On November 1st, 1946, the Toronto Huskies and New York Knicks played what is now considered the first game in NBA history. With the league celebrating its 75th birthday this season, ESPN hopes to take fans on a trip down memory lane.

When the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks face off today at 7:30PM ET, ESPN2 will air an alternative presentation of the game that will feature graphics from past NBA broadcasts. Fans will get to see the 1960s on ABC, the 1970s and 1980s on CBS and the 1990s on NBC represented during the game, with the graphics changing between quarters.

The broadcast will also feature music from those eras during highlights, as well as before and after commercial breaks. Last but not least, ESPN said an “impressive” list of special guests will take part in the broadcast, including a handful of Hall of Fame players. And if you’re not one for nostalgia, not to worry. You can watch the regular broadcast on ESPN.

TV broadcasters are trying all sorts of new tactics to spice up live coverage, including some truly wild things for sports. The NFL made games kid friendly with Nickelodeon-style slime cannons, for example. For tonight's NBA matchup between the Mavericks and Nets, ESPN is trying something with more universal appeal. The network says that for the first time ever, 3D volumetric video will be used for a live full-game broadcast. 

The project is the result of a collaboration between ESPN Edge, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) Technology teams, the NBA and Canon. The experimental setup uses Canon's Free-Viewpoint Video (FVV) system with over 100 data capture cameras positioned around the basketball court. The result is a live sports broadcast merged with multi-dimensional footage — something that looks very much like you're watching a real-life video game. 

While ESPN says this is the first time the technology has been used for a full live production of a sporting event, it has been used before. With their “Netaverse," the Brooklyn Nets — in collaboration with the NBA, Canon and the YES Network — have used the dimensional footage for replay clips and other post-production content. The Nets are also the first team from any of the four major US pro leagues to utilize the system, first capturing game action with it in mid-January. The clips you see here are from early use of the system, but ESPN said it worked with DMED Technology to build on top of what Canon, the NBA, the Nets and YES had done, making several enhancements so it worked better for live games. The still image above doesn't really do this justice, so you really need to see the video clips, even in their early form, to get a real sense of what this looks like.

Six separate feeds are sent to ESPN's control room in Bristol, CT, essentially offering six virtual cameras that are each able to move in three dimensional space to any spot on or around the court. Each feed has a dedicated "camera" operator who controls the view. The alternate broadcast will also have its own production team, as well has dedicated commentators, piping in the natural arena audio from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. ESPN says the broadcast isn't totally reliant on volumetric video as it can integrate traditional cameras, replays and other content into the 3D environment via a rendered version of the jumbotron. 

Last April, ESPN offered an alternate Marvel-themed "Arena of Heroes" broadcast during an NBA game. While that bent more towards the cartoony aspect of video games, tonight's effort is more about showing the action with a immersive dimensional quality. The network says the experiment shows new ways emerging technology can be used to offer something beyond what we're used to seeing on TV, expanding what's possible for production in the future. 

The alternate broadcast will be available on ESPN+ and ESPNEWS when the Mavericks and Nets tip off at 7:30PM ET tonight. 

Apple has shared the first trailer for They Call Me Magic, its upcoming four-part documentary on former LA Lakers superstar Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Set to debut on April 22nd, the TV+ exclusive looks to take more than a few cues from Netflix’s The Last Dance.

In fact, with interviews of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, former President Barack Obama and Johnson himself, many of the same people who took part in that documentary spoke to director Rick Famuyiwa as well. Judging by the trailer, however, fans should expect a series that is more hopeful, and that spends just as much time celebrating Johnson’s activism and family life as it does his all-star career.

As the name implies, the NCAA's March Madness (aka the Division I men's basketball tournament) is chock full of games that may be difficult to follow — thankfully, that might not be an issue if you have the right device. The sports association, Turner and CBS Sports are expanding a feature in the NCAA March Madness Live app that lets you watch two games at once (one without audio) on more platforms. It was already available on Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV, but should now be an option on Google TV and Xbox One. This isn't completely novel and will only help so much on the busiest match days, but you should have 20 percent lower latency and 5.1-channel surround sound.

The desktop, mobile and tablet versions of March Madness Live are limited to picture-in-picture viewing while you browse the app. The software is also available without these viewing perks on Roku players and some LG TVs. Everyone has access to an upgraded "Fast Break" feature that overlays and breaks down vital stats during games.

The new March Madness Live experience should be available on March 17th, right after the "first four" games on the 15th and 16th. You can also watch the tournament through CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV platforms, including Paramount+ if you're a subscriber. While you'd ideally have more than two streams, this is likely to be the best viewing option you'll get on a big screen during the college competition.

The view from your couch will look a little more like sitting courtside in the days to come, as Streamable reports on Thursday that YouTube TV will begin offering select NBA matchups in 4K. 

The only, ahem, hoop viewers will need to get through in order to watch is having a YouTube TV subscription with the 4K Plus add-on. YTTV on its own is $65 a month, the 4K add-on will set you back an additional $12/mo for the first year before nearly doubling, up to $20/month thereafter. Not every game will be made available in the high definition format though Saturday's game between the Cavs and Thunder will.

Sinclair Broadcast Group has reached a deal to stream 16 NBA teams’ games to fans in local markets. The company, which is aiming to launch a standalone streaming service this year, previously secured local rights for some NHL and MLB teams, but the NBA deal is a major piece of the puzzle.

The agreement covers the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs.

The service, which is expected to debut in the first half of the year, is likely to be fairly pricey at north of $20 per month, according to Sports Business Journal. However, it should give fans a way to see their local teams if games aren't broadcast nationally or they can't watch Sinclair’s Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs). Those networks aren't available on YouTube TV or Hulu, for instance. Local games are typically blacked out in any case, including on NBA League Pass.

Sinclair snapped up a batch of Fox Sports RSNs that Disney had to sell off as part of the Fox acquisition. The RSNs were later rebranded to Bally Sports.

You now have a way to flaunt your NBA Top Shot NFT to house guests, provided you're willing to pay a premium for it. As The Vergenotes, Dapper Labs (the company behind Top Shot) and hardware startup Infinite Objects are now offering video "prints" of NBA NFTs in physical display frames. Link your Dapper Wallet and you can showcase a classic basketball moment wherever it's convenient, not just from a device like your computer. A QR code and a holographic sticker will help prove it's yours.

These are expensive pieces, to put it mildly. Attaching your NFT to a 7-inch display costs $199, while a 10-inch display will cost $399. Initial purchases should ship sometime in January. You're effectively buying a digital photo frame that can only display one picture, albeit one with intrinsic value.

There are multiple catches beyond this. You can't yet 'print' Moment Sets, Showcases or any moment that includes either a retired NBA player or anyone in the WNBA. Dapper and Infinite are working on support for all of these, but it's still an odd restriction if you were expecting these frames to serve like artwork — imagine not being allowed to buy Van Gogh prints that show the artist. Still, this does give you something to do with an NFT besides the occasional glance on your private devices.

NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition is one of several games that's bound for Apple Arcade in the coming weeks. The follow-up to NBA 2K21, which is also available on Apple's game subscription service, includes a new mode called The Association. You can become the general manager or head coach of an NBA franchise and put together your own team by scouting rookies, making trades and scooping up free agents while managing the budget.

The game features current NBA rosters and modes including quick match, online multiplayer and Blacktop, a 3v3 street basketball option. In MyCAREER mode, you can create your own player with a custom look, position, jersey number and play style. You can run drills on a custom court to practice and level up your player in the MyCOURT mode. NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition will debut on the same date as the NBA's 75th season tips off: October 19th.

Elsewhere, a classic iPhone title is coming to Apple Arcade this Friday. Tiny Wings first made waves back in 2011 as a one-button game in which you control a bird that slides down hills and launches into the air. It's one of those simple-in-concept, great-in-execution games that works so well on a mobile device. It'll be a solid addition to Apple Arcade.

Looking further ahead, Apple has announced the sequel to tower defense game Kingdom Rush is on the way to the service too. You'll protect your domain from dragons, human-snaffling plants and other deadly enemies in Kingdom Rush Frontiers TD, which first hit iOS back in 2013. It's coming to Apple Arcade soon.

With NBA 2K22’s September 10th release date fast approaching, 2K has shared a first look at the game’s PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S version. The publisher calls this a gameplay reveal, but it's mostly a showcase of what developer Visual Concepts managed to do with the new hardware from Sony and Microsoft. Thankfully, the studio also published a new Courtside Report that details some of the gameplay enhancements players can look forward to when they pick the game up next month.

To start, Visual Concepts says it completely rebuilt the shot contest and blocking systems, as well as made a significant update to how the game handles defensive rotations. When it comes to moving a player up the court, the studio promises tighter controls that will allow you to put together new combos in creative ways.

But some of the most significant changes look like they’re coming to how the game handles shooting. NBA 2K22 will feature a new shot meter that will dynamically change depending on the abilities of the player you’re controlling and whether their shot is contested. According to Visual Concepts, NBA 2K22 will put a greater emphasis on Shot IQ. You’ll be more successful if you take the time to find an open teammate and take a smart shot. For players who like to drive to the basket, there’s a new dunk style creator that will allow you to customize their dunk repertoire.

Outside of those improvements, fans of women's basketball can look forward to much-improved WNBA mode. All told, it looks like NBA 2K's second PS5 and Xbox Series X outing should be a good one. 

NBA 2K21's WNBA mode was barebones, to put it charitably, but 2K and Visual Concepts intend to flesh things out for the follow-up. The developers have detailed improvements to "The W" in NBA 2K22 that address some of the core complaints. Most notably, there's a new badge-based player progression system that lets you upgrade your MyPlayer creations to match your specialties. It still doesn't appear to be as sophisticated as the MyCareer mode from 2K21, but it should be more involving.

Off-the-court advancement has received improvements, too. Instead of picking options on a card, there are three playable experiences (scrimmage games, team practices and category-specific contact workouts) to improve your badges. The contact drills will also help you form bonds with WNBA stars, according to 2K.

You'll also find upgrades to the next-gen-only online mode. You can now hook up with friends before you start matchmaking, and you'll earn season experience points whenever you play against other people.

As Polygonnoted, there are still areas where the WNBA component will be underdeveloped compared to the men's league. There aren't mentions of improved team management or options to spend your virtual currency. Like with other sports titles, it could take a while before the modes are on par. The creators are clearly aware they need to catch up, though, and 2K22 appears to be an important first step.