Mike Breen shared a heartfelt message Sunday to his ESPN colleague, top sideline reporter Lisa Salters, who missed Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers to tend to her ailing mother.
Moments after sideline reporter Jorge Sedano provided commentary on the second half of the game, with Oklahoma City leading 59-41 in the third, Breen detailed why Sedano was filling in for Salters, whom he described as “the teammate everyone in our business should strive to have.”
“Jorge is with us today, but we’re thinking of our dear friend and colleague, Lisa Salters,” began Breen, who is part of ESPN’s top NBA booth that includes Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson. “Lisa’s mom has been dealing with some serious health issues for a while now, so we want to send our love to Lisa and her mom. Although we’ve never met her mom, we owe her a debt of gratitude for giving us the gift of Lisa Salters, who is the teammate everyone in our business should strive to have.”
Prior to tipoff Sunday, reports emerged that Salters, 59, would miss Game 2 of the finals in Oklahoma City due to a personal matter.
Fever head coach Stephanie White, who is Salters’ partner, skipped Indiana’s game on Saturday in Chicago amid a “family emergency,” according to the Indy Star.
Assistant coach Austin Kelly took over and guided the Fever to a 79-52 victory over the Sky, something Indiana forward DeWanna Bonner hoped her teammates would fight for on behalf of White.
“I really want to win for Steph, she’s going through a tough time with her family right now,” Bonner told the Indy Star. “We want to rally together and get this one for her, but it’s also Austin’s first time at the helm, so it’s double-duty right now.”
The Fever visit the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, while Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals shift to Indiana starting Wednesday.
Salters, also a sideline correspondent on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” covered the Pacers’ 111-110 Game 1 rally on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder stormed back in Game 2, 123-107, to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.