This from Turner Sports. After completing the 2013 MLB season, the company can now turn to its signature sport, the NBA. Heading into its 30th season of covering professional basketball, dating back to when it aired games on TBS, Turner Sports will use TNT and NBA TV to provide three straight nights of doubleheaders to tip off the 2013-14 campaign.
It all begins on Tuesday, October 29 when TNT airs Chicago at Miami (with the Heat’s Championship banner raising) and the battle of Los Angeles between the Lakers and the Clippers. TNT’s pregame show will live from New York City to begin the season.
The following night, NBA TV airs a twi-night doubleheader between Brooklyn and Cleveland, then the Lakers at Golden State.
And on TNT’s regular Thursday night timeslot, the network has the New York Knicks taking on Chicago, then Golden State facing the Clippers.
We have details of the triple doubleheader below.
Turner Sports to Launch 2013-14 NBA Season with Three Consecutive Nights of Doubleheader Action Across TNT & NBA TVSpecial Pregame Show to Feature TNT’s Inside the NBA Cast of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal Live from New York City’s Flatiron Plaza
On-Site Attraction in New York City on October 29 Featuring a Basketball Court & Viewing Area for NBA on TNT CoverageTurner Sports will officially launch NBA Tip-Off ’13, the opening week of the 2013-14 NBA regular season, with three consecutive nights of doubleheader coverage across TNT and NBA TV. Entering its 30th consecutive year of NBA coverage, TNT will open the season with a doubleheader Tuesday, Oct. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. ET when the Sports Emmy Award-winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal televise a live pregame show from Flatiron Plaza in New York City. The special NBA on TNT Opening Night 2013 telecast is part of a New York City attraction sponsored by 2K celebrating the start of the NBA season.
Following TNT’s special one-hour pre-game show, which also includes live coverage of the championship ring ceremony for the Miami Heat, TNT’s opening night doubleheader will feature the defending champion Miami Heat and LeBron James hosting the Chicago Bulls and the highly anticipated return of Derrick Rose at 8 p.m. After the Bulls/Heat matchup, TNT will feature a battle of Los Angeles with the Clippers and Chris Paul meeting the L.A. Lakers and two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash at 10:30 p.m. Marv Albert will call the Bulls/Heat telecast with analysts Steve Kerr and reporter David Aldridge, with Kevin Harlan providing play-by-play for Clippers/Lakers with analyst Reggie Miller and reporter Craig Sager.
As part of TNT and NBA TV’s comprehensive Opening Night coverage, NBA TV will televise a special edition of NBA GameTime at 6 p.m. Hosted by Matt Winer with analysts Grant Hill, Steve Smith and Chris Webber, the show will preview the upcoming season while also providing live look-ins to the event taking place in New York City.
For NBA fans in New York City, TNT’s critically-acclaimed studio show will be part of an on-site attraction open to the public. The event will take place Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Flatiron Plaza, and will feature a basketball court, NBA 2K14 video game kiosks, and a massive video board perched 30 feet above Broadway and Fifth Avenue serving as a viewing area for fans to watch the live TNT pre-game show and game coverage. Turner will team up with NBA Cares, the league’s social responsibility program, during the day’s activities to promote physical fitness and healthy living for kids and families.
In addition to the New York-based events, host Winer and analysts Hill, Webber and Smith will provide the Halftime Report for the Lakers/Clippers game, along with full post-game coverage during the Inside the NBA broadcast from Turner Studios in Atlanta.
Turner Sports’ opening week coverage will also include doubleheader action on Wednesday, Oct. 30, and Thursday, Oct. 31. NBA TV will feature the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving hosting the Brooklyn Nets with newcomers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce at 7 p.m., followed by the Lakers visiting the Golden State Warriors and sharpshooter Stephen Curry at 10:30 p.m.
TNT will round out three consecutive nights of NBA opening week doubleheaders with the Bulls hosting the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony at 8 p.m., and the Warriors visiting the Clippers at 10:30 p.m. Albert will provide the call for the Knicks/Bulls game with analyst Kerr and reporter Aldridge, with Harlan describing the Warriors/Clippers game with analyst Miller and reporter Sager.
NBA TV, jointly managed by Turner Sports and the NBA, will also televise the Bulls visiting the Philadelphia 76ers and rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. and the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant hosting the Phoenix Suns and Eric Bledsoe on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m.
TNT & NBA TV Opening Week Schedule:
Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Network Tuesday, Oct. 29 6 p.m. NBA GameTime NBA TV Matt Winer, Grant Hill, Steve Smith, Chris Webber 7 p.m. NBA on TNT Opening Night 2013 TNT Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal *Broadcast live from New York City’s Flatiron Plaza
8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat TNT Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, David Aldridge 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers vs. L.A. Lakers TNT Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Craig Sager Post-game Inside the NBA TNT Matt Winer, Grant Hill, Steve Smith, Chris Webber Wednesday, Oct. 30 6 p.m. Pregame Show NBA TV Vince Cellini, Greg Anthony, Rick Fox, Webber 7 p.m. Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA TV 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors NBA TV Thursday, Oct. 31 8 p.m. New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls TNT Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, David Aldridge 10:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors vs. L.A. Clippers TNT Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Craig Sager Post-game Inside the NBA TNT Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal
That will do it.
