Jeff Van Gundy Returning to NBA Finals Booth for Game 2, Mike Breen Remains Out

The ESPN analyst was among those to miss the series opener.

A familiar voice will be on the call for Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals Sunday night.

ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy is set to return to the booth after missing Game 1 between the Warriors and Celtics after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. Van Gundy will join Mark Jones and longtime broadcast partner Mark Jackson on the sidelines inside Chase Center, per ESPN communications director Ben Cafardo.

Hours before the series tipped off on Thursday, the New York Post reported Van Gundy and NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski would miss the contest after testing positive for the virus. However, the former NBA coach would later tell the New York Times he did not test positive for the virus, and received an inconclusive test result before registering two negatives. 

Nevertheless, Van Gundy’s absence resulted in ESPN opting to utilize a two-man booth with Jackson and Jones for Game 1, which saw Boston defeat Golden State 120–108. The commentators made TV history alongside veteran reporter Lisa Salters as the first all-Black broadcast team in NBA Finals history.

With Van Gundy’s return now official, NBA fans are getting closer to witnessing the 2022 Finals debut of ABC’s most-beloved broadcast crew. Lead play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, who has been off the air since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to COVID, will make his return for Game 3 on Wednesday, per ESPN.