Mike Breen Defends His Objectivity Amid Questions About Knicks Bias

Mike Breen, a local broadcaster for the MSG Network and lifelong New York Knicks fan, is calling the Eastern Conference Finals as the lead play-by-play man for ESPN/ABC.

During a recent appearance on “The Michael Kay Show,” Breen was asked how he avoids allowing Knicks bias to seep into his national TV coverage.

"It really isn't [difficult], and I'm not just saying that," Breen said, via Awful Announcing. "I've done quite a few of them over the years, and as you know, when you're concentrating on the game, and you've got so many things to do during the course of a game, interaction with your analysts, interaction with your producer and director, the statistician, watching the game, making the calls.

“You don't really have time; you just kind of react to what's happening. It's something I've done over a long period of time."

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Breen added that it’s impossible to please everyone when calling games watched by opposing NBA fanbases.

"Whether it's the Knicks or whether it's two teams that I don't broadcast locally, the fans think you're for the other team," Breen said. "And I kind of think in some ways, that's very cool because it shows how much they care, and it's one of my favorite things about this time of year, the passion of the fans.

“Now, some fans get a little too passionate, certainly, but they care so much that they lose their objectivity. And that's okay, because that's the way they should be rooting for your team."

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a 48-46 lead into the halftime break in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 6:46 PM.