Coverage NBA on TNT

1 coverage

1.1 overview
1.2 studio team
1.3 playoff coverage

1.3.1 2000–2002
1.3.2 since 2003


1.4 canadian coverage

coverage
overview

tnt airs many of nba s marquee games (the nba all-star game, full conference final, opening night games, , vast majority of playoff games). in recent years, fans have reckoned nbc during network s coverage of league. tnt seem nba s preferred carrier well; 2003 2005, tnt aired conference final interest national media (spurs-mavericks in 2003, lakers-wolves in 2004 , pistons-heat in 2005). tnt airs of big games during regular season (tnt aired lakers-heat game third straight year in 2007), , tnt studio content streamed nba.com via tnt overtime section.

studio team

ernie johnson jr. has been tnt s nba studio host since 1990-1991 season. currently, johnson joined kenny jet smith, charles barkley, , shaquille o neal. nba postgame show features four, inside nba, has gained popularity in recent years chemistry , banter have. occasionally, johnson, o neal, smith , barkley joined chris webber, kevin mchale, david aldridge or reggie miller.

playoff coverage

tnt s playoff coverage nicknamed 40 games in 40 nights. in previous years, tnt , tbs aired doubleheaders opposite each other on each night of first round of playoffs, 1 network airing doubleheader @ 7:00 p.m. , 9:30 p.m. , other network airing doubleheader @ 8:00 p.m. , 10:30 p.m. (all times eastern).

tnt carries exclusive coverage of 1 nba conference final. since 2004 nba playoffs, tnt has aired eastern conference finals in odd-number years , western conference finals in even-number years, pattern continue until expiration of television contract. espn airs other conference final, weekend coverage of espn-covered series , finals being broadcast on abc.

for first round, tnt s coverage of playoffs not exclusive; regional sports networks can still carry local call , presentation of team s games. after first round, national coverage tnt or espn/abc produced.

2000–2002

starting in 2000, nba spread out playoff series 2 series play per day (so avoid tnt , tbs competing ratings). tnt air doubleheaders on weekdays, while tbs air 1 doubleheader per week (in 2002, tbs aired doubleheaders every tuesday night of playoffs until conference finals).

since 2003

with advent of new nba television deal in 2003 (which ended tbs s coverage), tnt has aired playoff games alone, including (in 2003 only) weekday tripleheaders. tripleheaders, criticized both fans , many in media, consisted of 1 game @ 6:00 p.m., @ 8:30 p.m., , final game @ 11:00 p.m. after 2003, nba , tnt discontinued tripleheaders, instead settling doubleheader on tnt , single game on nba tv simultaneously. however, when turner sports acquired nba tv in 2008, network abandoned airing lone non-national thursday game, instead leaving local sports networks. however, tbs may still air start of second game in case ongoing first game on tnt extends beyond tip-off time of second game.

nba on tnt logo 2005–2008

other regular thursday schedule, tnt airs nba regular season games on martin luther king day, during tripleheaders still used. however, in 2011, espn opted air 1 matinee game on mlk day, , nba tv on second matinee, leaving tnt air remaining 2 night games. in 2008, tnt broadcast on christmas day first time marv albert, mike fratello , craig sager broadcast game between washington wizards , cleveland cavaliers in quicken loans arena , kevin harlan, reggie miller , cheryl miller broadcast game between dallas mavericks , portland trail blazers in rose garden. tnt broadcast on christmas day again in 2011, when broadcast game between boston celtics , new york knicks @ madison square garden, first game of 2011–12 season, result of lockout. albert (himself former knicks broadcaster) , steve kerr called game.

due tnt s part in coverage of ncaa men s division basketball tournament beginning in march 2011, league shifted on have been thursday night games in third week of month monday nights , aired part of espn s coverage instead. in addition, nba tv s fan night games gave way tnt on select tuesday nights.

normally studio crew of ernie johnson, kenny smith , charles barkley stay in tnt atlanta studios of regular season , first 2 rounds of playoffs. however, in 2010-11 nba season studio crew started taking pre-game, halftime , inside nba shows on road in regular season, select games involving miami heat on tnt, due heightened media coverage surrounding heat s acquisitions of lebron james , chris bosh. substitute studio hosts on hand inside nba , other game s pre-game , halftime presentations; crew consists of matt winer, chris webber , kevin mchale.

variation of previous nba on tnt logo glossy finish, 2008 until 2015

on may 11, 2011, turner sports (this includes tbs) broadcast 1,000th playoff telecast.

in july 2011, announced shaquille o neal join analyst , signed multi-year agreement.

for 2012–13 season, charles barkley filled in game analyst select games. during studio absences, chris webber served interim studio analyst. on april 11, 2013, tnt experimented three-man booth, without play-by-play announcer, game between warriors , thunder. 2014-15 season, tnt updated graphics package.

for 2015-16 season, nba , turner sports partnered nextvr stream warriors vs. pelicans, first-ever game broadcast live in virtual reality.

for 2016-17 season, tnt announced air new series of monday-night doubleheaders during later half of season, beginning on january 16, 2017. monday night games february 27 march 27 branded players broadcasts, featuring former nba players , without traditional play-by-play announcer. additionally, tnt announced hold road show tour in various cities throughout season, feature fan experiences , festivities, , live broadcast of inside nba on-location. tour begin in cleveland outside quicken loans arena, host of tnt s opening night game featuring cleveland cavaliers.

the previous nba on tnt logo, before tnt s network logo change, used until 2016


canadian coverage

tnt shows regular-season games of toronto raptors, nba s lone non-united states-based franchise, because toronto market lies outside network s saleable broadcast zone (tnt not available in canada, , canadian viewership not affect tnt s u.s. ratings if available in country case many other american networks available in canada). 2016 nba all-star game toronto televised on tnt.

virtually tnt games, regular season or postseason, simulcast in canada via tsn/tsn2, sportsnet/sportsnet one, or nba tv canada, including studio team coverage. however, tnt coverage of raptors postseason games not aired in favour of team-produced coverage, has been case raptors games in canada since 2000s (decade).