NBA Commentator Power Rankings: Playoff Edition
Raise your hand if you've seen your fair share of NBA playoff power rankings over the past few weeks.
Well lucky for you, this edition of NBA playoff power rankings doesn't fall into the same category of the ones you've been mulling over as of late.
Instead of players or teams, this power ranking focuses on the unsung heroes of the NBA playoffs: the commentators who bring the game to life night in and night out.
Ahead is a power ranking of every NBA commentating team that will be calling at least one 2012 NBA playoff matchup.
NBA on TNT vs. NBA Countdown: Which Analyst Team Is Better?
1 of 9We couldn't have a power ranking of NBA playoff commentators without having a slide dedicated to the guys on TNT's Inside the NBA and the guys on NBA Countdown.
While these guys aren't actually commentators they certainly deserve some credit for the success of their respective NBA pregame shows.
It's Inside the NBA—consisting of Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson—against the NBA Countdown crew—consisting of Magic Johnson, Chris Broussard, Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon.
This battle simply comes down to which crew is more entertaining than the other, and that honor—hands down—goes to the Inside the NBA crew.
The problem with NBA Countdown is that all the analysts on that show take themselves way too seriously. The guys on Inside the NBA are able to poke fun at themselves and poke fun at the game of basketball, which is a refreshing take on a sport that is often overanalyzed.
Check out this video of the infamous Shaq vs. Barkley shirt-off showdown to see what I'm talking about.
No. 8 Matt Devlin and Mike Fratello
2 of 9If I never heard Devlin and Fratello call another NBA game in my life, I'd die a happy man. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh, but I really don't care for this commentating duo.
It's not the Bon Jovi-singing Matt Devlin that I don't care for. It's actually just Fratello that rubs me the wrong way, and it's good to know that I'm not alone in that feeling.
Check out the "team gobbledygook" link to see the time when Fratello's old court partner, Ian Eagle, took offense to Fratello's demeaning tone.
The way Fratello talks is cringe-inducing, as he talks more about the way he would do things instead of actually providing color commentary on the game itself.
This duo would be a lot better if there was a "mute Fratello" button on my television remote. One can only dream.
No. 7 Dave Pasch and Doris Burke
3 of 9I'm not quite sure what it is about the duo of Pasch and Burke that make me dislike them so much.
Oh wait, yes I do. It's the fact that Burke always sounds like she constantly needs to either blow her nose or invest in a lot of Flonase.
Flonase or not, Burke and Pasch are just downright boring. Their monotone voices certainly don't help that much either.
When Burke and Pasch are calling playoff games, I put the television on mute and have my wife provide the play-by-play and color commentary. Okay, that's not true. But that thought has certainly crossed my mind.
No. 6 Dick Stockton and Chris Webber
4 of 9The commentating duo of Stockton and Webber is a goofy one to say the least.
On one hand, you have one of the most celebrated commentators, and on the other, you have a member of the Fab Five who's new to the commentating game.
Fortunately for Stockton, Webber doesn't try to take over the broadcast. He simply allows Stockton to do his thing and adds his former NBA player opinion when necessary.
Once Webber finds his groove, this commentating duo will be able to quickly move up on this list. They have the refreshing balance of legitimate game analysis and humor that it takes to become legendary in the world of sports commentating.
Just don't ask Webber to keep track of timeouts. We all know how that will end.
No. 5 Dan Shulman and Chris Mullin
5 of 9Shulman and Mullin are an interesting commentating duo to say the least, as evidenced by their beautiful display of the old-school Memphis Tams beanies above.
When it comes to commentating, Mullin and Shulman have an impressively high level of chemistry and that's at the foundation of their success on ESPN and ABC.
During the college basketball season, Shulman works mainly with Dick Vitale. His ability to work with Vitale's pure insanity and remain calm has helped him develop a very relaxing style of play-by-play with Mullin.
The one thing that holds Mullin and Shulman back from being higher on this list is the fact that they're rather dull.
I'll certainly take dull over annoying any day of the week, though, and that's what this duo has going for it.
No. 4 Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller
6 of 9Little did TNT know, when they put Miller and Harlan together, that they'd be pairing two individuals who both have no regard for human life.
While Harlan coined the phrase "with no regard for human life," Miller put that same mantra on display a few years before when he grabbed his family jewels and threw up the universal choke sign to Spike Lee.
All that aside, Harlan and Miller are actually two very competent NBA commentators. Harlan brings a certain level of excitement to the play-by-play part of commentating that many of his colleagues lose sight of.
The only problem for this commentating tandem is that Miller refers to his days of playing in the NBA a little too often. More often than not, Miller takes viewers on a trip down memory lane, rather than providing exciting color commentary.
Even with Miller reminiscing too often, I still love tuning in to the team of Harlan and Miller because there's always the possibility I'll hear another classic line from Harlan like, "With no regard for human life."
No. 3 Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy
7 of 9Hear me out on Breen and Van Gundy's nickname before you jump all over it.
Not only has Breen patented the word "bang" when it comes to late-game heroics, both Breen and Van Gundy also bring a high level of excitement to the commentating game that places them third on this list.
Breen and Van Gundy are both passionate and outspoken announcers, and that's exactly what works for them. Where other commentators steer clear of passionate opinions, Van Gundy embraces them, and that's what makes him stand out in the world of commentating.
If you don't believe me, just check out Van Gundy's rant on how flopping is ruining the game of basketball.
I know some people think Van Gundy is annoying, but any guy that's ever hung onto Alonzo Mourning's leg for dear life earns respect in my book.
No. 2 Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown
8 of 9Team Class and Classier
Hall of Famer Hubie Brown and jack-of-all-trades Mike Tirico are a commentating team that, in all honesty, defies logic.
Brown is a 78-year-old NBA legend, and Tirico is a sports enthusiast who covers anything and everything from the Masters to Monday Night Football. They certainly could be classified as the odd couple, but their professionalism and consistency make them incredibly endearing.
Tirico and Brown are like that elderly couple you see in the mall that makes you turn to the person you're with and say, "Aren't they cute?"
If this commentating duo would add a little more spice to their broadcasts, they would certainly be higher on this list.
But coming in at the second spot isn't a bad place for this legendary team of NBA commentators. Their high level of class and professionalism is all they need to solidify themselves as one of the best commentating teams of all time.
No. 1 Marv Albert and Steve Kerr
9 of 9Whenever I think of basketball commentating, the name Marv Albert is the first one that comes to mind.
Not only has Albert been in the commentating game for the past 45 years, he's also called some of the most epic playoff moments in NBA history.
Steve Kerr, on the other hand, is rather new to the commentating world. While he's not bad at all, he's not all that special, either. Luckily for Kerr, Albert carries this commentating duo with his Hall of Fame status.
Albert and Kerr are like the San Antonio Spurs: They aren't all that flashy, but they stick to the fundamentals of the game like their lives depend on it, and it works ridiculously well for them.
It's going to take an incredible commentating performance for someone to knock off Marv Albert and Steve Kerr from this spot. But hey, I'm not saying it's impossible. It's just highly unlikely.
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