Knicks fans will hear familiar voices
Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr and Marv Albert of TNT at the NBA All-Star Game at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Feb. 20, 2011) Credit: Getty
The Knicks' playoff series against the Celtics will be shown on multiple channels, but no matter where fans turn, they will hear familiar voices.
On MSG, Kenny Albert will call every game other than Games 2 and 5, which will feature Mike Breen. Walt Frazier will be the analyst throughout.
On TNT, former Knicks announcer Marv Albert and Steve Kerr will work Games 1 and 2.
Games 3 and 4, on ESPN and ABC, respectively, will draw the No. 1 team of Breen, former Knick Mark Jackson and former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.
In the first round, any Knicks game being carried nationally by TNT or ESPN also will be seen locally on MSG. Only Game 4 on ABC is a national exclusive.
Figure TNT's on-air team to be the least Knicks-friendly.
Studio analyst Charles Barkley, a frequent critic of the team, had this to say on the air Tuesday: "Not a chance in the world [the Knicks can beat the Celtics]. It's a great matchup for the Celtics. "They are bigger than the Knicks. [Rajon] Rondo is going to have a terrific series because he will have the advantage in the open court against Chauncey Billups, and they are going to punish the Knicks on the boards."
This will be Marv Albert's first Knicks playoff game since he and the Garden parted ways in 2004. He and analyst Mike Fratello previously discussed the status of Knicks president Donnie Walsh. "Why hasn't Donnie Walsh's option year been picked up already?" Fratello asked. "Is there no reward for getting them back to the playoff level?"
The Dolan family owns
controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.
