The Wizards are playing later this afternoon against the Celtics on ESPN. However, the game will not be on NBC Sports Washington, so Steve Buckhantz won’t be doing play by play commentary while Kara Lawson is providing color analysis.
While Buckhantz is getting a well-deserved day off today, Lawson was back in front of a national audience today for the Knicks vs. 76ers game. She called the game with Ryan Ruocco, who does play by play for ESPN’s NBA and WNBA games.
Like Lawson, Ruocco also has a local team gig, where he does play by play announcing for the Brooklyn Nets.
So, how was her analysis? Here are some clips:
Porzingis and Embiid both came to play in the 1st half at MSG!
— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2017
: @ESPNNBA #NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/82gl9HRUO0
The Battle of the Bigs.
— ESPN (@espn) December 25, 2017
Sixers lead the Knicks with less than 9 minutes to go on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/jpM9qEHuZZ
And what’s the verdict? Here are just some of them:
The nation is getting the treat of Kara Lawson, something Wizards fans get all the time.
— Steven Barnhart (@HWHoopsCentral) December 25, 2017
Santa Clause said you're welcome.
Ryan Ruocco and Kara Lawson is a super high-level announcing team for this first Christmas game. Great insight from Lawson, Ruocco dropping advanced rebounding numbers. This is an awesome pairing.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) December 25, 2017
s/o @karalawson20 killing it on the national broadcast‼️
— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) December 25, 2017
Before anyone worries about Lawson leaving the Wizards after just one season, it was announced that she was still going to do ESPN work when she took the job. So I’m not particularly surprised she was on today. Lawson was a color announcer for one of the NBA Christmas games just two years ago.
So far, Lawson has been behind the mic for nearly every Wizards game. But like she has for over a decade, Lawson will be a color analyst for some of ESPN’s marquee women’s college basketball games in January when the conference season begins and during the NCAA tournament. When Lawson isn’t available due to those games, we will see former color analyst Phil Chenier and/or former Wizards player Drew Gooden next to Buckhantz during Wizards games.