How? TNT Overtime. It's an extension of NBA Playoff games broadcast on TNT (others are carried on ESPN and ABC) that digitally augments the at-home action with multiple camera angles and interactive capabilities via TNT's website. The feature (click here to launch it) has received surprisingly little publicity since becoming available online earlier this season. But it takes on added value as the playoffs bring games of heightened importance.
TNT Overtime opens to a screen split four ways. One camera focuses on the home team. Another focuses on the away team. A third provides aerial shots from a "Backboard Cam." The fourth camera -- called the "Action Cam" -- gives shaky, close up shots from the floor for a more visceral perspective.
While the split screen angles that focus on specific views and aspects of the game are a bonanza for digitally inclined hoops fans, they're actually only the beginning of where TNT Overtime starts to shine.
You can make just one feed your fullscreen view. Or you can do that and then pull in one, two or three smaller picture-in-picture windows to just keep an eye on other parts of the game. A voting function lets you weigh on which individual player you'd like the team-specific cameras to shadow for one quarter -- a treat in itself for hardcore basketball fans. And a Cover It Live chat window lets fans banter with one another and participate in polls on game action.
After a quick test drive, what was TNT Overtime's only problematic feature? It's a little too easy to click on the Linkin Park music video option that's included in the row of game-tracking cameras.
Have you tried out TNT Overtime? How do you like it? Let us know in the comments.