A courtside or sideline reporter’s job description usually does not include play-by-play. But, considering that they’re on a different audio feed than the main commentary booth, there are times where they’ve been able to fill in during a technical crisis that knocks the main booth off air. The latest came in a NBA playoff clash Sunday. There, NBA on TNT sideline reporter Dennis Scott filled in for Spero Dedes and Candace Parker for several minutes of the first quarter during a TNT broadcast of a Miami Heat-Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast:
TNT sideline reporter Dennis Scott takes over the play-by-play duties for Spero Dedes during technical difficulties on the Heat-Cavs Game 1 broadcast. 🏀🎙️#NBA pic.twitter.com/ja5VK6vt2B
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 20, 2025
That’s a pretty solid job by Scott on a role he was not expecting to fill (and by himself, to boot). And when the main booth came back after a commercial break, Dedes had praise for him:
Spero Dedes and Candace Parker return, with Dedes apologizing for the TNT technical difficulties after Dennis Scott fills in for play-by-play.
“I hear Dennis Scott’s play-by-play, Candace, was tremendous.”🏀🎙️ #NBA pic.twitter.com/ru8r3J4EGB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 20, 2025
This is never an ideal situation on any broadcast. And it’s particularly problematic on a playoff broadcast, and on a high-viewership day like Easter Sunday (even if games there are a thing Phil Jackson dislikes).
However, Scott in particular and the whole TNT team in general did about as good of a job as you could expect here. That included the apologies and explanations to viewers during and after the issue. And Scott fit in well with the storied tradition of sideline/courtside reporters who have stepped up to emergency play-by-play when needed, including Holly Rowe and Jamie Erdahl.
