NBA Entertainment has taken full advantage of DVD technology to present “Greatest NBA Finals Moments.” Now available for $25, this disc showcases seven of the most memorable moments in the history of the NBA Finals.
Spanning almost 30 years, viewers can relive the glory days of the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls with some rare insights and unique perspectives on the action.
Content-wise, the NBA knows how to milk the scenarios for all the drama they’re worth, and fans probably wouldn’t have it any other way. However, they also supplement the footage by using interactive features unique to DVD and providing the fascinating history behind the men and the teams.
While watching each segment, viewers can access comprehensive statistics with the push of a button. They also can access extra footage on some of the legendary players, two coaching philosophies and the legacies of the Celtics and the gestalt 1970 New York Knicks. This material is fascinating to watch, especially in conjunction with reliving the particular moment, and is easily the best presentational feature.
The best technical feature is the one that seems tailor-made for this type of sports video. Basketball games always replay footage from different angles, and the NBA has taken full advantage of that by allowing the viewer to shift among up to three different angles to relive memorable plays from many different points of view. And this interactive feature, like all the others, is optional and controlled by the viewer, something that would have been impossible on VHS.
As bonus features become more standard on DVD releases, “Greatest NBA Finals Moments” tosses in several of its own, focusing mostly on the 50 greatest players and highlights from the 1999 and 2000 Finals. Those with DVD-ROM drives also can access NBA.com, a demo of the game “NBA Inside Drive” and animated diagrams of four of the key plays presented in the main feature.
To buy “Greatest NBA Finals Moments,” visit your local retailer, call 1-800-622-0548, or visit www.nba.com.
