Open Thread: Breen and Jackson vs. Harlan and Miller
The Van Gundys cancel out
Every post season I have to give up the comfort of my Fox/Bally Sports Southwest haven and recalibrate my basketball watching experience expectations as round after round of the NBA Playoffs introduces, groups, regroups, and sheds analysts, color commentators, and sideline reporters.
There are some that appear year after year, and the ebb and flow of broadcasting choices elevate some, the way Doris Burke went from reporting on the floor to commenting and becoming more visible.
Ever since he was fired as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson has been teamed up with Mike Green and Jeff Van Gundy. They have become a mainstay of the postseason. Currently, they are covering the Western Conference Finals.
In there East, the partnership of Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller is attempting to add in a trio with Stan Van Gundy. The combination of journalist/ex-head coach/retired player* was working, so why not offer a similar matching in the Eastern Conference Finals.
*I realize Jackson was also a coach, but does anyone else notice that he calls Van Gundy coach and Jeff does not reciprocate?
While Jackson and Van Gundy have been at this for years, often jarring with one another and cracking each other up through disagreements is light=hearted insults, Miller and Stan Van Gundy will need to become a little more familiar if the intent is to mirror their counterpart.
It’s not impossible, but knowing that there is max seven games before their season is over, they may only get enough feedback to know if it worth another try next season.
What do you think, Pounders? Do you have a preference on who calls the games? Going back two rounds, there was quite the list of personalities. Check the early playoff schedule in this article.
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