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“Band is back together” as Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson reunite

Mark Jackson (center) no longer coaches Steph Curry (left) and the Warriors, but Jackson reunites with Mike Breen (right) on ESPN and ABC telecasts. (ESPN)
From Sept. 2013 ESPN NBA RV spot: Mark Jackson (center) no longer coaches Steph Curry (left) and the Warriors, but Jackson reunites with Mike Breen (right) on ESPN and ABC telecasts. (Scott Clarke/ESPN Images)

To borrow a phrase from ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy: The band is back together.

November 1, 2013 - Barclays Center:  (l-r) Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Breen and Doris Burke will reunite with Mark Jackson.  (Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)
(l-r) Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Breen and Doris Burke will reunite with Mark Jackson. (Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)

On Saturday, ESPN announced it had reached a multi-year deal with Mark Jackson, who will rejoin his former booth-mates Mike Breen and Van Gundy for the NBA Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals.

The trio called five NBA Finals together for five seasons. Since 2011, Breen and Van Gundy have handled ABC’s and ESPN’s biggest NBA games as a dynamic duo.

Breen and Van Gundy reacted to Jackson’s return to ESPN.

Jeff Van Gundy:
I’m thrilled that the band is back together. I loved watching his super-successful run with the Golden State Warriors and was disappointed with how it ended. However, I was equally excited about working with one of the best men I know again.

Mike Breen:
I’m thrilled to have our dear friend and old partner back. I’m a little disturbed by his request that we only address him as “Coach Jackson” both on and off the air, but I guess we’ll have to get used to that. I’m also tired of fighting with Jeff on my own so his help in that area will be much appreciated. But seriously, his knowledge, passion and sense of humor about all things NBA is fantastic for Jeff, Doris and me but especially for the viewer. Welcome back Mark, er sorry, I mean Coach Jackson.

Jackson returns to the booth alongside Breen, Van Gundy and reporter Doris Burke today for Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals with the Miami Heat visiting the Indiana Pacers (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

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