Round four of the Warriors/Cavaliers in the NBA Finals will see ESPN offer up coverage that includes the first-ever “NBA Surround:” Pre-game and In-game Second-screen Streaming Offerings for All Games, Plus Special Post-game “NBA at the Mic” Shows. ABC once again serves as the home of the series with Game 1 set for Thursday at 9p. Mike Breen, analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and reporter Doris Burke will call their ninth championship series together. The first “NBA Surround” initiative will offer pre-game and in-game second-screen streaming offerings for every game, as well as special post-game “NBA at the Mic” shows on ESPN2 or ESPNEWS, which will carry post-game press conferences.
During every NBA Finals game, ESPN will present “Full Court Press” – a second-screen experience featuring a slate of top ESPN NBA commentators and special guests, and an array of on-screen stats, data and on-screen graphics. Host and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth will join several NBA personalities, including Alvin Gentry, Richard Jefferson and Caron Butler for Game 1 and Tom Thibodeau, Jefferson and Butler for Game 2. Dan Le Batard will lead Game 3’s “Full Court Press” coverage from Miami. On the broadcast front, each game during the NBA Finals on ABC will begin with a custom broadcast open featuring songs from recording artist J. Cole’s best-selling album KOD.