Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, two longtime staples of ESPN’s broadcast workforce for N.B.A. finals video games, will miss the opening recreation of the championship sequence between Golden State and the Boston Celtics. An ESPN spokesman stated that each broadcasters had examined constructive for the coronavirus in latest days, however Van Gundy stated in an interview that he had not.
The N.B.A. finals start Thursday in San Francisco and can be the 14th championship sequence that includes Breen on play-by-play alongside Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, two former N.B.A. coaches. As an alternative, the printed can be referred to as by Jackson and Mark Jones, with Lisa Salters because the sideline reporter.
Breen missed Sport 7 of the Japanese Convention finals on Sunday after testing constructive for the virus. Van Gundy and Jackson, who had referred to as video games with Breen over the prior week, continued on with the sport, with Jones filling in for Breen.
Van Gundy stated in an interview Thursday that he had not been examined for the virus earlier than Sunday’s recreation as a result of he was asymptomatic, though his voice was noticeably hoarse throughout the broadcast. The N.B.A. didn’t institute a testing mandate for members of the tv and information media for this 12 months’s playoffs, because it did final season.
Van Gundy stated that on Monday, upon flying residence to Houston, he began to really feel slight signs. The subsequent day, he took a house take a look at, which he stated was inconclusive. ESPN then despatched Van Gundy two different fast assessments, which he stated got here out destructive. Van Gundy additionally stated he wasn’t certain why he had been pulled from broadcasting Sport 1, and that he hoped to be again for Sport 2.
Van Gundy added that he was not experiencing signs.
Adrian Wojnarowski and Kendra Andrews, reporters who incessantly seem on air for ESPN, have additionally examined constructive for the coronavirus, and can miss the sequence opener. Andrews is a beat author protecting Golden State, and Wojnarowski is the community’s high N.B.A. reporter.
