The popular sports media blog Awful Announcing ranked the NBA local TV crews and gave the Orlando Magic a ranking a bit lower than we might expect.
If there is one thing the Orlando Magic have done right the last three years, it is having one of the best broadcasts in the NBA. And throughout the league with the local broadcasts that is saying something as there are some really bad broadcasts.
David Steele and Jeff Turner provide a balanced take on the team — again, an accomplishment with many homer announcers around the league — and are entertaining and insightful with their analysis. It is genuinely one of the best parts about watching the Magic and helps get through the slog of several losing seasons in a row.
What might be the best-kept secret in the NBA has gotten plenty of accolades from NBA heads — Zach Lowe of ESPN.com ranked the Magic No. 22 in this year’s League Pass rankings and gives kudos to the Magic’s broadcast crew in the ranking — but readers at the popular sports media blog Awful Announcing do not quite agree.
After soliciting votes from readers for all 30 NBA teams, the Magic’s broadcast came in 16th in the site’s rankings of the NBA local broadcast teams.
"Steele and Turner are solid, and provide sound insight into the home town team for wandering League Pass viewers. It’s nice to see a non-playoff contender or major market crew be rewarded for having no gapping flaws."
That is hardly a negative thing to say, but the reader comment included in the ranking explanation still shows at least some fans and viewers are a little peeved Matt Guokas is still not on the call.
Jeff Turner has certainly grown into the role though and while not as sarcastic and sometimes critical as Guokas, he definitely still keeps things straight and provides good insight to viewers. It is a good broadcast team.
It definitely hurts them the Magic are not among the best teams in the league or in the national spotlight much. There just may not be much opportunity or reason for the casual NBA League Pass viewer to watch a Magic game. Or the Magic may not get picked for the cable broadcasts on League Pass.
Still, the ranking is disappointing with little negative to say about the whole Magic crew. They are genuinely one of the best broadcasts in the league from top to bottom.
The top broadcast went to the New York Knicks with the classic team of Mike Breen and Walt Frazier on the call. The Nets broadcast came next — they often feature Iain Eagle or Marv Albert with Mike Fratello. These are two national broadcasts essentially , and the very best national broadcasters the NBA has.
The always passionate Sacramento Kings duo of Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds were third with the Milwaukee Bucks (now featuring Gus Johnson) and Minnesota Timberwolves finishing out the top five.
There are no quibbles with those decisions as all of those broadcasts are also very good and avoid the often homer tactics you might find on the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls’ broadcasts — three of the teams near the bottom.
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The Magic’s ranking though still feels a bit low.