Insider Reveals Why Knicks Duo Was Removed From Finals Coverage

Mama, there goes those former New York Knicks.

The Athletic media insider Andrew Marchand revealed on Thursday that ABC/ESPN would make an adjustment to its top NBA broadcasting team, swapping Doris Burke with Tim Legler in the analyst's chair. Legler joins fellow analyst Richard Jefferson and longtime play-by-play man Mike Breen, who is also renowned for serving as the Knicks' local television narrator on MSG Network.

In his report, Marchand stated that the Worldwide Leader's top grouping has "been in flux for years" after the ousting of former Knick reps Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy in 2023 and offered insight behind their controversial departure through ESPN's wide-ranging layoffs.

Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy — Feb 23, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN broadcasters Mark Jackson (left), Jeff Van Gundy (center) and Mike Breen during the NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Part of the network’s reasoning for singling out Van Gundy and Jackson was because of their perceived continued desire to coach, according to sources briefed on the move," Marchand said. "The NBA was not a fan of Van Gundy criticizing officials, according to those sources."

Following his layoff, Van Gundy has indeed returned to coach, winning his first championship as a consultant with the 2023-24 Boston Celtics before joining Tyronn Lue's Los Angeles Clippers staff this past season. The latter was his first NBA coaching job since his four-year term at the helm of the Houston Rockets ended in 2007.

Van Gundy spent over a decade on the Knicks' bench, first as an assist before taking the full-time reigns in 1996. He still places third on the all-time Knicks coaching wins list at 248, behind only Red Holzman and Joe Lapchick.

Jackson, on the other hand, has entered the podcasting circuit and was in negotiations to serves as an alternate analyst on MSG before that deal fell through. Rick Pitino, his former head coach in New York and the current leader of the St. John's men's basketball program, endorsed Jackson for the Knicks' vacancy left behind by Tom Thibodeau's ousting, though the team eventually opted for Mike Brown instead.

The Queens native played seven seasons (1987-92, 2001-02) of a tenured NBA career in New York after the team drafted him out of St. John's 18th overall.

The Knicks trio of Breen, Jackson, and Van Gundy became well-known for their work on ABC and ESPN, earning positive reviews for their chemistry and commentary. They called some of the NBA's biggest games during their time together, including every edition of the NBA Finals between 2007 and 2023 (with the exception of 2012-13, when Jackson was coaching the Golden State Warriors).

Since their respective departures, a game of musical chairs has ensued next to Breen: he was originally paired with Burke and another Knicks alum in Doc Rivers, who left during his first season to take the head coaching job in Milwaukee.

Rivers was temporarily replaced by JJ Redick, who now serves as the top man for the Los Angeles Lakers, leading to the current pairing of Jefferson and Legler. Despite the arrivals of new media partners Amazon and NBC, ABC will continue to air the NBA Finals through the 2036 edition.

The Knicks will certainly see their share of games called by the new trio of Breen, Jefferson, and Legler: New York will play 13 games on the Disney-owned ABC and ESPN during this coming season, including its opener on Oct. 22 and the traditional Christmas Day date, both at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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