ESPN’s Doris Burke Talks Celtics vs Mavs NBA Finals & Bill Walton with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

ESPN’s Doris Burke Talks Celtics vs Mavs NBA Finals & Bill Walton with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

as Doris Burke has kindly done as she gets set to call the NBA finals on television alongside Mike Breen and JJ reck look forward to that analysis and this chat good to see you Doris Burke how are you I’m great I’m great bet guys that just gave me such joy and I have to tell you a story that JJ reck shared who spent a minute in Dallas right at the end of his career yes and of course we want to know what Luke is right like you know he’s such an incredible player yes but brilliant but I said J what’s he like he goes the most normal guy who wants no drama he wants to have a beer with his friends he wants the locker room to be drama free and the only he goes the guy outside the lines versus the guy inside the lines two totally different things and you love who he is in both places so that video is just too great yeah the one where Michael Finley comes over and sees him having a beer with his dad after sealing the deal and winning the Magic Johnson Award you just took it from him it’s and then Lucas just like where you going that all okay I’ll get room service I mean because what do you think is is Michael like concerned about conditioning or there’s more there’s more games to be played right I mean like that was funny that was really funny classic I know so what do you think happens now in the uh in the finals Doris what do you think of this matchup here I am so excited for this Rich you know you have the Boston Celtics who by far had been the most dominant team from the opening tip of the season um the additions of Drew and christops porzingis had fit like a glove and I do think and we can sort of dive into this a little bit but christops has to play for them to win and then you have the Dallas Mavericks who feel to me and I don’t know what your take on this is Rich but you remember Steph Curry last title where they had scuffled to start the year but they found their traction and hit their stride at exactly the right time that to me feels like the Dallas Mavericks and we need to give Nico Harrison a ton of credit because early in the year this team had to outscore people and they were going absolutely nowhere no one would have been shocked at the Dallas Mavericks had they stood path you know would have been a first round series exit and now all of a sudden you put this incredible amount of athletic ISM and defensive toughness around the two best closers in the game in Kyrie and Luca and look out you’ve got a potent Foe for the Boston Celtics so you said a couple things there that I want to I want to touch base on first one you think porzingis has to play for the Celtics to win that’s your belief here it is and Rich and I’ll tell you why because what have gaffard and Lively done for the Dallas Mavericks number one on the defensive end incredible Rim protection and the two best players Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both Dynamic drivers who make tremendous Rim reads and put a ton of pressure on you and so gaffard and Lively are critical on the defensive end for the Dallas Mavericks they also are vertical threats at the rim for two guys who understand how to attack uh and you know find people so there’s pressure at the rim and there’s Shooters on either side of both guys so that’s their influence on both ends is significant I was just watching on the tape of the March matchup between these two teams sorry I just lost my my airpod um I was just watching the the matchup from March when both teams are you know as presently constituted and the most striking thing I saw on that film rich is Chris Taps porzingis picking and popping and pick and roll action and so what does that do that makes Lively and gaffard come out you draw away that Rim protection you draw away that rebounding threat uh because you’ve got to cover I think STS porzingis on threes averages about 27 feet per field goal attempt and uh that was you know it’s my first run through of that matchup on tape but that was the thing that was really striking to me and let’s remember kristof’s on the defensive end it’s holding opponents to like 44% at The Rim he will post a mismatch if you happen to get him in a switch he’s going to punish that switch his postup opportunities one of were one of the most effective and efficient plays in the entire NBA uh yeah I think they’re GNA have a hard they would have a hard time winning the series and listen he hasn’t played since game four of the Miami series so what does he look like uh it’s one of the most compelling storylines as we start this playoff or this matchup and you start you mentioned the the defensive prowess of Dallas that the Mavericks identified was necessary do me a favor and give me some folks that you mean actual players and how they they might match up against the Celtics starting Thursday night with you at the mic on ABC Doris yeah so this is this is the biggest test for this Dallas defense that has vastly improved and to me one of the most striking aspects of the PJ Washington Daniel gaard and Derk Jones Jr can we remember that nobody I don’t think Derek Jones Jr had a lot of suitors he didn’t sign with the Dallas Mavericks I believe until August maybe and yet he is a starter on an NBA Finals team and nightly absorbing an incredibly difficult matchup and a couple of things have happened that are important Luca and Kyrie are playing as hard and as engaged on the defensive end of the floor as we’ve ever seen them and for the longest stretches we’ve ever seen them but nobody covering this series I don’t think it’s going to say oh those are two Elite defensive players right so there’s still some opportunities for this talented Boston team to attack um but the thing I think most is something Jason kid told us in one of our coaches meetings and this is important and this is why fit and chemistry and and the vibe of this team is important D Jones Jr Daniel Gafford um PJ they relish the fact that they can cover up and support maybe some of the pieces around them that aren’t as good defensively Maxi kba’s return is enormous for two reasons Maxi is one of the most outstanding defensive players in the league really smart cross positional and he has a knack for making big three-point shots and that’s facing its critical um so there’s any number of defensive players Josh Green Off the Bench the ability to apply ball pressure uh can you use your depth a little bit if you’re Dallas so this is the biggest test Boston was the most efficient offensive team in the league they put shooting on the floor at all five position positions in almost every lineup they run out there um so this I’m telling you I I’m so excited and then there’s the delicious story lines Kyrie leaves Boston it doesn’t feel very good when he leaves that fan base is not happy Chris porzingis is time in Dallas didn’t work out well how motivated is he if he’s healthy and well and can participate like there’s so many things happening here yeah I know by the way uh you you definitely um were putting a nice Silver Lining on it it it didn’t feel good when Kyrie left and and and Boston fans are not happy those that’s a very sunny disposition way of looking at it Doris but you’re you’re right and then and then there’s the the you know the the whole sense of the Celtics um uh trying to get back to the Mountaintop it has been a while um and clearly the Maverick’s trying to do something that nobody expected them to do and then there’s just the players that you you you didn’t expect to be in the NBA Finals I’ll ask you this question uh when did PJ Washington become Robert Ory when did that happen Doris you know it’s a it’s a great point because you know I was looking at his stats like all season from from three-point territory he’s only in the regular season in the in the in the 29 games he played with them only a 31.4% three-point shooter but it feels like his baskets are loud baskets and when the ball finds him in a swing swing situation because teams are doubling or blitzing you know Luca and they don’t necessarily want to come off of Kyrie because of the big big shot making well the ball’s gonna find those other guys and what impresses me is how Fearless PJ Washington Edge is and there’s an edge about him right rich like there’s an edge a defensive toughness uh okay you can bring it but this stage I will be on bout and and Luca you know here’s a guy who’s played since he was 133 years of old 13 years of age he played professional basketball 13 he wins the MVP of the uh League at 18 playing against 29 30 you know guys much older than him um I I really I this team fits well there’s a toughness about them uh but Boston’s Boston’s their biggest challenge there’s no question because Boston has been complete both ends um other than these teams who who is the best team you saw all season Doris that that didn’t make it what do you think here yeah I I was shocked at the way the the Minnesota season came to a thunderous end like just a you know having worked so hard to get the spacing right with Carl Anthony towns with Anthony Edwards emerging as the Superstar on this stage and showing moments of absolute Brilliance uh and the Rudy gobear story line just remains polarizing I was shocked I was shocked that it came to such an Abrupt and Ugly ending for a Minnesota team that really had a hell of a season truth we told they had one heck of a year Doris Burke here on the Rich Eisen show few minutes left with you Doris if you uh wouldn’t mind just taking a moment uh out of this conversation to talk about yourself a little bit um you have called the NBA finals on ESPN Radio since 20120 but this is TV you are um you got a big assignment for you know you and your career obviously but for so many people uh who can follow you Doris you’re the first woman to be at the microphone on television for a men’s major finals in the United States in the history of our of our medium and I’m wondering if that’s hit you in any way shape or form well thank you for making me more nervous than I already am you shouldn’t be D you’re nervous is not the honestly you’re you’re outstanding you’re awesome so let’s just remove that from the equation if we can you know well I’ll be honest with you you know um it’s meaningful there’s no doubt that that sentiment um hasn’t dawned on me obviously like what what could be better for me if in some way this assignment helps women uh in some way there could be nothing more Min U meaningful right like they just and I I can’t help but think about so many women like even my predecessors whether it’s Jackie McMullen or or watch the brilliant Candace Parker work in so many spheres business television um all the women behind the scenes at ESPN who love the sport and grind it out um you know local beat writers somebody like Caitlyn Cooper who does an incredible job in New Media covering the Pacers like if this helps I am thrilled um but you know like what I’ve done my entire career is like what’s the next game I have and how can I be best prepared and hopefully bring the viewer um as close to the game as I love and how I know how fortunate I am to sit there and it’s funny anybody calling their first Finals game is going to be nervous there’s no question so I’m going to try to just put that other side that thought aside so that I can just because that would be overwhelming and Mike Breen I’ve worked with him for so long Rich so so long and over the years I’ve heard him tell the story about his first NBA Finals game as the play byplay and now he’s iconic and he’s you know synonymous with the sport but he’s calling the game next to the great huby Brown and he’s nervous or whatever’s happening he goes they we go to break and huby just looks at him put makes him take off his headset puts his hand on his arm and said kid just call the damn game and uh love it I love it I love it I hope I I hope I can just settle in and call the damn game and I’m working with two Extraordinary Gentlemen JJ reck has been a phenomenal teammate Mike Breen is the master of the position and we have you know this because you were once with us we have the best of the best at every position um Graphics tape producer director and uh you know we’re going to try to do the job as well as we can that’s for sure no doubt and listen I mean you go back with Breen I’m sure to the MSG days when you were you were with MSG doing the Knicks uh before you joined ESPN and this is not your first NBA finals you’ve been doing that at the at the radio mic for the great ESPN Radio since 2020 and uh you know and and plus I mean the chair uh that you’re that you’re in was previously occupied by another uh star Big East point guard you know so I guess that’s that’s that’s that’s your role here you know what I mean like you you you you have you have everything that’s uh that that’s necessary and I just wanted to point that out um and in terms of your your college career um four years in Providence if there was a WNBA then Doris would you have gone into it would you have played in the WNBA uh I’m not sure I was good enough to be perfectly honest with you um I had a chance to go overseas when my career ended and my final game my senior year of Providence we were playing in the wnb wnit and I had played three games in three days was a heavy minutes and literally the last 10 minutes of my career we were a running team I go to catch an outlet pass and turn and spin to get in transition and I blow my knee both ligaments and the surgeon right yeah the surgeon right after said you need to make a decision are you going to go or because it’s going to impact the kind of surgery I perform and I sort of took that as a sign like ah I wasn’t going to make very much money over there and uh but no to be honest I don’t think I was good enough I could get anywhere I wanted off the dribble Drive rich but I I was not a great shooter so they always sagged off me but I will say this like I’m always indebted to the WNBA it’s 1997 when that was formed I was in the business but that was the first time a woman as an analyst so doing what raft or dick vital or you know any analyst in basketball was doing and that’s make a living as a color analyst I could do like 35 games of the WNBA and then 35 games of women’s college basketball and I was I was saying the last game that we were on I’m listening to Chris Paul back in the studio teasing our halftime and I’m sitting next to JJ reic I’m thinking oh my God I covered Chris as a freshman his first game in Madison Square Garden at wake and I covered JJ as a freshman I do I’m I looked at my friend I go I am so old it’s frightening no you are experienced Doris let’s call it that um before I let you go I’m going to take a I’m gonna throw a dart here and hope it hits the bullseye do you have a a good Bill Walton story anything from your history with uh Doris yeah yeah so my first um analyst game for ESPN in the playoffs was completely by accident I believe it was Tom Tolbert but I’m not 100% sure um the noon game on that first Saturday was up in Toronto and Tom I believe it was Tom was assigned to that game and his passport had expired or something so they sent me up last minute and I don’t know Bill at the time and he and I just texted this to Luke in expressing my condolences to him uh I didn’t know Bill at the time but he had tracked down my email via ESPN and sent me this incredibly long thoughtful that was absolutely incredible you have you know I don’t even remember exactly but I texted Luke I mean to me Bill Walton if he doesn’t have the foot injuries would have been a top 10 player all time I mean I know he’s on the 75th Anniversary team but just incredible incredible player so I never forgot that email there’s been so many people who have built my confidence over time you know players coaches whatever saying a word or two here and there that was timely that helped me feel like okay you can do this and and Bill Walton because of that note that he sent me that he clearly went out of the way he’s just an incredible human being so you’re saying your first NBA on ESPN playoff assignment was last minute because Tom Tolbert had passport issues and you call the game and Bill watched it took it and just reached out Bill watched it Bill watched it didn’t know me but but you know knew I was an employee of ESPN obviously got my email from somebody and wrote me the most beautiful note about the job I had done and the meaning behind the job I had done and I thought Bill Walton like took the time number one to watch the game which he’s going to watch He’s was an enormous basketball fan of course um but then to take time to reach out to a colleague of his who he didn’t know uh who was scared you know to death about the job I had done and yet you get one of the iconic figures in the sport reaching out to you so yeah just and then every time I saw him big hug laugh there’s a picture of us he joined us they were Dave pass and I are calling um the anniversary of their you know championship team in Portland he came over and join the broadcast there a picture of him it looks like he’s sitting on my lap he’s not sitting on my lap he’s he’s sitting on a stool right somebody sent me the picture the other day but he was just vivacious and full of life and kindhearted and you know a man of such character and I I was thrilled for the brief interactions I had with him well I’m sure his spirit will be there next Thursday in Boston for sure for an NBA Finals tip off um and uh I can’t wait to uh watch you and listen to you your great watch and listen with Mike and JJ Doris you really are and I look look forward to it and uh hopefully maybe you you know we’ll have you back on during the finals if not after appreciate it sounds great thank you you be well Doris that’s Doris Burke everybody right here on the Rich Eisen show catch the Rich Eisen show every single day on the Roku Channel 12 to 3 Eastern for free

ESPN’s Doris Burke and Rich Eisen discuss the keys to wins the Celtics-Mavs series, what calling the NBA Finals means to her career and to all women working in sports media, and shares her fondest memories of the late Bill Walton.

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