ABC Continues Exclusive Coverage of 2020 NBA Finals with Game 5 Tonight – October 9 – at 9 P.M. ET

NBA

ABC Continues Exclusive Coverage of 2020 NBA Finals with Game 5 Tonight – October 9 – at 9 P.M. ET

Photo of Shakeemah Simmons-Winter Shakeemah Simmons-Winter Follow on Twitter October 9, 2020
  • Two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant Breaks Down Jimmy Butler’s Performance in NBA Finals Game 3 on New Edition of Detail, Exclusively on ESPN+
  • ESPN to Debut Final Installment to Its “Rise Together” Creative Platform This Weekend

ABC continues its exclusive coverage of the 2020 NBA Finals with Game 5 tonight, October 9, at 9 p.m. ET. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have a 3-1 series lead and look to clinch as they take on Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.  

The trio of Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will continue to call the action on ABC with sideline reporter Rachel Nichols. If the Lakers win, Nichols will host the NBA Championship trophy ceremony on the court immediately following the game. If Miami wins tonight, the series continues with Game 6 this Sunday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.   

ESPN Radio is also providing national coverage of the NBA Finals with play-by-play commentator Marc Kestecher describing the action alongside analysts Doris Burke and PJ Carlesimo. Coverage begins at 8:30 p.m.

Pregame coverage for Game 5 begins at 6 p.m. on ESPN with a special edition of SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith. The show will emanate from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center as Smith discusses storylines for tonight’s game with special guests and analysts.  

NBA Countdown presented by Door Dash will lead into Game 5, beginning at 8:30 p.m. on ABC with host Maria Taylor, analysts Jalen Rose, Paul Pierce and Jay Williams and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski previewing the action.

Hoop Streams, ESPN’s digital pregame show, will also precede Game 5 on ESPN’s Twitter, YouTube and Facebook platforms, as well as on the ESPN App. Cassidy Hubbarth will host the show with Kendrick Perkins, Amin Elhassan and Christine Williamson contributing.

Today’s edition of The Jump, ESPN’s daily NBA show, begins at 3 p.m. with host Rachel Nichols and analyst Richard Jefferson contributing from the NBA’s Florida campus. Six-time NBA Champion and analyst Scottie Pippen and eight-time NBA All-Star and analyst Vince Carter will both join the show remotely.

New NBA Edition of Detail 

Two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant hosts the latest NBA edition of Detail, the ground-breaking sports analysis series created by the late Kobe Bryant. Durant, a former NBA MVP and two-time NBA Finals MVP, breaks down Jimmy Butler’s 40-point triple-double in the Miami Heat’s 115-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers from Game 3 of the NBA Finals last Sunday. Detail is produced by Granity Studios and ESPN+, and is available to stream exclusively on ESPN+: Detail with Kevin Durant.

Rise Together

This weekend, ESPN will also debut the final chapter of its “Rise Together” creative platform that debuted at the beginning of the NBA Playoffs. Narrated by actress and CEO Tracee Ellis Ross, the new spot pays a powerful and eloquent tribute to the duality of this year’s historic season. It captures an extraordinary journey on the road to the championship – from the loss of legends to battling both a global pandemic and social and racial injustice. A preview of the :60 spot can be viewed here.

ESPN.com is providing additional NBA Finals Game 5 coverage with its top story today: NBA Finals was NBA’s “Moonshot” – Inside the Finals Days of the Bubble 

-30- 

Tags
Photo of Shakeemah Simmons-Winter Shakeemah Simmons-Winter Follow on Twitter October 9, 2020
Photo of Shakeemah Simmons-Winter

Shakeemah Simmons-Winter

I am a senior publicist for men’s pro sports, working predominantly with the NBA and FIBA properties. I’m a Jersey City, NJ native, so I cheer for all New York sports and athletes, win or lose. I began my sports career as a small forward for JCPS #9’s elementary basketball team, and then years later gave up my hoop dreams (sort of) to work as the Public Relations Coordinator for the New York Knicks. Prior to working in sports, I briefly worked as an intern turned production assistant for the Wendy Williams Show. I earned a B.A. in Communications from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, where I met my husband Matthew, and later attended New York University to earn a M.S. in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. I am excited to continue my sports journey with some of the most knowledgeable professionals in the sports industry.
Back to top button