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''The NBA on CBS'' is a former TV Show that televised National Basketball Association games on the '''Columbia Broadcasting System''' ( CBS ) and was produced by CBS Sports . ''The NBA on CBS'' ran from the 1973-1974 NBA Season (when CBS succeeded ABC Sports as the official American television broadcaster of the NBA) until the 1989-1990 NBA Season (when CBS was succeeded by NBC Sports ). From 1986 to its final year in 1990 , CBS paid about $ 47 million per year for their NBA coverage. TAPE DELAY PERIOD By time slot (then occupied by '' The CBS Late Movie ''). For the 1980 and 1981 NBA Finals , CBS scheduled Games 3 and 4 on back-to-back days (Saturday and Sunday) to avoid an extra tape delay game. From (airing games live when the game site was in the Pacific Time Zone ). CBS continued this practice until at least the mid-1980s. THE NBA'S RESURGENCE Many believe that the peak era of ''The NBA on CBS'' happened from 1984 - 1987 . During this particular period CBS' NBA coverage hailed a new era that would forever link two of the game's greatest players, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson . Many credit the theatrics of Bird and Johnson to boosting the morale and overall popularity of the NBA (especially during the taped delay era of NBA telecasts). Within the three years of Johnson and Bird entering the league, the NBA had a weekly ''Game of the Week'' on CBS, and Ratings for Finals games were actually almost as high as the World Series in 1984 . Prior to Bird/Magic era going into full swing, CBS used to offer roughly five to seven games (in a regional format) per week in a doubleheader format (1:45 p.m and 4 p.m. ET ) on Sundays . Unfortunately for CBS, Ratings for their regional basketball telecasts suffered in stark contrast to NBC 's College Basketball coverage and ABC 's '' Superstars '' program. Eventually, after ratings in 1980 and 1981 bottomed out (coinciding with CBS airing the NBA Finals on tape delay), CBS decided to scrap the regional telecasts. In its place came CBS selling the marquee players and teams (i.e. '' Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers '', ''''' Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics ''''', ''''' Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers ''''', etc.) for a "''Game of the Week''"-type broadcast. TELEVISION CONTRACTS GAMES PER SEASON Notes
ANNOUNCERS Additional Notes
Number One Announcing Teams
Number Two Announcing Teams
List of NBA Finals announcers See Also: List of NBA Finals broadcasters THEME MUSIC Give it all you got, Take your your very best shot And may the best team win. The time is now, the name of the game is action. :''They're on the floor, And they're ready to score, So let the game begin, And let's see how the ball's going to bounce today Welcome to N-B-A :''Come on, enjoy the roar of the crowd See the action all around, It comes your way... You see the best in basketball :''When you watch the N-B-A, When you watch the N-B-A on C-B-S. (N-B-A on C-B-S, N-B-A on C-B-S, ... etc. fading out) In the 1980s, this was set in a primitive, computer-generated montage of basketball action set inside a virtual arena that looked identical to Boston Garden . This opening sequence (which was usually interwined by a dramatic montage of live basketball action complete with narration) was created by Bill Feigenbaum . In the 1988-1989 season, CBS completely revamped the opening montage. The computer-generated imagery (once again set in and around a virtual arena) was made to look more realistic (live-action footage was incorporated in the backdrops). Also, the familiar theme music was rearranged to sound more intricate and to have a more emotional impact. MEMORABLE MOMENTS # In 1983 , a year before his tragic and untimely death, Marvin Gaye gave a soulful and emotional rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at the NBA All-Star Game telecast. Gaye's performance remains a staple in Popular Culture to this day. For CBS' final NBA telecast (which coincided with the conclusion of the 1990 NBA Finals ), they did a montage at the end to thank everybody over the years. The Montage was done to the national anthem by Marvin Gaye. They felt that it was the most significant moment from their basketball programming. # In Game 5 of the 1986 NBA Western Conference Finals , Ralph Sampson 's last second tip-in at the buzzer beat the Los Angeles Lakers and send the Houston Rockets to only their second NBA Finals in their franchise history. # On May 10 , 1989 , the Chicago Bulls got out of the first round for the first time in the Michael Jordan era, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games (with Jordan averaging 45.2 PPG during the series). Jordan established himself as one of the great clutch performers in the NBA with his Famous Last Second Dagger over Craig Ehlo in Game 5 in the first round of the playoffs. NBA Finals # took a huge lead against the Phoenix Suns at Boston Garden but could not hold it. The game was marred by several controversies but eventually went to Boston in three overtimes, 128-126. Boston then won Game 6 and took their 13th championship. # , now leading the series against the Philadelphia 76ers 3-2, arrived back home for Game 6 in the middle of the night to a crowd of 5,000 fans waiting at the airport. With just 48 minutes separating the Blazers from their first championship, "Blazermania" had gripped the city. Philadelphia kept the game close throughout the first quarter, but were down by 15 at halftime after the Blazers netted 40 points in the 2nd quarter. Julius Erving tried in vain to force a game 7 for his team, scoring 40 points, but Bill Walton 's 23 rebounds and 8 blocks kept the game in Portland's hands, as Philadelphia's George McGinnis missed the game-tying shot with seconds left sent for a heart stopping 109-107 Portland win. # took a 3-2 lead, led chiefly by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . After he sprained his ankle in Game 5, Magic Johnson (then little known) shifted to center and played out a huge game in Game 6, scoring 42 points and netting 15 rebounds as the Lakers clinched the title 123-107. Also in the 1980 NBA Finals, Julius Erving executed the legendary '' Baseline Move '', an incredible behind-the-board reverse layup and one of the most spectacular basketball moves ever. # was completed before the 1982-83 Season when they acquired center Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets . They went on to capture their historic second NBA championship as they won 65 games, and ran the table in the playoffs, first sweeping the New York Knicks , and then beating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games and finally finished it off with a four game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers who had defeated them the season before, completeing one of the most dominating playoff runs in league history with a 12-1 mark after league and NBA Finals MVP Moses promised ''"Fo', fo', fo"'' (as in ''"four, four, four"'' - four wins to sweep round 1, four wins to sweep round 2, etc.), but it actually wound up as ''"Fo', fi', fo (four, five, four)."'' The 76ers were also led by Hall Of Famer Julius Erving and All-Stars Maurice Cheeks , Andrew Toney , and Bobby Jones . # and Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1980 with the Magic Johnson - Larry Bird pair entering the league. The Lakers almost swept the Celtics but a crucial steal in Game 2 led to a tie game and the Celtics were able to win in overtime to tie the series. The Lakers won Game 3 easily and almost won Game 4, but were again thwarted. Now tied 2-2, the Lakers and Celtics each held serve at their home court to send the series to Boston for Game 7. Game 5 was a classic, with Bird coming up with a huge game in one of the (literally) hottest games ever in non-air conditioned Boston Garden . Game 7 was a close game but eventually went to the Celtics. The 1984 championship series was one of the most watched in history, with soaring TV Ratings . # The 1985 NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics was perhaps the most satisfying for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . At age 38 the league's senior center was thought by many observers to be washed up. In Game 1 it looked as though they were right -- Abdul-Jabbar had only 12 points and 3 rebounds in his matchup with Robert Parish . The Celtics romped to a 148-114 win in what became known as '' The Memorial Day Massacre ''. In Game 2, Abdul-Jabbar recorded 30 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots in a 109-102 Lakers win. Los Angeles went on to win the series in six games. In the Lakers' four victories Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. In one memorable sequence Abdul-Jabbar grabbed a rebound, drove the length of the court and swished a sky-hook. He even dove for a loose ball. ''"What you saw,"'' Lakers coach Pat Riley told Sports Illustrated , ''"was passion."'' Abdul-Jabbar was named Finals MVP. # and Celtics clashed again. Magic Johnson beat the Celtics on a buzzer-beater in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead and swing the momentum towards the Lakers. Los Angeles won in six. # In Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers , Isiah Thomas put one of his best known and most self-defining performances. Although he badly twisted his ankle in the game, Thomas continued to play. While hobbling and in obvious pain, Isiah was still able to score 26 points in a single quarter of that contest, a NBA Finals record. # On June 19 , 1990 , Vinnie Johnson landed a 14-footer in the last second, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 92-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals , and giving the Detroit Pistons their second consecutive the World Championship . This is to date, CBS' final NBA telecast. Memorable Calls
RATINGS See Also: National_Basketball_Association_Nielsen_ratings#From_the_Beginning_.28CBS.29 SEE ALSO
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