"Considering the circumstances, NBC ended up with the
best possible scenario for the NBA Finals," according to
Arthur Garcia of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, who writes
that the Knicks' unexpected appearance in the Finals "should
generate a ton of interest" outside of N.Y. (S.A. EXPRESS-
NEWS, 6/14). In Boston, Jim Baker writes that NBC is "in a
surprisingly strong position" for the NBA Finals, even
"after all that player greed and a short season," because it
has the "No. 1 media market involved with a stirring
dramatic comeback story" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/14).
A GOOD PARTNER: On Sunday, Baker wrote that NBC "is
clearly in overdrive when it comes to feel-good features" on
NBA players. Baker: "After spoiled, overpaid and locked-out
players turned off so many, the Peacock is on a campaign to
make the public more sympathetic" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/13).
...In DC, Leonard Shapiro wrote that NBC should have had Bob
Costas and Doug Collins completing the Pacers-Knicks series
rather than the team of Tom Hammond, Steve Jones and Bill
Walton (WASHINGTON POST, 6/12). But in N.Y., Richard
Sandomir writes that Hammond, Jones and Walton were "so
entertaining" during the Pacers-Knicks, that "it's a shame
Walton will shift to studio work and Jones to on-line
analyst" during the NBA Finals (N.Y. TIMES, 6/12). In
Milwaukee, Michael Bauman wrote that he is "beginning to
like" Walton. Walton's "dead honest. He knows what he's
talking about" (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/13). In Dallas, Barry
Horn: "No analyst flip flops more on opinion and uses
hyperbole more than Walton" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/12).