ESPN Announces Coverage of NBA Opening Week

ESPN tells us that it will be all over the start of the 2010-11. And as the Unofficial Official Network of the Miami Heat and all things LeBron James, it will feature the team on both ESPN Radio and the Mothership during Opening Week.

In addition, Hannah Storm returns to the NBA as a host of NBA Countdown. Nice to see the lovely Ms. Storm hosting once again. This is a rather long press release so we’ll require a jump break.

ESPN’s Extensive Coverage of NBA Tip-Off ’10

Heat Opener vs. Celtics on ESPN Radio; ESPN Doubleheaders Oct. 27 & 29, Including Heat Home Opener vs. Magic; Hannah Storm Joins NBA Studio Team

ESPN, Inc.’s comprehensive coverage of the 2010-11 NBA season will tip off when the Miami Heat and its new core of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh visit the Boston Celtics featuring Rajon Rondo and its own big three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen Tuesday, Oct. 26, on ESPN Radio (coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET). Jim Durham will provide play-by-play for the broadcast, part of ESPN Radio’s 26-game NBA regular-season schedule, with Hall of Famer Dr. Jack Ramsay. Additionally, Hannah Storm will host SportsCenter’s coverage from Boston with analysts Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon.

ESPN’s coverage of NBA Tip-Off ’10 will continue with doubleheaders on Wednesday, Oct. 27, and Friday, Oct. 29, highlighted by the Heat home opener against the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ESPN’s NBA Countdown pregame show (previously NBA Shootaround), with host Stuart Scott and analysts Magic Johnson, Barry and Wilbon, will be on site in Miami to preview the game at 7 p.m. The second half of the doubleheader will feature a rematch of the Western Conference Finals when the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant visit the Phoenix Suns and two-time league MVP Steve Nash.

Earlier in the week, ESPN’s Wednesday night doubleheader (Oct. 27) will showcase some of the brightest young stars in the league as the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose visit the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant at 8 p.m., followed by the L.A. Clippers, with the highly-anticipated debut of Blake Griffin, hosting the Portland Trail Blazers and Brandon Roy. NBA Countdown will preview the Wednesday night games at 7 p.m.

All four games will also be available via ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV. ESPN and ABC – the home of The Finals – will combine to deliver a 90-game flexible regular-season schedule.

ESPN’s Opening Week NBA schedule:

More of this release comes to you have the jump.
Let’s get details on the game announcers plus other plans for the NBA on ESPN this season. 

ESPN Game Commentators

ESPN’s game coverage will include the play-by-play voices of Mike Breen, Mike Tirico, Dan Shulman, Mark Jones, Dave Pasch and Terry Gannon; analysts Jackson, Van Gundy, Hubie Brown, Doris Burke, Barry and Tim Legler; and reporters Burke, Lisa Salters, Heather Cox and Ric Bucher.

Hannah Storm Joins ESPN NBA Studio Coverage
ESPN SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm will join the NBA studio team, splitting NBA Countdown hosting responsibilities with Stuart Scott this season. Storm previously was the full-time host of NBC’s NBA studio coverage from 1997-2002, which followed a five-year stint as part-time host and sideline reporter for the network.

NBA Preseason Schedule
ESPN’s preseason NBA schedule will continue with a doubleheader Friday, Oct. 22 – a prelude to the Opening Week matchup, when the Heat meet the Magic (game held in Tampa) at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors (game held in Ontario) at 10 p.m.  Mike Breen will call the Heat/Magic game with analysts Hubie Brown and Jeff Van Gundy, with Terry Gannon calling the Lakers/Warriors matchup with analyst Mark Jackson. NBA Countdown, with host Storm and analysts Jon Barry and Jalen Rose, will preview the action. 

ESPN Studio Coverage
NBA Countdown (formerly NBA Shootaround)
ESPN’s pregame show (Wednesdays and Fridays) will regularly be hosted by Scott or Storm with analysts Barry, Wilbon and Rose. 

NBA Tonight (formerly NBA Fastbreak)
The nightly highlights, news and information show – regularly airing at 1 a.m. (10 p.m. PT) on ESPN2 – will frequently be hosted by Kevin Connors or Jonathan Coachman with analysts Legler, Mashburn, Rose and Bruce Bowen. 

NBA Coast to Coast
ESPN2’s signature whiparound format show will continue to provide fans with live look-ins to games, along with analysis, news and information, generally Tuesdays throughout the season. Commentators will regularly include host Connors and analysts Legler, Mashburn and Bowen.

Reporters J.A. Adande, Chris Broussard, Bucher and Marc Stein will also contribute to ESPN studio programs. 

ESPN.com
ESPN.com’s extensive NBA content will include:

• Live coverage
  • Daily Dime Live – on game nights, the application launches at 7 p.m. on the front page of the NBA section and includes live discussion and observations on the teams and players participating from ESPN’s deep lineup of reporters, analysts and commentators
  • ESPN3.com will provide simulcasts of every NBA game airing on ESPN throughout the season
  • GameCast, ESPN’s statistical feed which provides live game information
  • Local coverage
    • ESPN has launched the Heat Index, providing in-depth coverage of the Miami Heat throughout the season
    • ESPN.com also features local sites in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York, which deliver coverage of the seven NBA franchises in those markets
    • the TrueHoop Blog Network includes 36 different blogs, providing vast NBA coverage
    • Social coverage
      • Daily Dime Live aggregates Twitter feeds from players and league executives and contains polls, photos, video and other media to enhance the experience for NBA fans
      • ESPN.com’s NBA team also maintains a Twitter feed (@NBAonESPN) and Facebook page

ESPN Classic
NBA Season Tip-Off Marathon Oct. 24
ESPN Classic will televise an NBA Marathon showcasing some of the best teams in NBA history on Sunday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. until midnight. 

The schedule (all times Eastern):

10 a.m.	1970 NBA Finals, Game 7: Lakers vs. Knicks
12 p.m.	1983 NBA Finals, Game 4: 76ers vs. Lakers
2 p.m.	1986 NBA Finals, Game 6: Rockets vs. Celtics
4 p.m.	1987 NBA Finals, Game 6: Celtics vs. Lakers
6 p.m.	1989 NBA Finals, Game 4: Pistons vs. Lakers
8 p.m.	1992 NBA Finals, Game 6: Trail Blazers vs. Bulls
10 p.m.	1996 NBA Finals, Game 6: Sonics vs. Bulls

That will do it.