ABC and ESPN App Guide for Spurs at Knicks: Mike Breen Leads the NBA Finals Coverage

Match date: 9 June 2026

San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks in the NBA Finals will be shown in the United States on ABC, with streaming available via the ESPN App and ESPN Unlimited, while ESPN Radio will also carry the game for audio listeners. In the UK, the game is listed for 1.30 a.m. BST on Tuesday 9 June, and the broader finals schedule is being carried live for British and Irish viewers on Prime Video. [1][6]

The ABC television broadcast features one of the most recognisable line-ups in American basketball: Ernie Johnson as presenter, Mike Breen on play-by-play, Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler as co-commentators, and the studio team of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Draymond Green, with Lisa Salters reporting from courtside and former official Steve Javie providing rules analysis. [2][6]

Mike Breen remains the key voice for viewers because he is the main NBA play-by-play announcer for ABC’s biggest postseason games, a role that has made him one of the most familiar commentators in the sport. Ernie Johnson is likewise a long-standing national broadcaster, best known for anchoring major NBA studio coverage, while Lisa Salters has built a reputation as one of the NBA’s most experienced sideline reporters through extensive national work across ESPN and ABC. [2][6]

The game arrives with the series already carrying major weight after the Knicks opened the Finals with victories in Games 1 and 2, including a narrow 105-104 win in San Antonio. ESPN’s playoff coverage notes that New York are chasing their first championship in 53 years, while San Antonio are attempting to extend a title run built around Victor Wembanyama. [3][5]

For radio audiences, the ESPN Radio call comes with Jim Basquil as presenter, Marc Kestecher on play-by-play, P.J. Carlesimo and Doris Burke as co-commentators, Cory Alexander as pundit and Jorge Sedano reporting. That gives listeners a second elite broadcast option, especially for fans following the game overnight in Britain. [1][2]

ABC’s Finals presentation is significant because the network continues to hold exclusive television rights for the championship series in the United States, and ESPN’s press materials confirm that the 2026 NBA Finals coverage began on 3 June. The matchup between the Spurs and Knicks has therefore been framed as one of the marquee events of the postseason, not just because of the teams involved, but because of the star-heavy broadcast team assembled around it. [6][3]

For viewers in the UK and Ireland, this is one of those late-night NBA dates where the broadcast window matters as much as the result. The listed 1.30 a.m. BST tip-off means the game is firmly in early-hours territory, but the combination of ABC’s national team and the streaming access on ESPN’s platforms makes it easy for American audiences and overseas fans alike to follow every possession. [1][2]

Article generated: 9 June 2026, 01:30 GMT