Overview
- NBC premiered Sunday Night Basketball for Lakers–Knicks with Costas delivering an on-court introduction at Madison Square Garden.
- He opened over John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” with callbacks to the network’s 1990s and early‑2000s era, citing Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Marv Albert.
- Costas contextualized the night by recalling the early‑1970s Knicks–Lakers Finals meetings and highlighting the Garden’s enduring status.
- He then handed the broadcast to Sunday Night Basketball host Maria Taylor in a brief on-court exchange.
- The cameo marked his first NBA on NBC appearance since 2002 and contrasted with his October work that was limited to highlight-only narrations.