10 Years Ago Today, NBC Aired Its Final NBA Telecast!

[TMC1982]

NBC's farewell montage to the NBA :cry::



And an overview of how ABC (and ESPN for that matter) has covered the NBA since June 12, 2002:rant::
Decade in Review: 10 Worst Personnel Moves


The ABCs of Ruining the NBA, Part 1


The ABCs of Ruining the NBA, Part 2


Looking Back, the NBA's Cable Heavy Gamble Paid Off


The NBA on ABC Can't Live Up to Predecessors


Why ESPN’s NBA Coverage is Second-Best…and How To Fix It

 

[BillD1984]

Although I liked NBC's coverage of the NBA, I'll always be a CBS guy when it comes to the NBA. Admittedly I'm biased because of the many classic Celtics-Lakers and Celtics-Sixers duels of the 80's.

However, before the pre-Bird and Magic salad days, CBS subjected us to the "tape delay era" of many playoff games. That was not cool.

ABC is dead last when it comes to the OTA carriers the NBA has used.

 

[Mets82]

I wonder if ABC had better matchups over the years people would like the coverage better? I mean they had a couple of dog matchups out of the gate. Remember Spurs/Nets?

 

[salsadancer7]

Although I liked NBC's coverage of the NBA, I'll always be a CBS guy when it comes to the NBA. Admittedly I'm biased because of the many classic Celtics-Lakers and Celtics-Sixers duels of the 80's.

However, before the pre-Bird and Magic salad days, CBS subjected us to the "tape delay era" of many playoff games. That was not cool.

ABC is dead last when it comes to the OTA carriers the NBA has used.

Interesting... I equate CBS with those rivalries you mentioned and I equate NBC with those MJ/Bulls vs Pistons, Jordan's Bulls vs Ewings Knicks.

 

[The Insider]

I wonder if it has more to do with the network or just the NBA itself..

Where is the MJ v Ewing? Johnson? Where are the great rivalries from players people all can like? The biggest name in the game LBJ is hated by most everyone except miami fans. Back then players cared about there franchise/team/city etc and teams were built around them. Today the superstars go to wherever there grass is greener and never build that following or those rivalries.

I dont think ABC killed the NBA.. I think the NBA did it to themselves.

Non basketball fans know who MJ was and love him. Non basketball fans heard of Reggie miller in the 90s, larry bird, etc etc.. Today non-basketball fans could name maybe handful of guys and most of them probably dont even play anymore.

 

[satjay]

For some reason I associate the Pistons with CBS, I for sure link NBC with the Bulls, when they had there Sunday game of the week the Bulls always seemed to be on, in college I had a roommate from Chicago, so going to school in Michigan that made him happy

 

[BillD1984]

Interesting... I equate CBS with those rivalries you mentioned and I equate NBC with those MJ/Bulls vs Pistons, Jordan's Bulls vs Ewings Knicks.

Same here. But when it comes to the NBC days, you might as well have MJ's face on top of the peacock.

 

[BillD1984]

For some reason I associate the Pistons with CBS, I for sure link NBC with the Bulls, when they had there Sunday game of the week the Bulls always seemed to be on, in college I had a roommate from Chicago, so going to school in Michigan that made him happy

IIRC, the last two seasons CBS had the NBA, the Pistons won their back-to-back championships.

 

[SabresRule]

NBC was the only network that never got to air a Lakers/Celtics Finals- though they nearly got one in 2002.

Would have made for a better NBC NBA farewell.

 

[Ramy]

They were just ok. I liked CBS's announcers better

 

[Rey]

like salsa i have great memories of chicago and NBC. that intro music is unforgettable for me and still gives me chills when i think about it. either way cbs and nbc did it better than anyone else does today. i did watch bird and the celtics play quite a few times on cbs and the lakers but i don't have any emotional attachments to that as i do with the bulls.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I dunno.. I basically tune out the announcers for the most part when I watch sports with the possible exception of the NFL because there's so much downtime. You have to admit that NBA on NBC theme is iconic, so much so that the other networks (ESPECIALLY TNT) try to copy it, as opposed to just creating something new.

 

[CK SatGuy]

NBC did a really amazing broadcasting the NBA games. The ABC telecasts in '03-'05 were OK before ESPN took over. Now all ESPN/ABC telecasts just suck in my opinion.

 

[Hart5150]

I blame Mike Breen, he sucks. Van Gundy is the only thing that saves that broadcast. The pre, post and halftime show is the worst in all of sports. I actually like Magic Johnson, but he is terrible in that role. Chris Brousard sounds like he's drunk, Wilbon, who is good on PTI, is not a host.

One thing about NBC I couldn't stand was Ahmad Rashad.

CBS with Tommy Heinsohn doing C's/Lakers was pure ear candy.

 

[salsadancer7]

I blame Mike Breen, he sucks. Van Gundy is the only thing that saves that broadcast. The pre, post and halftime show is the worst in all of sports. I actually like Magic Johnson, but he is terrible in that role. Chris Brousard sounds like he's drunk, Wilbon, who is good on PTI, is not a host.

One thing about NBC I couldn't stand was Ahmad Rashad.

CBS with Tommy Heinsohn doing C's/Lakers was pure ear candy.

I liked Tommy Heinsohn ..but they ALWAYS had him paired up with Brent Musburger who was an idiot Laker homer to the max. I knew Tommy was part of the Celtic announcing team, but he was able to keep his hommerish comments to himself and was very professional about it.

 

[TMC1982]

Speaking of which:

NBA on NBC: When Basketball Was Basketball | Bleacher Report

It’s evident that basketball on TV has changed since the NBA moved to ABC and TNT. The broadcast isn’t bad, but it is just not the same. ABC has the unfortunate timing of an era of “boring basketball,” with the Spurs and Pistons, two teams that focus on defense more and lack big name superstars.