ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy, Adrian Wojnarowski Out For Game 1 Of NBA Finals
Jun 2, 2022, 10:11 AM
ESPN Analysts, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mike Breen look on prior to Game Two of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics at FTX Arena on May 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – ESPN will be shorthanded on their broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night with Jeff Van Gundy and Adrian Wojnarowski out.
The New York Post learned that analyst Jeff Van Gundy and insider Adrian Wojnarowski will not be on the broadcast for Game 1 of the NBA Finals after they both tested positive for COVID-19. Van Gundy was on the call for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat but sounded under the weather.
Play-by-play broadcaster Mike Breen, who has been the voice of the NBA Finals since 2006, did not call Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals after testing positive for COVID-19. His status for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is uncertain as he still needs to pass NBA and Disney protocols in order to call the game between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics.
NEWS: Jeff Van Gundy is out for the start of the NBA Finals with COVID, Mike Breen still needs to be cleared for tonight's game, while Woj also has COVID, The Post has learned.https://t.co/AyxnBQeVHn
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) June 2, 2022
If Breen is not cleared for the game, Mark Jones will step in and call the opening game of the NBA Finals, just like he did for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Analyst Mark Jackson will be available to call the game in San Francisco and it will be a two-man booth with Van Gundy out. Doris Burke is another option to join the broadcast but she is the analyst with P.J. Carlesimo and Mark Kestecher on ESPN Radio.
ESPN hopes to have Van Gundy back for Game 2, which is on Sunday in San Francisco. Van Gundy was a head coach in the NBA from 1996-2007 with the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. He joined ESPN as the lead NBA analyst since he was fired in Houston in 2007.
Wojnarowski appears on “NBA Countdown,” the pregame show and breaks any NBA news. He still could report on news during the show and can work remotely.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics at Chase Center in San Francisco, California will tip-off at 7:00 PM MT on ABC and ESPN Radio.
