NBA on ABC

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The NBA on ABC is a TV show that telecasts NBA games on ABC Sports since Christmas Day 2002. It replaced The NBA on NBC, who held the rights to televise the NBA from 1990 to 2002. ABC along with ESPN will reportedly pay an average of about $400 million a season for a six year long contract.

Game Coverage

Overview

The amount of Sunday afternoon regular season games that ABC normally covers is significantly lower than its predecessor NBC. In its first season of coverage, ABC aired 14 regular season games, in comparison to NBC's yearly average of 33 games. That number improved to 18 games in the next two seasons, and 20 games in the 2005-2006 season. In addition, unlike NBC or NBC's predecessor CBS, ABC doesn't televise the NBA All Star Game (instead, going to TNT). Also unlike the other networks, ABC rarely televises either of the NBA's Conference Finals series. Each year, TNT will air one Conference Final exclusively (the Western Conference Finals in 2003, 2004 and 2006, and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2005), while ESPN will get the other. In 2003 and 2005, ABC split Conference Finals telecasts with ESPN, airing games 1 and 3 of the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals, and Games 1 and 4 of the 2005 Western Conference Finals.

Outside of the Conference Finals, ABC generally airs playoff games throughout the first five weeks of the NBA Playoffs, in addition to a number of special primetime playoff games, ususally televised on Thursday nights. In 2005, ABC aired the first non-cable NBA Memorial Day game in three years, when the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs battled in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Prior to the most recent NBA TV deal, Memorial Day playoff games had become a yearly tradition on network TV.

Unlike previous broadcast partners, ABC has never aired a non-Christmas regular season game after 3:30 PM. While NBC had several 5:30 PM start times for games, ABC has only gone beyond that time on Christmas, and for select playoff games. On March 20, 2005, ABC aired a pair of games regionally at 3:30 PM. When one ended, the network did not switch the audience to the other game (which was 94-91 late in the fourth quarter). Instead, viewers were sent to their local news. NBC rarely committed this practice, instead sending viewers of the completed game to view the end of the one still in progress.

Graphics

In its first year of coverage, ABC used the exact same graphics as partner ESPN. This habit had already been put into practice by the network in regards to their NHL and college basketball coverage. However, ABC did have their own graphics (though similar to ESPN's at the time) for college football and other sports. For the 2003-04 season, ABC established new graphics for the NBA, in an effort to differentiate their telecasts from ESPN's.

Common Complaints

A common complaint about ABC and ESPN televised games are camera angles which appear too far away, and colors which seem faded and dull compared to TNT's. Also, unlike NBC, which allowed crowd noise to sometimes drown out their announcers, ABC quiets crowd noise on their telecasts. Some find this takes the energy out of telecasts. There have also been several complaints about ABC's lack of promotion of the NBA. While the network airs several advertisements for their entertainment programming during the NBA, they air little to no advertisements for NBA programming during their entertainment shows.

Pregame Show

Unlike NBC's NBA studio show, which was known as NBA Showtime for all twelve years of its existence, ABC's studio has been without much consistency. It has gone through four names in four seasons, and several anaylsts in each season. For the 2005-06 season, the pregame show will be known as NBA Nation. Each season, the show has been sponsored by GMC, with exception of the Finals, where it is sponsored by Chevrolet. While Mike Tirico has hosted the majority of pregame shows, he has been filled in for on occasion by John Saunders.

NBA Shootaround

(25 December, 2002 - 15 June, 2003) Initially, ABC's NBA pregame show was known as NBA Shootaround, and shared virtually the same graphics and music as the ESPN pregame show of the same name. The program was hosted by Mike Tirico, with analysts Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert. Unlike most network pregame shows, Shootaround did not take place in a studio, and instead traveled to a different site each week (much like ESPN's College Gameday). Starting with Game 1 of the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals, Walton was replaced in the pregame show by Sean Elliot. Tolbert was dropped from the pregame show starting with Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Tirico and Elliot were joined by a guest analyst for each game of the Finals.

NBA Hangtime

(25 December, 2003 - 25 December, 2004) After bad ratings in the 2002-03 season, ABC retooled much of its NBA coverage. This included its pregame show, which was rebranded NBA Hangtime, and moved into the network's Times Square studios. The pregame show was given new music and graphics, to differentiate itself from its ESPN counterpart, and was still hosted by Mike Tirico. Tom Tolbert was brought back as an analyst, but ABC dropped Bill Walton from pregame show duties. He was replaced by George Karl. After criticism from the media on Karl's lack of opinion during the program, ABC replaced him on February 22, 2004 with former New Jersey Nets coach Byron Scott. NBA Hangtime lasted through the 2003-04 season, and continued on Christmas Day, 2004, prior to the much hyped Los Angeles Lakers-Miami Heat game. This telecast was the only NBA Hangtime to involve analysts, Steve Jones and Bill Walton.

NBA Game Time

(8 January, 2005 - 23 June, 2005) For most of the 2004-05 season, ABC's pregame show was known as NBA Game Time. Like Hangtime, it originated from the network's Times Square studios, and was once more hosted by Mike Tirico. Tirico was re-joined by Bill Walton in the studio, and Walton's old broadcast partner from NBC, Steve Jones. Tom Tolbert was dropped, while Byron Scott and George Karl both returned to the NBA. Game Time, unlike its predecessors, included guest analysts, such as Baron Davis, Jalen Rose, Rick Fox, and Bill Russell. During the 2005 Western Conference Finals, Steve Jones fell ill with appendicitis, and was later replaced for the NBA Finals by ESPN analyst Greg Anthony.

NBA Nation

(25 December, 2005 -) Starting on Christmas Day, 2005, ABC's pregame show will undergo yet another transformation. It will adopt the former name of the ESPN2 Tuesday night NBA studio show, and be known as NBA Nation. For the fourth consecutive year, Mike Tirico will be the host. He will be joined by Scottie Pippen. Other details are unknown.

Sites Where Pregame Show Has Taken Place

San Antonio, TX
- (23 March 2003, 4 June 2003, 6 June 2003, 15 June 2003, 9 June 2005, 12 June 2005, 21 June 2005, 23 June 2005)
Los Angeles, CA
- (25 December 2002, 9 March 2003, 27 April 2003, 11 May 2003, 15 May 2003, 6 June 2004, 8 June 2004, 25 December 2004)
Detroit, MI
- (18 May 2003, 10 June 2004, 13 June 2004, 15 June 2004, 14 June 2005, 16 June 2005, 19 June 2005)
East Rutherford, NJ
- (8 June 2003, 11 June 2003, 13 June 2003)
Minneapolis, MN
- (30 March 2003, 20 April 2003)
Sacramento, CA
- (16 February 2003, 16 March 2003)
Dallas, TX
- (4 January 2003)
Washington, DC
- (23 February 2003)
New York City, NY
- (9 March 2003)
Philadelphia, PA
- (6 April 2003)
Portland, OR
- (13 April 2003)

Pregame Show Analysts

Tom Tolbert (2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons)
Bill Walton (2002-03 and 2004-05 seasons)
Sean Elliott (2003 Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals)
George Karl (2003-04 season)
Byron Scott (2003-04 season)
Steve Jones (2004-05 season)
Greg Anthony (2005 NBA Finals)
Scottie Pippen (2005-06 season)

Announcing Teams

2002-03 - Nessler, Tolbert and Walton

For the 2002-03 season, ABC hired veteran broadcaster Brad Nessler to be the lead NBA play-by-play man. Nessler was to be joined by Bill Walton in a two-man booth. The team did two broadcasts together before network brass decided that Walton needed a partner (much like he had at NBC with Steve Jones) and assigned pregame analyst Tom Tolbert to join the team. Nessler, Walton and Tolbert broadcast most regular season games, and every network playoff game. Other games were broadcast by the team of Brent Musburger and Sean Elliott. After the worst ratings in NBA Finals history, low ratings overall, and harsh criticism, ABC decided to retool the team.

2003-04 - Al and Doc

After disasterous ratings in the 2003 NBA Finals, ABC decided to completely revamp their lead NBA broadcast team. Brad Nessler was demoted to the second broadcast team, where he was joined by Sean Elliott and Dan Majerle. Tom Tolbert was relegated to pregame show duties only, and Bill Walton was removed from ABC NBA coverage altogether (he remained with ESPN). Meanwhile, longtime Monday Night Football commentator (and unofficial "Voice of ABC Sports") Al Michaels was hired to replace Nessler as lead broadcaster of the NBA.

For the first several weeks of the 2003-04 season, Michaels had no partner. However, Doc Rivers, a critically acclaimed analyst when he worked with Turner Sports, became available after a 1-19 start by his Orlando Magic. Rivers was hired weeks before ABC's Christmas Day season opener. He and Michaels worked that game together, one of only six they did together during the regular season (all other games Rivers worked were with Brad Nessler). During the playoffs, the team worked every single telecast, including the 2004 NBA Finals, which saw great improvement in television ratings.

During the 2004 NBA Playoffs, Doc Rivers was hired by the Boston Celtics. Though Rivers continued to work games with Al Michaels throughout the rest of the playoffs, ABC would have to find a new lead analyst for the 2004-05 season. In addition, the network dropped Brad Nessler from all NBA coverage, and did not retain Sean Elliott or Dan Majerle.

2004-05 - Al and Hubie

Early in the 2004-05 season, ABC found a new partner for Al Michaels. Memphis Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown, a broadcasting legend with CBS, TBS and TNT, was forced into retirement due to health reasons and was soon after hired to replace Doc Rivers. Michaels and Brown began their partnership on Christmas Day, 2004, working the highly anticipated Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant game. After that game, the two did not do a game together again until March of 2005. Michaels became sporadic in NBA coverage, doing two games in Early March, and then three more games in April. Brown worked every week of ABC's coverage, broadcasting some games with veteran broadcaster Mike Breen.

In addition to Hubie Brown, ABC added other known analysts to its NBA coverage. Jim Durham and Dr. Jack Ramsay both worked several games during the regular season, while Brent Musburger, John Saunders, Len Elmore, and Mark Jackson were involved with others. Mike Breen and Dr. Jack Ramsay were the first secondary broadcast team to work a playoff game for ABC. Breen called three playoff games for the network in 2005, the most notable being Game One of the Western Conference Finals with Hubie Brown. Al Michaels received criticism from the New York Post for not broadcasting the game and seeming disinterested with the NBA in general. Michaels, who had only broadcast a combined twelve regular season games with ABC (with all but one of those games airing from either Los Angeles, where he resides when not sportscasting, or Sacramento), did return for the NBA Finals, which scored its second lowest rating of all time.

2005-06

For the 2005-06 season, Al Michaels and Hubie Brown will remain as ABC's number one broadcast team. For the secondary broadcast team, ABC will reunite Bill Walton and Steve Jones for game coverage. Walton and Jones will work the Christmas Day, 2005 broadcast between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons for ABC, the first game they've called together since Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals for NBC. The pair will work with Mike Breen or Brent Musburger.

More on Al Michaels

In his recent deal with Disney, where he agreed to become ESPN's lead broadcaster for Monday Night Football, Al Michaels failed to renew his NBA contract, meaning that he could possibly drop his broadcasting duties altogether. However, in an interview with The Sports Network, Michaels says that he will continue his duties as an NBA broadcaster. As mentioned before, Michaels has broadcast twelve total regular season games, and only one outside of California. From March 7, 2004 to April 17, 2005, including playoff games, each game Michaels called involved either the Lakers or Kings (a total of 21 consecutive games). This is likely to change during the 2005-06 season, as there are no ABC scheduled games in Sacramento, and only three in Los Angeles.

List of Broadcast Teams by # of Games Called

21 - Brad Nessler, Bill Walton & Tom Tolbert
19 - Al Michaels & Hubie Brown
17 - Al Michaels & Doc Rivers
7 - Mike Breen & Hubie Brown
6 - Mike Breen & Len Elmore
6 - Brad Nessler & Doc Rivers
5 - Brad Nessler, Sean Elliot & Dan Majerlie
4 - Brent Musburger & Sean Elliot
4 - Jim Durham & Dr. Jack Ramsay
2 - Mike Breen & Dr. Jack Ramsay
2 - Brad Nessler & Bill Walton
1 - Brent Musburger, Sean Elliot & Dan Majerlie
1 - Mike Breen & Bill Walton
1 - John Saunders & Mark Jackson
1 - Brent Musburger & Dr. Jack Ramsay

TV Ratings

2003 NBA Finals

During its twelve year run on NBC, the NBA never received a Championship Series TV rating lower than a 10.0. In 2003, thanks in part to a playoff schedule in which the Finals began nearly a week after the Conference Finals ended, ratings for the series between the San Antonio Spurs and the New Jersey Nets plunged to a record-low 6.5. Many attributed the drop to a relatively superstar-free Finals, which involved two small markets. In addition, unlike previous NBA Finals, games routinely began at 8:30 PM Eastern Time, nearly forty-five minutes earlier than normal.

2004 NBA Finals

In 2004, ratings for the Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons went up significantly right from the start, helped largely by the presence of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. As the series went on, and the heavily-favored Lakers were toppled by the underdog Pistons, ratings gained momentum, eventually topping out at an 11.5 overall average, the best Finals rating since 2001. Some reasons for the improved ratings, in addition to the prescence of the star-studded Lakers, include the fact that the NBA pushed the games' start times back to 9:00 PM Eastern Time. Also, games were shifted from the traditional Wednesday-Friday-Sunday rotation to a Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday rotation, eliminating games airing on low-rated Friday nights. Commercial promotion was ramped up for the 2004 Finals as well. Whereas the 2003 Finals received very little fanfare on ABC or corporate partner ESPN, the 2004 Finals were promoted heavily on both networks.

2005 NBA Finals

While the 2004 Finals showed improvement for ABC, the 2005 Finals sank back towards record-low levels. The series between the previous two champions, the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, was widely panned by the media as a slow, boring, defensive-minded series without any captivating stars. The series got off to a shaky start, with four consecutive blowouts, and ratings below double digits in every game. Games 5, 6 and 7 stemmed the tide, with each game garnering a double-digit rating, including an 11.9 rating for Game 7. Overall, ratings for the series averaged an 8.2, the second-lowest rating in league history. Many in the media and the viewing public complained that games in the 2005 Finals began too late, making it almost impossible for those on the East Coast to view the end.

Trivia

Team Appearances

The San Antonio Spurs have appeared on ABC thirty-five times, the most of any other team. The Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons follow with thirty-four and twenty-eight appearances, respectively. The Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz have never appeared on ABC, whereas the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics have appeared on the network every year of its coverage.

One thing to note is that they only televise teams with a lot of fan support outside its area, and those that do very well in the league.

Music

In its inaugural season of NBA coverage, ABC hired Robert Randolph and the Family Band to create their theme song. The network built their slogan around the song "We Got Hoops" and used it as game music for the Christmas Day, 2002 and January 4, 2003 telecasts. Beginning with their February 16, 2003 doubleheader, ABC dropped the theme, with the exception of marketing and commericals, and replaced it with a more traditional sports theme song.

For 2003-04, ABC dropped their new theme, leaving it to ESPN, and replaced it with a song written specially for the network by Justin Timberlake. Can't Get Enough premiered as the NBA on ABC theme song on Christmas Day, 2003, with several commericals in the weeks leading up to the game featuring Timberlake himself. On the Christmas Day telecast, Timberlake was actually featured in the network's introductory montage. However, footage of him was removed from the intro for all subsequent telecasts. As the season went on, Can't Get Enough was gradually fased out. For the 2004 NBA Playoffs, ABC and ESPN both used the song Let's Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas prominently in television commericals. During the time between the NBA semifinals and the NBA Finals, where ABC didn't air an NBA game for two weeks, the network used a long version of the song during several Stanley Cup Finals games to promote the upcoming NBA Finals. For the Finals, ABC used Let's Get It Started as their theme music.

In the lead-up to the heavily hyped Los Angeles Lakers-Miami Heat game on Christmas Day, 2004, ABC used a modified version of the Jackson 5's ABC in their advertisements. For the game itself, ABC used the Destiny's Child song Lose My Breath as the music for their introductory montage. The network then proceded to use that song for every regular season game the rest of the season. Starting on May 14, 2005, prior to a Saturday night playoff telecast between the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat, ABC began using Rob Thomas's song This is How a Heart Breaks as the music for the opening montage. They aired the song prior to every telecast the rest of the way.

Unlike predecessors CBS and NBC, or competitor TNT, ABC and ESPN use a heavy amount of hip-hop and heavy metal music during pregame montages. In its first season televising the NBA, ABC used some music which contained expletives, censoring the words for audiences (for instance, the January 4, 2003 telecast between the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers, in which ABC used the Ludacris song Move Bitch and censored expletives by using the sound of dogs barking). For their February 23, 2003 telecast featuring the Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards, ABC used the Nas song Made You Look, which makes several, if veiled, references to gun usage. Since 2002-03, ABC has significantly toned down music that may be considered extreme, using tamer hip-hop fare such as Lets Get it Started more recently.

ABC's current NBA game theme is called Fast Break, by NON-STOP Music. It is the third game theme the network has had, dating back to 2002-03.

Sponsorships

During the 2004 NBA Playoffs, ABC and ESPN's telecasts were heavily sponsored by the feature film, The Day After Tomorrow. During the 2005 NBA Playoffs, games were sponsored by XXX: State of the Union and, during the Finals, Fantastic Four.

Previous History

This isn't the first time that ABC has covered the NBA. From 1965 up until 1973 (when CBS took over) ABC was the prime TV carrier of the NBA. The original NBA on ABC featured commentators such as play-by-play men Keith Jackson and Chris Schenkel and color commentators Jack Twyman, Bob Cousy, and Bill Russell. On April 8, 1967 Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers was played. What made the day so unique was that the men who were calling the game were ABC Sports producer Chuck Howard and director Chet Forte, who filled-in due to an AFTRA strike.

Games Televised

(R) denotes regionally televised game

2002-2003 Season

Boston Celtics at New Jersey Nets, 12/25/02
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers, 12/25/02
Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks, 1/4/03
Philadelphia 76ers at New Jersey Nets, 2/16/03
San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings, 2/16/03
Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards, 2/23/03
Washington Wizards at New York Knicks, 3/9/03
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers, 3/9/03
Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings, 3/16/03
Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs, 3/23/03
Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves, 3/30/03
Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics, 4/6/03
Sacramento Kings at Philadelphia 76ers, 4/6/03
Los Angeles Lakers at Portland Trailblazers, 4/13/03
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves, 4/20/03 (Game 1, First Round)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/27/03 (Game 4, First Round)
Portland Trailblazers at Dallas Mavericks, 5/4/03 (Game 7, First Round)
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 5/11/03 (Game 4, Semifinals)
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 5/15/03 (Game 6, Semifinals)
New Jersey Nets at Detroit Pistons, 5/18/03 (Game 1, East Finals)
Detroit Pistons at New Jersey Nets, 5/22/03 (Game 3, East Finals)
New Jersey Nets at San Antonio Spurs, 6/4/03 (Game 1, NBA Finals)
New Jersey Nets at San Antonio Spurs, 6/6/03 (Game 2, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at New Jersey Nets, 6/8/03 (Game 3, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at New Jersey Nets, 6/11/03 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at New Jersey Nets, 6/13/03 (Game 5, NBA Finals)
New Jersey Nets at San Antonio Spurs, 6/15/03 (Game 6, NBA Finals)

2003-2004 Season

Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings, 12/25/03
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 12/25/03
Philadelphia 76ers at San Antonio Spurs, 1/3/04
Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets, 1/17/04
San Antonio Spurs at Boston Celtics, 1/18/04
Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks, 1/25/04
Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic, 2/8/04
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, 2/22/04
Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets, 3/7/04
New Jersey Nets at Los Angeles Lakers, 3/7/04
Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons, 3/14/04
San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings, 3/14/04 (R)
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks, 3/14/04 (R)
Dallas Mavericks at New Jersey Nets, 3/21/04
Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic, 3/28/04
Sacramento Kings at Houston Rockets, 4/4/04 (R)
Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons, 4/4/04 (R)
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/4/04
Philadelphia 76ers at New Jersey Nets, 4/11/04
Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings, 4/11/04
Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings, 4/18/04 (Game 1, First Round)
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets, 4/25/04 (Game 4, First Round)
Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs, 5/2/04 (Game 1, Semifinals)
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, 5/9/04 (Game 3, Semifinals)
Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs, 5/13/04 (Game 5, Semifinals)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings, 5/16/04 (Game 6, Semifinals)
Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Lakers, 6/6/04 (Game 1, NBA Finals)
Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Lakers, 6/8/04 (Game 2, NBA Finals)
Los Angeles Lakers at Detroit Pistons, 6/10/04 (Game 3, NBA Finals)
Los Angeles Lakers at Detroit Pistons, 6/13/04 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
Los Angeles Lakers at Detroit Pistons, 6/15/04 (Game 5, NBA Finals)

2004-2005 Season

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers, 12/25/04
New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 1/8/05 (R)
Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs, 1/8/05 (R)
Houston Rockets at Miami Heat, 1/30/05
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets, 2/6/05
San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat, 2/13/05
Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 2/13/05
Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets, 3/6/05
Detroit Pistons at Sacramento Kings, 3/6/05
Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves, 3/13/05
Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings, 3/13/05
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons, 3/20/05 (R)
Phoenix Suns at Memphis Grizzlies, 3/20/05 (R)
Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs, 3/27/05
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, 4/3/05
Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 4/3/05 (R)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings, 4/3/05 (R)
Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat, 4/10/05
Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings, 4/10/05 (R)
New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 4/10/05 (R)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons, 4/17/05
Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat, 4/17/05 (R)
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/17/05 (R)
Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons, 4/23/05 (Game 1, First Round)
New Jersey Nets at Miami Heat, 4/24/05 (Game 1, First Round)
Miami Heat at New Jersey Nets, 5/1/05 (Game 4, First Round)
Washington Wizards at Miami Heat, 5/8/05 (Game 1, Semifinals)
Miami Heat at Washington Wizards, 5/14/05 (Game 4, Semifinals)
Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers, 5/15/05 (Game 4, Semifinals)
Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers, 5/19/05 (Game 6, Semifinals)
San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns, 5/22/05 (Game 1, West Finals)
Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs, 5/30/05 (Game 4, West Finals)
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 6/9/05 (Game 1, NBA Finals)
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 6/12/05 (Game 2, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons, 6/14/05 (Game 3, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons, 6/16/05 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons, 6/19/05 (Game 5, NBA Finals)
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 6/21/05 (Game 6, NBA Finals)
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 6/23/05 (Game 7, NBA Finals)

2005-2006 Season

subject to change

San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons, 12/25/05
Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat, 12/25/05
Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs, 1/22/06 (R)
Philadelphia 76ers at Minnesota Timberwolves, 1/22/06 (R)
Phoenix Suns at Cleveland Cavaliers, 1/29/06
Miami Heat at Houston Rockets, 1/29/06
Houston Rockets at New York Knicks, 2/5/06
San Antonio Spurs at Indiana Pacers, 2/12/06
Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat, 2/12/06
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons, 2/26/06
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers, 3/5/06
Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks, 3/5/06
Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat, 3/12/06
Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs, 3/12/06 (R)
Seattle Supersonics at Los Angeles Lakers, 3/12/06 (R)
Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 3/19/06
Cleveland Cavaliers at Houston Rockets, 3/26/06
Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons, 4/2/06 (R)
Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks, 4/2/06 (R)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/2/06
Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons, 4/9/06
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat, 4/16/06 (R)
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, 4/16/06 (R)
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers, 4/16/06

References