NBA finals live on TV

JAKARTA (JP): While many eyes will be glued to Euro 96 in England, basketball lovers will be enjoying their own entertainment by feasting on the National Basketball Association finals.

Despite European Championship fever, private TV station SCTV has opted to reserve some of its broadcasting time for Indonesian basketball fans with live coverage of the scheduled seven NBA finals games pitting the Chicago Bulls against the Seattle SuperSonics.

Pranoto Harun, sports program producer of the Surabaya-based TV channel, said that the talks on the live programming with the NBA have been completed, but no details on the budget set by the station were available.

SCTV has sent commentator Agus Mauro, sports TV guide Helmi Yahya and director Kemal to the United States for the live coverage. They will be assisted by SCTV's U.S.-based correspondent, Aria Jabar. The live programs will be hosted by noted basketball commentator Reinhard Tawas.

The private station has aired the last two NBA finals live.

Seattle, which beat Utah Jazz 4-3 at the last gasp in the previous round, will meet Chicago in the battle of two NBA's best teams. The Sonics' 64-18 regular season record was second only to the Bulls' record-breaking 72-10 mark.

Chicago, which scored a hat trick in 1991, 1992 and 1993, is the clear favorite against Seattle which has cruised to only its second final in 17 years.

The first game of the best-of-seven-series in Chicago will be aired live today from 07.20 to 10.30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time. (yan)

NBA Finals fixtures (all in Western Indonesia Time): 1st game June 6 07.20 - 10.30 a.m. 2nd game June 8 07.20 - 10.30 a.m. 3rd game June 10 01.30 - 03.30 a.m. 4th game June 13 07.20 - 10.30 a.m. 5th game June 15 09.00 - 11.00 p.m. 6th game June 17 05.30 - 09.00 a.m. 7th game June 20 07.20 - 10.30 a.m.