Television and Radio Broadcasting
The Finals were produced and televised in the United States by NBC. Marv Albert provided play-by-play calling. Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton and Steve "Snapper" Jones handled color duties. Jim Gray and Lewis Johnson roamed the sidelines for the Lakers and Nets' respectively. Bob Costas hosted pregame and half-time shows with analyst Tom Tolbert. Brent Musburger and Jack Ramsay called the four games on ESPN Radio. Hannah Storm hosted the post-game show.
At the conclusion of Game 4, the credits rolled to a final. Shown were highlights the twelve years of NBC broadcasts; the Chicago Bulls' dynasty led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the retirement of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers' new Shaq/Kobe reign. The final image was an empty gym, showing a basketball bouncing into the background and the message "Thanks for The Memories."
As of 2011, Game 4 of the series was the last production and broadcast by NBC and will remain so until at least 2017. In January 2002 the league's broadcast rights were awarded to ABC/ESPN in a six-year deal, which was renewed in 2007.
2002 NBA Finals Ratings
| Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.6/20 | 9.1/18 | 10.2/18 | 10.8/19 |
Read more about this topic: 2002 NBA Finals
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