NBA Finals on ABC: Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors Starts May 30

• ESPN’s Largest On Site NBA Finals Presence Yet with NBA Countdown, The Jump, Hoop Streams, SportsCenter, First Take, ESPN Radio, and more
• 24^th NBA Finals on ESPN Radio Coverage to Include Hubie Brown’s Record 18^th Finals Overall as Analyst

For the 17^th consecutive year, ESPN will produce the NBA Finals on ABC, starting Thursday, May 30, at 9 p.m. ET. This year, the Golden State Warriors – led by Stephen Curry – return to the NBA Finals for the fifth straight season as they square off with the Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard. NBA Countdown precedes coverage for weeknight games at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. The NBA Finals and all of ESPN’s on-site programming will also be available on the ESPN App.

NBA Finals on ABC game schedule:

*NBA Countdown airs from 7:30-8 p.m. prior to Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 7

ESPN’s record-setting NBA Finals broadcast team of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Doris Burke return to call this year’s event. Here are broadcasting records this team has set:

• 14^th year that Mike Breen has provided play-by-play;
• 13th year that Jeff Van Gundy has served as game analyst;
• 11^th year Mark Jackson has served as game analyst – the most for an African-American game analyst for any major North American sports championship event;
• 11^th year Doris Burke has been the broadcast reporter for the event, a record for a woman in a prominent NBA Finals on-air role.

ESPN NBA officiating analyst Steve Javie will also contribute to the game coverage from the NBA Replay Center. It marks Javie’s seventh NBA Finals. Additionally, for the 12th time, ESPN senior coordinating producer Tim Corrigan and director Jimmy Moore will lead NBA Finals production for ABC.

ESPN Radio coverage and Hubie Brown’s 18^th NBA Finals

Hubie Brown will call his 18^th NBA Finals as a game analyst (his 14^th on radio, plus four on television). He’ll describe the action alongside play-by-play voice Marc Kestecher and reporter Ramona Shelburne. 2019 marks the 24^th year that ESPN Radio has served as the national radio broadcast home of the NBA Finals. Additionally, Kevin Winter and analyst Jon Barry will host ESPN Radio’s NBA pre-game and post-game coverage. The audio from ESPN Radio’s NBA Finals coverage is available on the ESPN App.

In addition to the game broadcasts, ESPN will have its largest presence yet at the NBA Finals this year with more shows and personnel on site than ever before. NBA Countdown, The Jump, Hoop Streams, SportsCenter, First Take, The Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio will all document the event from Toronto and Golden State.

NBA Countdown will once again serve as the pregame show for the NBA Finals on ABC, 30 minutes prior to tip off. Michelle Beadle, in her third year as NBA Countdown host at the NBA Finals, will lead the team, including veteran analyst and Fab Five member Jalen Rose, and NBA Finals M.V.P.s Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups.

The Jump, ESPN’s daily NBA show, will continue to air weekdays from 3-4 p.m. and will be open to the public while on location at the NBA Finals. Rachel Nichols hosts The Jump with a cast of high profile analysts and reporters. The show will be live from Maple Leaf Square (Jurassic Park) outside ScotiaBank Arena for Raptors home games and Lake Chalet in Oakland when the series shifts to the west coast.

In addition to the afternoon show, ESPN recently announced that it has added prime-time episodes of The Jump to game nights from 8-8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Hoop Streams – ESPN’s innovative, new NBA Twitter pre-game show – will also be on site for live, courtside shows during the NBA Finals, generally starting an hour before tipoff. Cassidy Hubbarth hosts Hoop Streams with special guests, including Kendrick Perkins, Gary Striewski and more.

SportsCenter will once again travel for on-site shows throughout the NBA Finals. Sage Steele will host the 6 p.m. edition of the show from location with several guest commentators. Several of ESPN’s top NBA analysts and reporters will appear on all episodes of SportsCenter during the event. More information on SportsCenter’s on-site presence at the NBA Finals will be announced this week.

First Take

Beginning Thursday, May 30, ESPN’s popular morning debate show First Take – with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and host Molly Qerim Rose – will be live from Maple Leaf Square (Jurassic Park) outside ScotiaBank Arena for Raptors home games and Lake Chalet in Oakland when the series shifts to the west coast. From 10 a.m. to noon every day until a champion is decided, the First Take team will offer their expert insight and opinions while also welcoming a full lineup of athletes and celebrity guests. The shows, which will include fan giveaways, are free and open to the public with doors opening at 90 minutes before the show starts.

Stephen A Smith Show

The Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio from 1-3 p.m. and simulcast on ESPNEWS, will be live from site of ESPN’s First Take for the majority of the NBA Finals. The signature show will include reactions and analysis from host Stephen A. Smith on all the latest news and storylines from the NBA Finals.

ESPN will also offer alternative viewing experiences on the ESPN App during the NBA Finals. More details will be announced soon.

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ESPN NBA contacts: Ben Cafardo at 860-766-3496 or [email protected]. Twitter: @Ben_ESPN;

Shakeemah Simmons-Winter at 860-766-1845 or [email protected]. @ShakeemahESPN.