NBA On CBS - History - Tape Delay and Playoff Scheduling

Tape Delay and Playoff Scheduling

From 1975–1979 CBS aired all NBA Finals games live (usually during the afternoon). Starting in 1982, CBS resumed live coverage of all NBA Finals games. During this era, CBS aired weeknight playoff games from earlier rounds on tape delay at 11:30 pm Eastern Time (airing games live when the game site was in the Pacific Time Zone). CBS continued this practice until at least the mid-1980s.

CBS didn't want sportscasters to give the final score on the 11 pm/10 p.m. newscasts. They preferred the games to not be over by that time if they were going to be aired on tape later that night. Most CBS games were either 8:30 pm or 9 pm local starts. For instance, CBS aired Games 1–3 of the 1981 Western Conference Finals (between the Houston Rockets and Kansas City Kings). Ironically, CBS featured both Western teams finished the regular season with a record 40–42 instead of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers (both teams finished with a 60–22 record).

1986 was the last year that CBS ever aired an NBA playoff game on tape delay. It was Game 3 (on Friday, May 16) of the playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets. The game aired at 11:30 pm after having a 9:30 pm tip.