TNT will once again be the television network home for exclusive live coverage of 2014 NBA All-Star from New Orleans, today, Feb. 13-16, featuring the league's marquee events and unprecedented access to its biggest stars. The network will televise more than 24 hours of live, comprehensive coverage of NBA All-Star weekend culminating with the 63rd annual NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. ET. TNT's exclusive live coverage will tip off with the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 14, at 9 p.m., followed by the signature State Farm All-Star Saturday Night events on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m.
Turner Sports' coverage of the NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia will offer fans unparalleled access to the game's top talent. During the game coverage,
TNT will have the most All-Star participants mic'd for sound in the event's history. TNT's All-Star Game telecast will also include a special broadcast appearance by Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, when he joins play-by-play voice Marv Albert - calling his 18th NBA All-Star Game - along with analysts Steve Kerr and Reggie Miller and reporters Craig Sager and David Aldridge, as a guest analyst during the game.
The network's All-Star Game coverage will also feature
TNT analysts Grant Hill and Chris Webber embedded on the East and West benches throughout the game to provide reports and interviews during the telecast. To offer enhanced visuals and deeper levels of access during the game presentation,
TNT will place a "steady cam" operator on the court for the first time. The mobile "steady cam" will be used to
Capture bench interactions, including those with Hill and Webber, along with player exchanges during game moments such as free throw attempts.
Additionally,
TNT will utilize the innovative freeD(TM) - free dimensional video - technology at select moments during the All-Star Game telecast to provide fans a defining view of the action. Used for the first time during a live basketball broadcast, the one-of-a-kind technology uses 22, 5K ultra high definition cameras placed around the court to render unique 360-degree replays of the action. Developed by Replay Technologies, it will be used during the game and also TNT's presentation of the Sprite Slam Dunk on Saturday, Feb. 15, to showcase compelling camera views of a significant moment during competition.
"We're thrilled to be working with our league partners to deliver unprecedented levels of access for our fans during this year's NBA All-Star events in New Orleans," said Craig Barry, SVP of production and executive creative director, Turner Sports. "Our all-access approach and the use of new cutting-edge technology will bring our fans closer to the game and provide a special showcase for these marquee events."
Sunday's NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia will showcase the league's elite talent with the East, led by Miami's James and Dwyane Wade, New York's Carmelo Anthony, Indiana's Paul George and Cleveland's Kyrie Irving, facing the West including Bryant of the L.A. Lakers, the L.A. Clippers' Blake Griffin, Oklahoma City's Durant, Minnesota's Kevin Love and Golden State's Stephen Curry.
TNT will tip off its live coverage from New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 13, with the Sports Emmy Award-winning Inside the NBA presented by Kia studio team of host Ernie Johnson and analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal providing pre- and post-game coverage on site for the network's Thursday night doubleheader - Brooklyn at Chicago at 8 p.m., followed by Oklahoma City at the L.A. Lakers at 10:30 p.m. New Orleans native Troy Andrews - "Trombone Shorty" - will appear as a studio guest.
TNT NBA Tip-Off Presented by AutoTrader.com will preview with action with Inside the NBA offering highlights, news and information following the night's game action.
The Inside the NBA presented by Kia team will provide pre- and post-game coverage for each of the week's All-Star events including regular appearances by analyst Chris Webber. Additionally, TNT's studio team of Johnson, Barkley, O'Neal and Smith will be integrated into TNT's State Farm All-Star Saturday Night coverage throughout the evening, serving as both in-arena and on-air broadcast hosts for each of the events.
Daily highlights for TNT's NBA All-Star coverage:
Thursday, February 13
· TNT's award-winning Inside the NBA presented by Kia studio show with Johnson, Barkley, O'Neal and Smith will originate live from New Orleans, preceding the network's doubleheader action.
· Thursday night doubleheader action will feature Brooklyn at Chicago at 8 p.m., followed by the L.A. Lakers hosting Oklahoma City at 10:30 p.m.
Friday, February 14
·
TNT will televise exclusive live coverage of the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. featuring the top young talent in the game including Philadelphia's Michael Carter-Williams, New Orleans' Anthony Davis and Portland's Damian Lillard.
· Hill and Webber will serve as general managers and will draft their respective teams - consisting of rookie and sophomore players - tonight, Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. during the network's one-hour pre-game show.
· Matt Winer will provide play-by-play for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge with Hill and Webber offering analysis and competitive banter during the game, along with reports by Sager.
· Inside the NBA presented by Kia with Johnson, Barkley, O'Neal and Smith will provide highlights and analysis at halftime and following the game.
Saturday, February 15
· Tipping off the night's coverage,
TNT will televise The Big O, a one-hour special that shines a spotlight on Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson at 5 p.m. The show will feature an interview conducted by Turner Sports' Webber that will look back at Robertson's storied career.
· At 6 p.m.,
TNT will televise Open Court: The Dunk in Depth and Defined. The critically acclaimed, one-hour roundtable discussion will be hosted by Johnson with TNT's Barkley, Kenny Smith, Miller, Kerr, Steve Smith joined by Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins and seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady. The show's cast will discuss the history of the dunk and its place in the game.
· Preceding State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at 7 p.m.,
TNT will present the second iteration of a friendly sports-themed competition with Barkley, O'Neal, Smith and Webber. The
NBA on TNT All-Star Challenge presented by Samsung GALAXY will feature the
TNT commentators competing in a series of athletic events to determine bragging rights among the group.
· State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, including the Sears Shooting Stars competition, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point
Contest and Sprite Slam Dunk contest, will be televised live with coverage beginning at 8 p.m.
· For the first time in the network's coverage of All-Star Saturday Night, TNT's studio team of Johnson, Barkley, O'Neal and Smith will serve as both in-arena and on-air broadcast hosts for each of the events.
· Kevin Harlan will call the Sears Shooting Stars and Taco Bell Skills Challenge with analysts Miller and Webber; he will provide commentary for the Foot Locker Three-Point
Contest with Miller and Kerr; and he will also offer play-by-play for Sprite Slam Dunk with analysts Barkley, O'Neal, Smith, Miller, Webber and Hill all contributing to the network's coverage of the event.
· This year's State Farm All-Star Saturday Night coverage will once again feature an East vs. West format in an exciting night of competition that will also raise money for charity.
· Participants for State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be announced during TNT's NBA pregame show tonight, Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 16
·
TNT will exclusively televise the 2014 NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. with the
TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com. Johnson will host the pre-game coverage with Barkley, O'Neal and Kenny Smith.
· Albert will call the game beginning at 8 p.m. with analysts Kerr and Miller and reporters Aldridge and Sager.
· Prior to the pre-game show,
TNT will air NBA Style presented by Samsung GALAXY: NBA All-Star Edition at 6:30 p.m., recapping the unique styles on display during this year's NBA All-Star festivities. Host Kristen Ledlow and the NBA style team of Lance Fresh, Damaris Lewis, Rick
FOX and Reese Waters will contribute to the show.
TNT Overtime
TNT OT will continue to offer fans a unique video companion experience throughout All-Star weekend - including the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia Motors. Extending this popular regular season experience into All-Star weekend, fans will be able to vote for the players they would like to follow from each team, and engage in the social conversation around All-Star weekend.
TNT Overtime presenting sponsors will include BBVA on Friday, Sprite on Saturday and Kia, Samsung GALAXY, Sprint and State Farm on Sunday.
Turner Sports
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship-level sporting events on TBS,
TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Turner Sports' television lineup includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company's digital portfolio includes Bleacher Report, NCAA.com and March Madness Live, and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.
TNT
TNT is television's destination for drama. Seen in 101 million households and ranking among cable's top networks,
TNT is home to such original drama series as Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, Falling Skies, Perception, Dallas, Franklin & Bash and Mob City. TNT's upcoming slate of scripted dramas includes the original series Legends, The Last Ship and Murder in the First, as well as Transporter The Series, which will make its U.S. television debut on the network this fall.
TNT also features dramatic unscripted originals like Cold Justice, Boston's Finest, Marshal Law: Texas,
APB with Troy Dunn and the upcoming Private Lives of
Nashville Wives, Save Our Business, Inside Job, On the Menu (working title), Wake Up Call (working title) and Life Flight. In addition,
TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like Hawaii Five-0, Castle, The Mentalist,
Bones and Supernatural;
Primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
TNT is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company. Turner Broadcasting creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
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