2012-13 NBA Season Tips Off October 30 Exclusively on TNT withDefending NBA Champion Heat vs. Celtics & New-Look Lakers Hosting Mavericks
Miami Heat Ring Ceremony to Precede Game Action During TNT NBA Tip-Off Pre-game Show at 7 p.m. ET
Inside the NBA Studio Team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith On Site in Brooklyn Nov. 1Turner Broadcasting tips off its 29th year of NBA coverage with TNT featuring two nights of doubleheaders beginning Tuesday, Oct. 30, with the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat hosting the Boston Celtics at 8 p.m. ET. Marv Albert will call the game with analyst Steve Kerr and reporter Craig Sager. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks at 10:30 p.m. Kevin Harlan will handle play-by-play with analyst Reggie Miller and reporter David Aldridge.
The network’s opening night coverage will include the Miami Heat Ring Ceremonyduring the one-hour TNT NBA Tip-Off pregame show – with TNT’s Emmy® Award-winning studio show team of host Ernie Johnson and analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal – at 7 p.m. ET. Johnson, Barkley, Smith and O’Neal will return following the doubleheader for the Inside the NBA post-game show.
TNT’s opening week action will continue Thursday, Nov. 1, with the home debut of the Brooklyn Nets against the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Albert will call the game with Kerr and Sager. Additionally, TNT’s studio team of Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith will be live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the game. The studio crew will contribute to a special one-hour pre-game show at 6 p.m. on NBA TV. Matt Winer will also anchor NBA TV’s pre-game coverage from Turner Studios in Atlanta with analysts Chris Webber and Rick Fox, along with Inside the NBA on TNT. The Nov. 1 doubleheader will conclude with a Western Conference Finals rematch between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs at 9:30 p.m. Harlan will be courtside along with Miller and Aldridge.
NBA on TNT Opening Week Schedule:
DAY/DATE TIME (ET) EVENT Tuesday, October 30 7 p.m. TNT NBA Tip-Off ’12 (including Miami Heat Ring Ceremony) Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith (analysts) 8 p.m. Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr and Mike Fratello (analysts) with David Aldridge (reporter) 10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter) Post-game Inside the NBA Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley, Shaquile O’Neal and Kenny Smith (analysts) Thursday, November 1 6 p.m. Special NBA TV Pre-Game Show (NBA TV telecast) Matt Winer (host), Chris Webber and Rick Fox (analysts) from Atlanta Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith (analysts) from Brooklyn 7 p.m. New York Knicks @ New Jersey Nets Marv Albert and Steve Kerr with Craig Sager 9:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller with David Aldridge Post-game Inside the NBA (live from Turner Studios in Atlanta) Matt Winer (host), Chris Webber and Rick Fox (analysts)