Knicks-Hawks Game 5 could be Marv Albert's last game as an announcer at the Garden
TNT announcer Marv Albert watches the Heat vs. Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 27, 2011. Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
Marv Albert will make what could be his final appearance as an announcer at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night when the Knicks host the Hawks in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoff series.
The iconic play-by-play man — who first called a Knicks game in 1963 — plans to retire, effective at the conclusion of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are on the brink of elimination, trailing the Hawks in the best-of-seven series, 3-1.
So this could be it for Albert, who will work the game on TNT alongside analyst Reggie Miller — who has his own history with the Knicks and the Garden from his playing days. TNT is moving toward having all of its announcers on-site, starting with the second round.
Albert, who turns 80 next week, mostly has been working off monitors since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he did call the All-Star Game in person in Atlanta.
TNT made the announcement about Albert’s return to the Garden on Tuesday, but Miller spilled the beans during a game telecast on Monday night.
MSG Networks also will carry the game, with Mike Breen and Walt Frazier on the call.
Breen idolized Albert growing up and this summer will call the NBA Western Conference finals for ESPN while Albert works the Eastern finals for TNT.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
