Because the NBA has not a single link to the audio stream for tonight’s NBA Finals game 3 on their home page, here’s the link to the RealAudio stream of the San Antonio radio coverage. You probably have to be an NBA Insider member to listen to that; the most galling thing is that I am a member, but in order for me to be able to use the service for which I’ve paid, the NBA made me dig around in my Real Player history in order to find a working link. (I’m on call tonight, and don’t have easy access to a TV; the radio coverage is all I have!)

I hate hate hate websites that are designed for advertisers and marketing tie-in partners rather than for users. And that goes doubly so for websites that take users’ money and don’t put the services that those users pay for right up front.

Update: the links appeared on NBA.com at 9:00 PM on the nose. So despite the fact that the NBA forces local affiliate radio stations to stop streaming pregame coverage 30 minutes before the game starts, the NBA doesn’t provide coverage to its paid customers until the exact moment of gametime. Total morons, they are.