ESPN looking to add Burke, Rivers for NBA Finals

ESPN is "closing in on promoting Doris Burke to the NBA Finals, hiring Doc Rivers to join her." In the wake of Jeff Van Gundy ’s firing in late June, ESPN "set their eyes on making Burke the first woman TV analyst on the NBA Finals and hiring Rivers to join" play-by-player Mike Breen. The deals are "not finalized, but are quickly moving in that direction." While ESPN could have "simply put Burke in for Van Gundy, there was a strong feeling" that the combination of Mark Jackson and Burke would "not have the same chemistry as Jackson and Van Gundy had" (N.Y. POST, 7/31). With ESPN looking to make these moves, sources said that Jackson "is now out" from the net (TWITTER.com, 7/31).