Imagine a game got so out of hand that a national broadcast partner just decided to cut the feed.
In a way, that’s what TNT did for a spell Thursday night in the third quarter of the Bucks’ 135-102 blowout win over the Celtics.
With Milwaukee up 100-62, the station cut away from the game back to studio host Ernie Johnson, who attempted to transition viewers to another contest.
“So, this game is out of hand, obviously,” Johnson said after the broadcast cut to him. “100-62 is the score in Milwaukee. Celtics are resting the rest of their starters for the rest of the night, so we’re thinking let’s see what else is going on in the league.”
It sounded like the plan had briefly been to toss it to the Thunder’s game against the Trail Blazers.
“And Oklahoma City, by the way, is up 36 at the half so we’re not going there,” he said with a laugh.
TNT decided to turn to the Knicks and Mavericks game that was taking place, even though that game was also a blowout.
“We’ll try the Knicks and the Mavs. And it’s a 47-28 game, but it’s closer than what’s going on in the mean streets,” Johnson said.
TNT did eventually take viewers back to Milwaukee in the fourth quarter, where the score had ballooned a bit more at that point to 111-73.
“If you’re just picking us up here on TNT, we thank Ernie Johnson for taking us around the league,” one of the broadcasters said. “Ernie is gonna need a break.”
The Bucks ended up downing the Celtics, with Bobby Portis and Giannis Antetokounmpo both having big nights.
Portis finished the game with 28 points on 11 of 18 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range.
Antetokounmpo had 24 points on 10 of 13 from the field while dishing out six assists.
Both players each pulled down 12 boards.