The NBA Playoffs begin this weekend and ESPN/ABC will kick off things with a combined quadrupleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
It all tips off on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN when the Brooklyn Nets take on the Toronto Raptors from the Air Canada Centre with Dave Pasch, Jon Barry and Chris Broussard on the call.
ABC carries a game at 3:30 p.m. with Golden State playing the Los Angeles Clippers. Mike Breen, Howard Stern’s favorite analyst Jeff Van Gundy and Lisa Salters will be on hand at the Staples Center.
On Sunday, Breen, Van Gundy and Salters travel cross-country to Miami as the two-time defending champions Heat host the Charlotte Bobcats at 3:30 p.m. ET.
After that, ESPN’s next game will be next Friday.
Mr. Worldwide, Pitbull will be featured doing a special open which will antagonize America to no end. Also antagonizing America will be Captain Blowhard on ESPN’s NBA pregame show, but you can also mute the TV or change the channel if necessary.
Here’s the ESPN press release.
2014 NBA Playoffs to Tip Off on ABC & ESPN Saturday
Breen, Van Gundy, Salters to Call Games in L.A. & Miami within 24 Hours; ESPN & Pitbull Team Up for NBA Playoffs Broadcast Open
The 2014 NBA Playoffs will tip off on ESPN’s family of networks beginning this weekend with five Game 1 telecasts. Mike Breen, analyst Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Lisa Salters will call two Game 1’s on ABC in 24 hours, beginning with the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET The crew will then fly across country to Miami for Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. broadcast of the defending NBA Champion Heat and the Charlotte Bobcats. Both games will also be available on ESPN Radio and via the WatchABC app.
On Saturday, ESPN will televise a Game 1 tripleheader, beginning at 12:30 p.m. when the Brooklyn Nets visit the Toronto Raptors. ESPN’s coverage will return with a prime-time doubleheader, starting with the Atlanta Hawks visiting the Indiana Pacers at 7 p.m., followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Memphis Grizzlies at 9:30 p.m. For more details, please see the table below.
NBA Countdown – ABC’s and ESPN’s pre-game show – will preview both of ABC’s games this weekend, starting at 3 p.m. both days. Countdown will document the entire NBA Playoffs led by host Sage Steele and analysts Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose and Doug Collins.
ESPN & Pitbull Team Up for NBA Playoffs Broadcast Open
Latin Grammy Award-winner Pitbull will star in ESPN’s new NBA Playoffs broadcast open, which will debut on Saturday, April 19 during ABC’s and ESPN’s playoff coverage. Pitbull will be joined by several NBA superstars including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Chris Paul, Joakim Noah and Stephen Curry. The open is set to Pitbull’s chart-topping single “Timber,” with customized lyrics that capture the spirit and storylines of the NBA Playoffs.
Early schedule
Date Time (ET) Game Commentators Network(s) Sat, Apr. 19 12:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors Gm.1 Dave Pasch, Jon Barry,Chris Broussard ESPN, WatchESPN 3 p.m. NBA Countdown Sage Steele, Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins ABC, WatchABC 3:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers Gm. 1 Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters ABC, ESPN Radio, WatchABC, ESPN3 7 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers Gm. 1 Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Israel Gutierrez ESPN, WatchESPN 9:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder Gm. 1 Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Heather Cox ESPN, WatchESPN Sun, Apr. 20 3 p.m. NBA Countdown Sage Steele, Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins ABC, WatchABC 3:30 p.m. Charlotte Bobcats at Miami Heat Gm. 1 Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters ABC, ESPN Radio, WatchABC, ESPN3 Fri, Apr. 25 7 p.m. Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets Gm. 3 TBD ESPN2, WatchESPN 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards Gm. 3 TBD ESPN, WatchESPN 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers Gm. 3 TBD ESPN, WatchESPN Sat, Apr. 26 7 p.m. Miami Heat at Charlotte Bobcats Gm. 3 TBD ESPN, WatchESPN 9:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies Gm. 4 TBD ESPN, WatchESPN, ESPN Radio Sun, Apr. 27 12:30 p.m. NBA Countdown Sage Steele, Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, Doug Collins ABC, WatchABC, ESPN 1 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards Gm. 4 TBD ABC, WatchABC, ESPN3 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors Gm. 4 TBD ABC, WatchABC, ESPN Radio, ESPN3 Fri, May 2 TBD Miami Heat at Charlotte Bobcats Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD ESPN/ESPN2, WatchESPN TBD Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD ESPN/ESPN2, WatchESPN TBD San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD ESPN/ESPN2, WatchESPN TBD Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD ESPN/ESPN2, WatchESPN Sun, May 4 1 p.m. TBD ABC, WatchABC 3:30 p.m. TBD ABC, WatchABC, ESPN3 The NBA Playoffs will exclusively start and finish on ESPN’s family of networks, culminating with ABC’s exclusive presentation of The Finals on ABC, starting June 5.
That’s all.
