Posted: Aug. 20, 2008
The Phoenix Suns announced their 2008-09 television broadcast schedule today, which will continue to allow fans to see all 82 regular season games on either the Suns local broadcast networks or one of the NBA’s national broadcasts. In addition, for the second-straight season, the Suns will televise every game in High Definition (HD).
FSN Arizona will televise 29 Suns’ home games this season, including tilts against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 9 and March 10. FSN Arizona will also televise the first visits of 2008’s top draft picks with No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 31, second selection Michael Beasley and the Miami Heat on Nov. 28, and third-overall pick O.J. Mayo and the Memphis Grizzlies in the network’s first broadcast on Nov. 10. Each broadcast features a pre-game and halftime show and following each of the network’s telecasts, a “Suns live” postgame show, produced by FSN, will air featuring game highlights and analysis.
KUTP (My45) enters its 21st consecutive season covering the Suns and will air 41 games (36 away), including the season opener at the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 29. My45’s slate is highlighted by the Suns’ Dec. 10 trip to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers as well as a stop in Cleveland to tangle with LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Feb. 11.
The Suns will appear on national television 25 times this season. TNT’s 10-game schedule includes exclusivity to seven contests, including the home opener versus Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets on Oct. 30. In addition, TNT will be the exclusive television home of the first outdoor NBA game of the modern era when the Suns host the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 11 in an exhibition game at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. The 10-game ESPN schedule is highlighted by matchups with rivals like the Spurs, Lakers and Mavericks, as well as a pair of games against both the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
ABC will carry five games exclusively, including Sunday matinee home games against last season’s NBA finalists, the Boston Celtics on Feb. 22 and the Lakers on March 1. ABC will also televise the Suns game against the Spurs on Dec. 25 from US Airways Center, marking the first time since the 1996-97 season the club has hosted one of the league’s marquee Christmas Day games.
For the 39th-straight season, all Suns games will be broadcast on the Suns flagship station, Sports 620 KTAR, with the “Voice of the Suns” Al McCoy calling play-by-play action. Returning to the Suns’ broadcast team are My45 play-by-play announcer and FSN Arizona pre-game host Tom Leander, FSN Arizona play-by-play announcer Gary Bender, My45 and FSN Arizona color analyst Eddie Johnson, My45 and FSN Arizona pre-game and halftime analyst Tom Chambers, My45 pre-game and halftime host Kevin Ray, Sports 620 KTAR color analyst Tim Kempton, KSUN 1400 AM Spanish Radio play-by-play announcer Arturo Ochoa and KSUN 1400 AM Spanish Radio color analyst Gerardo Romo.
Joining the Suns’ broadcast team as a television color analyst and returning to Phoenix is former Suns center Scott Williams, who spent last season at FSN Wisconsin, filling an array of roles on Milwaukee Bucks’ broadcasts, including pre- and postgame host, sideline reporter and color analyst. A three-time NBA Champion with the Chicago Bulls (1990-91 – 1992-93), Williams began his broadcasting career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and FSN Ohio after retiring from the NBA in 2004-05. The former 6-10 center spent two campaigns with Cavs as a color analyst, broadcasting more than 40 regular and postseason games each season. A veteran of 15 seasons as an NBA player, Williams played for seven teams, including the Suns from 2002-04. The 40-year-old Williams and wife Lisa have two children, Benjamin and Ava.