ESPN’s Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy to miss Game 1 of Celtics-Warriors due to COVID
ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski and reporter Kendra Andrews have also been sidelined because of COVID-19.
ESPN/ABC will be without two-thirds of its No. 1 NBA broadcast team for Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night.
A network spokesperson confirmed the morning of the opener between the Celtics and Warriors that Jeff Van Gundy has tested positive for COVID-19 would miss the opener.
Later in the day, play-by-play voice Mike Breen, who missed Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Heat after testing positive for the virus, was also ruled out for Game 1 after he could not clear protocols to return.
Mark Jones, who is usually the play-by-play voice for ESPN’s No. 2 team, will call the game in Breen’s absence. He also filled in during the Celtics’ win over the Heat in Game 7. Mark Jackson will serve as the lone analyst. He is part of the usual three-man team with Breen and Van Gundy.
ESPN also announced that Adrian Wojnarowski, the network’s top NBA newsbreaker, and reporter Kendra Andrews had also tested positive and would not be part of Thursday’s coverage.
ESPN also announced Thursday that it had signed sideline reporter Lisa Salters to a multi-year contract extension.
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