As Bob Costas put it on another network about 23 years ago, the following is an appreciative look back.
40 years.
For the network that brought us 40 games in 40 nights, it is an appropriate stopping point. Four decades of some of the most iconic moments in NBA history.
From Chuck and Michael to Shaq and Kobe to LeBron, KD and Steph, generations of NBA stars have played on TBS and TNT.
Future generations will shine elsewhere. What we lose with the end of the NBA on TNT is not the stars, but the people who brought them to us.
Not just EJ, Kenny, Charles and Shaq. They’ll be back next year.
Not just Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller and Ian Eagle. They’ll be back next year too.
The NBA on Turner Sports was Dick and Hubie, Marv and Mike, and for a few games, even Mike and Jeff. It was Bob Neal and Doug Collins, John Thompson and Danny Ainge. It was Verne Lunquist and Doc Rivers; Cheryl Miller breaking barriers. It was Craig Sager and his suits — or worse.
It was Dei Lynam and Ron Thulin, Reggie Theus and Brian Anderson. It was Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren. It was storytellers like Jim Huber, reporters like David Aldridge.
It was Run DMC and, strangely enough, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
It was Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. It was waiting out the final ten minutes of “Bones,” or “Law & Order” before the game starts.
It was synonymous with the NBA like few partners ever have been. And while “Inside the NBA” will continue, and while so many of its voices will move on to other networks, it is something that will never quite be replicated.
The high-quality version of TNT’s original NBA theme was obtained from this video.
