ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons, a passionate NBA fan and New York Times best-selling author of “The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy,” will be a guest analyst on Friday’s NBA telecast when the Miami Heat visit the Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.  He will join play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman, analyst Mark Jackson and reporter Heather Cox.  Simmons previously provided analysis for a pair of West coast conference men’s college basketball games in 2007.   Photos

Preceding the Heat/Warriors matchup, ESPN will televise the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose hosting the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant at 8 p.m.  Mike Breen will call the game with analyst Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Lisa Salters.  Both games will also be available via ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN Deportes. 

Kia NBA Countdown, with host Stuart Scott and analysts Jon Barry, Chris Mullin, Jalen Rose and Tom Penn, will preview both games at 7:30 p.m.

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