Does someone on the TNT production staff have a grudge against the Dallas Mavericks?
Many NBA fans were asking that question Tuesday night, after a strange graphic flashed on the screen during the Mavs’ win against the Brooklyn Nets.
Late in the first quarter, Mavs forward Grant Williams drove the lane for a basket. Literally four seconds later, as the teams ran back down the court, TNT put a graphic at the bottom of the screen, featuring a Mavericks logo and “Scoreless in last 0:04 seconds.” The clock ticked up to 0:06 before it quickly vanished.
The TNT graphics person chose violence against the Dallas Mavericks pic.twitter.com/2zsyyqsbiu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 7, 2024
Maybe someone at TNT has a very high opinion of Luka Dončić and the Mavs, and think they should be scoring every few seconds. Some fans seemed to think someone there has a grudge and wanted to troll the Mavericks for a few seconds.
The most reasonable explanation: Those counters run, for both teams, the entire game. It’s how producers can instantaneously flash a graphic such as “scoreless in last 7:45.” A TNT producer just accidentally displayed that graphic. As some fans pointed out, it’s not the first time this has happened.
Worse then this one lmao pic.twitter.com/OHqujKv8Tt
— AVJ82__38 (@avj8238) February 7, 2024
But plenty of fans noticed the glitch in the matrix. That’s good news — people are watching the game, and paying attention.
https://twitter.com/matteichmann/status/1755072893933797824
https://twitter.com/NBAMuseAcc/status/1755038135829098764
lol there’s no way that’s a real graphic😭😭😭 https://t.co/HYOtMRVwQJ
— {#%*^•} (@NaksutBalut) February 7, 2024
TNT has had more high-profile miscues recently. In late January, TNT reported that Doc Rivers had already been hired as the Milwaukee Bucks coach, confirming a report from “CNN Sports.”
In the Lakers-Clippers postgame, TNT is still going with a CNN report that Doc Rivers is being hired as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Adam Lefkoe: "This according to CNN."
Jamal Crawford: "CNN?"
Lefkoe: "CNN." pic.twitter.com/gqcBnG2UI7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 24, 2024
After that news was widely called into question, TNT stood by its report, until it was refuted by … TNT’s own NBA insider, Chris Haynes.
This might be a good place to point out that last year, Awful Announcing ranked the scorebugs on 13 local and national networks that cover NBA basketball. TNT ranked No. 1.
[Photo Credit: TNT]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.