After an enthralling Game 1, everybody was expecting a similar Game 2 display. But the weather report has thrown those plans to the wind. The game will take place, but a key aspect of it might not be the same. Even the Paycom Center implemented safety protocols, directing fans to shelters if needed. The players and the fans are safe, but the production crew’s efforts aren’t. The fans noticed Adam Silver’s steps to add the Larry O’Brien trophy, but they weren’t happy!

On Sunday, forecasters issued a tornado warning for Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, with severe thunderstorms, large hail, and possible embedded tornadoes. The warning, active during game preparations, followed a similar event on June 3 that diverted the Pacers’ flight to Tulsa. No reports indicate player evacuations at the moment as of yet. But as per multiple reports, the ABC and ESPN broadcast was shifted to remote locations, meaning broadcasters will not be at the venue for the big game. So, who will take charge?

Mike Breen will still call the game from the court side, with the likes of Stephen A. Smith possibly providing analysis inside the arena. But ESPN may control the feed from its headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, or from Los Angeles. Ahead of Game 2, another announcement came to light that ESPN/ABC sideline reporter Lisa Salters would miss Sunday’s game.

Andrew Marchand wrote, “ESPN/ABC may have to produce Game 2 of the NBA Finals remotely because of a tornado warning in OKC. Mike Breen & company will still be commenting from court side but the production trucks outside the arena may not be available. ESPN would control the pictures and productions from either Bristol or LA.”

The severe weather impacted the Indiana Pacers as they flew into Oklahoma City for Game 1, with the plane being redirected and eventually landing at the intended destination approximately five hours behind schedule. Recent weather warnings indicated a red zone in Oklahoma, with the storm moving east at 33 miles per hour. Amidst the weather issues, the fans did not cut any slack for ESPN/ABC’s latest efforts to promote the NBA finals.

The NBA Finals become a laughingstock once again

The netizens on the net questioned Adam Silver for promoting the brands more than the finals. Complaints were about no Finals logos or signage on the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. But now, you can see them magically appear during game 2. One fan wrote, “We bullied ESPN/ABC into putting the Larry O’Brien trophy on the court 😭 Bullying works (still lame, big REAL trophy in the center or bust).” Yes, they got Larry O’Brien trophies on the court, but only digitally.

So the league heard the fans complain, and the NBA did something about it. ESPN, with the magic of TV production, added Finals trophies on the court. But the fans noticed the effort and are not happy, as one wrote, “ESPN hilarious for putting that Larry O’Brien hologram on the court. The definition of “here y’all go, damn!”” The effort from the league is not the problem, but a low-effort one is what is bothering the netizens.

As another one vented, “espn added a fake nba finals logo on the broadcast, they been hearing the outrage lol.” What makes it low effort is that they are terribly low-res digital Larry O’Brien Trophies superimposed on the court like you wanted. They’re glitchy and disappear if we cut back to them too quickly. Naturally, the fans had a field day with hilarious reactions roasting this decision. Another added, “No way they CGI’d the finals logo on the court lol.”

The CGI efforts also became an issue, since there are no digital ads or trophies on social media replay cuts. “It’s good that ESPN & the NBA sees everyone shitting on them for not making the Finals look special on the broadcast, but c’mon man… What the hell is this?? 🤣🤣🤣.” In fact, the trophy even disappeared and got replaced by a digital NBA Finals logo (presented by YouTubeTV) that is also only on the screen with the primary sideline angle.