NBC: 1990 - 2002
• ABC: 2002 - present

[edit] See also

• NBA on ABC
• NBA on NBC
• NBA on CBS
• NBA on DuMont
• NBA on TNT
• NBA on TBS
• ESPN National Basketball Association coverage
  • NBA Wednesday
  • NBA Friday
• NBA on USA
• List of NBA Eastern Conference Final broadcasters
• List of NBA Western Conference Final broadcasters
• List of National Basketball Association All-Star Game broadcasters

v • d • e NBA Finals
Broadcasters • O'Brien Trophy • Most Valuable Player Award • Brown Trophy • WNBA Finals • List of champions
1940s								1947	1948	1949
1950s	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
1960s	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
1970s	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
1980s	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
1990s	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
2000s	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009

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