In his 17 years as the lead announcer for NBA games on both ABC and ESPN, Mike Breen has established himself as the voice of the league. His passion for the NBA and basketball is evident in his commentary when he speaks and he has made his interest in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament known.
Point differential is a tiebreaker in the tournament, which has made every possession of a game meaningful and thrilling. Even in a game where the New York Knicks were up 23 points in the final stages of the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, they still had their starters playing to ensure they maintained a high point differential.
While basketball purists may not be in favor of this and feel as though it jeopardizes the integrity of the sport and respecting your opponent, Breen for one has enjoyed it. “I can’t believe having these excitable calls with a 20-point game with three to go,” Breen said during the Knicks blowout victory over the Hornets to advance to the Elite Eight of the tournament.
Breen admitted he was skeptical of the idea at first, but has quickly become very fond of the concept of an In-Season Tournament. “I wanted to wait and see how it developed. I’m kind of hooked on it,” Breen said. “It’s made games in November have some extra meaning,” he added.
The NBA’s In-Season Tournament has been a success in its early stages in Breen’s eyes. It will be exciting to see how it unfolds moving forward.
