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TNT Follows Slam Dunk NBA Regular Season with 40+ Games of 2011 NBA Playoff Coverage
TNT's coverage tips off on Sunday, April 17, with a tripleheader
Network will be the exclusive home to the Eastern Conference Finals
Coming off its most watched and highest-rated season in its 27 years of airing NBA basketball, Turner Sports announced today coverage and telecast plans for the 2011 NBA Playoffs on TNT. The network's comprehensive coverage of the NBA Playoffs - with 40+ games including exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference Finals, will tip off on Sunday, April 17, with a tripleheader beginning at 1 p.m. (ET). Recently, Turner Sports was nominated for Emmys(R) for both the remote and studio playoff telecasts of the 2010 NBA Playoffs.
This season, the NBA on TNT averaged a 1.6 U.S. household rating (+45% vs. 1.1 for last year's corresponding coverage); 2,453,000 total viewers (+42% vs. 1,723,000); and 1,826,000 households (+39% vs. 1,315,000). In addition, this season's audience is +30% larger than Turner's second-best regular-season audience from 1995-96 (1,885,000). Also, TNT aired three of the top five all-time most watched NBA regular season games in cable television history this season and scored significant growth in all key demos:
A18-34 +49% (810,000 vs. 544,000)
A18-49 +47% (1,378,000 vs. 937,000)
A25-54 +42% (1,221,000 vs. 857,000)
M18-34 +43% (567,000 vs. 396,000)
M18-49 +45% (970,000 vs. 667,000)
M25-54 +40% (855,000 vs. 609,000)
The first of three games on Sunday will feature Tony Parker and the Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs hosting Zach Randolph and the Memphis Grizzlies at 1 p.m. (ET). That game will be followed by Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks, making their first appearance in the Playoffs since 2004, visiting Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. (ET). The final game of the night gets underway at 9:30 p.m. (ET) and will feature Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on Nene and the Denver Nuggets.
TNT's coverage of the NBA Playoffs also will feature the four-time Emmy(R) award-winning studio show Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai with Ernie Johnson (host), Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.
Following is a list of roster/announce teams for TNT:
Play-By-Play/Analyst
Marv Albert/Steve Kerr
Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller
Dick Stockton/Mike Fratello
Matt Devlin/Kevin McHale
Albert, Kerr and Miller will call the Eastern Conference Finals, with Craig Sager reporting from the sideline. Additionally, the studio team of Johnson, Barkley, Smith and Chris Webber will be live on site from the game locations for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Also, TNT's coverage of the NBA Playoffs will include sideline reporters Sager, David Aldridge and Cheryl Miller and Marc Fein, with Lewis Johnson, Jaime Maggio, Pam Oliver and Marty Snider handling on-site reports during early-round coverage. Webber also will appear as a game analyst and Ian Eagle will handle play-by-play duties for select early round match-ups.
Additionally, TNT OverTime on NBA.com will provide multi-camera angle coverage of games, including an "Action Cam" and a "Backboard Cam." Users also will have the ability to vote for which player they would like the "Home Player Cam" and "Away Player Cam" to follow per quarter. Fans can watch each camera individually, with picture-in-picture or in the Mosaic View. Viewers also can participate in live Gigya chats with their friends and other fans through Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! and MySpace.
2011 NBA PLAYOFFS ON TNT (all times ET)
TIME/DATE
GAME
Sunday, April 17
1 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Memphis Grizzlies @ San Antonio Spurs (Game #1)
Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Marc Fein (reporter)
7 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics (Game #1)
Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and David Aldridge (reporter)
9:30 p.m.
Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Game #1)
Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Pam Oliver (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Monday, April 18
7 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (Game #2)
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)
9:30 p.m.
Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls (Game #2)
Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Chris Webber (analyst) and Jaime Maggio (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Tuesday, April 19
7 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics (Game #2)
Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and David Aldridge (reporter)
9:30 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers @ Dallas Mavericks (Game #2)
Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Marty Snider (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Wednesday, April 20
8 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Game #2)
Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Pam Oliver (reporter)
10:30 p.m.
New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Lakers (Game #2)
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Thursday, April 21
8 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers (Game #3)
Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)
10:30 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks @ Portland Trail Blazers (Game #3)
Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Marty Snider (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Saturday, April 23
2 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
2:30 p.m.
Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers (Game #4)
Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Mike Fratello (analyst) and Jaime Maggio (reporter)
5 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks @ Portland Trail Blazers (Game #4)
Matt Devlin (play-by-play), Kevin McHale (analyst) and Marty Snider (reporter)
Sunday, April 24
6:30 p.m.
NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
7 p.m.
Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks (Game #4)
Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst) and Craig Sager (reporter)
9:30 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Hornets (Game #4)
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst) and Cheryl Miller (reporter)
Post-game
Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Ernie Johnson (host), Charles Barkley (analyst) and Kenny Smith (analyst)
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Turner Sports' television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company's digital portfolio includes SI.com, NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.
TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy(R) winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy(R)-winning producer John Wells (ER); as well as the upcoming Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA men's basketball tournament. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Source: Nielsen Media Research. Based on Live+SD. NBA Regular Season on TNT STD; 52 games vs. 53 games (10/26/2010-4/12/2011) vs. (10/27/2009-4/13/ 2010). Historical comparisons and complete NBA Regular Season averages on Cable only for seasons: 1984-2011.
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