On Oct. 22, the NBA season kicked off on TNT with a double header. TNT’s “Inside the NBA” held their pre-game show in the heart of Boston.
Fans from all around packed into the government center for food, drinks and most importantly a in person viewing of Inside The NBA.
This is a special year for Inside the NBA, as the show is ending after this season. Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson have been hosting the show for 13 seasons, and the show has been on air for 35 years.
After a new deal for television rights, the NBA is leaving TNT in favor of Amazon.
“That show in particular is special. I have a close relationship with everyone who’s on that show, from the time they played in the league, as well,” said league commissioner Adam Silver to USA Today.
As with most things the NBA’s bottom line came before continuing the fan favorite show. An 11 year 76 billion dollar deal between the NBA, ESPN ABC/ESPN, NBC and Amazon was inked in July.
“The NBA on TNT is gone after next season. Gonna miss Shaq, Chuck, Kenny and Ernie together on TNT. The NBA wins with this deal but the fans lose,” pro bowl quarterback and former ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III tweeted in response to the news.
TNT went all out for the last first broadcast of the show, including performances from Shaboozi and Benson Boone.
Shaboozi performed his chart topping song “Tipsy” pregame for fans.
Benson Boone performed hit songs like “Slow It Down” and “In The Stars,” to conclude coverage of the Celtics game.
O’Neal, who ended his hall-of-fame career playing for the Boston Celtics, was received with excitement along with the rest of the crew.
The team previewed the upcoming season opening double header between the defending champion Boston Celtics playing the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves taking on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The crowd in Boston got what they came for as the Celtics dominated the Knicks 132 to 109, or as Ernie Johnson called it “A beantown beatdown.”
Jayson Tatum picked up right where he left off, scoring 37 points on 77% shooting from the field. His partner in crime Jaylen Brown had 23 points and shot over 50% from three in the Celtics rout of New York.
TNT got everything they could have asked for covering a historic night of NBA Basketball, and they could not have chosen a better host city than Boston.
