ESPN isn’t just airing the NBA Western Conference Finals; they’re turning it into a full-blown multimedia extravaganza. Starting Tuesday, May 20th, basketball fans will have more ways than ever to experience the showdown between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the victor of the still-undecided Nuggets-Thunder series. Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET, and ESPN is pulling out all the stops.
For the traditionalists, Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson, and Lisa Salters will hold down the main broadcast booth across ESPN and ABC, delivering their signature mix of play-by-play and analysis. But for those who crave a deeper dive into the data, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS present the “Western Conference Finals: InsightCast Presented by YouTube TV.” Ryan Ruocco, Tim Legler, and Kirk Goldsberry will helm this statistically-driven alternate broadcast for Games 1 through 4, bringing fans avatar shot charts, virtual 3D replays, and enough dunk data to satisfy even the most hardcore analytics enthusiast.
ESPN is also taking its studio shows on the road. “NBA Countdown” and “NBA Today,” hosted by Malika Andrews, will broadcast live from the Western Conference Finals, featuring a stacked lineup of analysts: Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers, Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, Brian Windhorst, and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania. Expect hot takes, bold predictions, and the kind of insider knowledge that only ESPN can deliver.
Even ESPN Radio and digital platforms are getting in on the action. Marc Kestecher, P.J. Carlesimo, and Jorge Sedano will handle radio duties for the Western Finals, while Sean Kelley, Cory Alexander, and Katie George tackle the Eastern Conference action. Meanwhile, “Hoop Streams” will deliver pre-game buzz from the heart of the action on ESPN’s social media and app, featuring Iman Shumpert, Vanessa Richardson, and a rotating cast of ESPN personalities.
