TNT and ESPN Hosts Joining Forces for Next Stage of NBA In-Season Tournament Coverage

Kathy Willens/AP

ESPN and TNT’s NBA broadcasts will join forces for one night only during the semifinals of the inaugural in-season tournament, Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday.

With the knockout stage set to begin soon in the tournament, the networks will integrate their coverage for the semifinal round on Dec. 7. This will include ESPN talent joining TNT shows and vice versa.

TNT’s hit show Inside the NBA, for example, will pair ESPN commentators Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon with Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley for the post-game show. The Inside the NBA crew will also join ESPN’s NBA Countdown crew for the pregame show, which will be shot from two on-site locations in Las Vegas.

The game broadcasts will also see some mixing up. ESPN analyst Doc Rivers will join TNT’s broadcast booth with Kevin Harlan, Candace Parker, and sideline reporter Allie LaForce. TNT analyst Reggie Miller will be switching over to the ESPN broadcast to join Mike Breen, Doris Burke, and sideline reporter Lisa Salters.

The semifinal games are scheduled for 5 p.m. ET and and 9 p.m. on Dec. 7. ESPN will broadcast the first game, while TNT will broadcast the second. Two days later, the in-season tournament championship will air on ESPN.