ESPN will exclusively produce the NBA Finals on ABC for the 18th consecutive season, starting with Game 1 on WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 (9:00-11:30 p.m. EDT). Three-time NBA Champion LeBron James makes a historic 10th NBA Finals appearance as his Los Angeles Lakers square off with the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler. The NBA Finals are presented by YouTube TV and will air on ABC, ESPN Radio, in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and on several ESPN international platforms. All games will originate from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The full 2020 NBA Finals schedule is below:
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat
Game 1: Wednesday, Sept. 30: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 2: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 4: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 7:30 ET
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 6: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 9 ET
Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 9: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 6*: Sunday, Oct. 11: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 7:30 ET
Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 13: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
* = if necessary

NBA Finals on ABC game commentators:

• Mike Breen, a 2020 Curt Gowdy Media Award winner, will call his record 15th consecutive NBA Finals for ABC. Breen has called every NBA Finals event since 2006, including what will now be all 10 of LeBron James’ appearances.

• Jeff Van Gundy begins his record 14th season as television analyst for the NBA Finals. The former head coach has provided analysis for every NBA Finals event since 2007.

• Former head coach and NBA All-Star Mark Jackson has provided analysis for more major professional sports championship events than any other Black analyst. Jackson will call his 12th NBA Finals on ABC.

• Rachel Nichols, an ESPN host and journalist, will join the team to serve as the sideline reporter for the first time. Nichols will also host the trophy presentation upon conclusion of the NBA Finals on ABC.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night”

For the 13th consecutive year in conjunction with the NBA Finals, ABC will present “Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night.” These special-edition episodes will air during primetime of the NBA Finals, beginning with Game 1.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night” primetime specials celebrate a unique blend of entertainment and sports with Kimmel’s signature comedy bits and an all-star lineup of guests, including Jamie Foxx (“Soul”), Matthew McConaughey (“Greenlights”) and Adam Sandler (“Hubie Halloween”), with special surprise appearances as well.

“NBA Countdown presented by DoorDash,” ESPN and ABC’s NBA pregame show, will precede NBA Finals game broadcasts with 30-minute shows – airing at 8:31-9:00 p.m., EDT, on weeknights and 7:00-7:31 p.m., EDT on weekends. Maria Taylor hosts “NBA Countdown” with analysts Jalen Rose, Jay Williams, Paul Pierce and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. “NBA Countdown” will originate from ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York. Rachel Nichols and analyst Richard Jefferson will contribute updates to “NBA Countdown” from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

25 Years of NBA Finals on ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will nationally broadcast the NBA Finals for the 25th time, beginning Sept. 30. Curt Gowdy Media Award winner Doris Burke joins the ESPN Radio broadcast team for her first year as a game analyst. It makes her the first woman to serve as a game analyst for the NBA Finals on any platform. Burke joins play-by-play commentator Marc Kestecher and fellow analyst P.J. Carlesimo to provide commentary. The trio previously called both the Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Finals for ESPN Radio.

“Hoop Streams,” ESPN’s digital NBA pregame show, will also air 30 minutes prior to each NBA Finals game on ESPN’s Twitter, YouTube and Facebook platforms as well as on the ESPN App. Cassidy Hubbarth hosts “Hoop Streams” with commentators Kendrick Perkins, Christine Williamson and Amin Elhassan. “Hoop Streams” will originate from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. studios.

ESPN App Alternate Presentations

ESPN will offer fans multiple alternative viewing experiences for NBA Finals games, featuring unique camera angles and vantage points that are available to stream on the ESPN App:

• Rail Cam: Mobile, robotic camera placed courtside and provides a vantage point as if the fan was sitting courtside at the game. Includes audio from the microphones placed underneath the court, capturing sounds such as the ball bouncing on the court and player sneakers squeaking as they run.

• Above The Rim Cam: Vantage point via cameras placed above the hoop atop the backboard, providing aerial views and a “video game” feel.

• Layup Lines: A pregame alternate presentation where fans can watch the pregame warmups for each team and also capture the natural sound from the arena.

NBA Finals on ESPN Deportes

ESPN Deportes will provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the NBA Finals with the team of play-by-play voice Ernesto Jerez and analyst coach Carlos Morales calling the action. Sebastian Martinez Christensen will report from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

ESPN will also provide comprehensive coverage of the NBA Finals on its news and information platforms, including “SportsCenter,” ESPN.com and within its daily NBA show, “The Jump.” Reporters Adrian Wojnarowski, Malika Andrews and The Undefeated’s Marc Spears will be among the reporters providing updates throughout the series.

ABC Media Relations

Cathy Rehl
cathy.rehl@abc.com

Mitch Messinger
mitchell.c.messinger@abc.com

ESPN Media Relations
Ben Cafardo
ben.cafardo@espn.com

Shakeemah Simmons-Winter
shakeemah.simmons-winter@espn.com