ESPN/ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the opener of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Warriors tonight, a network spokesperson confirmed.
Adrian Wojnarowski, the network’s top NBA news-breaker, also has COVID and will not be a part of the studio programming for Game 1.
The network does not plan to substitute for Van Gundy on the broadcast. Mark Jackson, usually part of a three-man booth with Van Gundy and play-by-play voice Mike Breen, will be the sole analyst.
As of Thursday morning, ESPN/ABC was still waiting to see if Breen, who missed Game 7 of the Celtics-Heat Eastern Conference Finals series with COVID-19, will pass the necessary protocols to be part of the Game 1 broadcast.