"Wheel of Fortune" 2/4- START OF NBA WEEK

Doing shout-outs for at least tonight before the opening titles & intro video set to one of the usual road trip cues are Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan & Dwyane Wade. For this week only, the NBA logo replaces the round logo on the unused puzzleboard screens. Also, we're on the dips & columns set.

$1K T-U: Phrase

_ _ _ _ _ E

_ _ _ _ _ _ E

Eric does a DOUBLE DRIBBLE, so let's greet & meet him first:

Eric Rothman (L.A.; originally from Cincinnati)- L.A. D-Fenders broadcaster
Chuck Morris (Knoxville)- A Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church minister & HS sports PA announcer married to Shannon w/ two kids (18-yr.-old Abbey & 16-yr.-old Tim); he also once won a free throw contest by making two FTs at a Lakers playoff game vs. the Rockets & won some autographed Lakers memorabilia
Kelsea Davis (San Antonio)- A Spurs fan married for four yrs. w/ two sons (four-yr.-old Cason & 11-month-old Colton; Colton likes to chew on a Pat Sajak bobblehead) 

$2K T-U: Food & Drink

_ _ E A _ F _ _ T


_ E _ E _ L

Chuck knows Wheaties is an example of a BREAKFAST CEREAL.

Featured NBA VIP Experience (introduced by Amar'e Stoudemire): Knicks game w/ NBA Store gift card ($7.5K)
Gift Tags, At Least for Tonight: Under Armour & AutoTrader.com

meineke Jackpot R: Same Letter (dribbling basketball wipe)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ / &

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Chuck: T ($500 + WC), 3 S's ($500 + JACKPOT), E, 3 A's, 3 B's ($500 + JACKPOT)

B A S _ E T S / &

B A _ _ B _ A _ _ S

But he's incorrect w/ BASKETS & BASKETBALLS- I was afraid that might happen w/ a $6.5K pot on the line.

Kelsea: LaT
Eric: 2 K's ($500 + KNICKS, even though it's actually on $650 this week), D ($600), O (NMV)

B A S K E T S / &

B A _ K B O A _ D S

That man steals BASKETS & BACKBOARDS for a total of $8,850 in cash & stuff; Chuck could've won $9.5K that rd.

SOLE LaT: Kelsea
SOLE DQ: Chuck (missolve)
FINAL UNCLAIMED JACKPOT SUM: $7,600

Current Scores:

Eric: $9,850 in cash & prizes/Chuck: $2K WC/Kelsea: $0

The Nuggets' Andre Iguodala leads us into the first commercial break.

Mystery R: What Are You Doing? (bank vault)

_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _

_ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _

Kelsea: 2 N's ($650), 2 G's ($900), 2 I's, 3 T's ($600), E, A
Eric: 4 H's ($550)

_ _ _ I N G

T H _ _ _ G H / I N

T H E / _ _ _ T _ H

That guy again is COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH to add more to his early lead & retains command of the wheel.

SOLE DUD: A (Kelsea)

Current Scores:

Eric: $12,050 in cash & Knicks/Chuck: $2K WC/Kelsea: $0

Dwight Howard, now w/ the Lakers (but injured as we speak), does a shout-out just before the next puzzle.

PP: Fun & Games

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _

_ _ _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _

_ _ _ _

Eric: BANKRUPT (next to top dollar)
Chuck: 2 T's ($700), 3 N's ($900), 2 E's, A, O, 2 S's ($300), 3 I's (NMV), BANKRUPT (MDW's left side)
Kelsea: 3 G's ($450)

_ I G G I N G / _ _

T O E S / I N / T _ E

S A N _

Once she says "DIGGING MY TOES IN THE SAND", she's $1,350 richer & she's going on an exotic trip to Sugar Beach, a Hotwire.com vacation worth $5,740.

BANKRUPTS: 2 (men)

Current Scores:

Eric: $12,050 in cash & NY/Chuck: $2K/Kelsea: $7,090 in cash & St. Croix

Just so you know, a KIA can be won w/ the 1/2 CAR plates this week because they're the official car sponsor of that major sports league.

$3K T-U: On the Map

_ _ R T _ A _ D

_ _ _ _ _ N

Kelsea figures out "Wheel" went to PORTLAND, OREGON late last season to also break five figures.

R4: Thing

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kelsea: LaT (2nd tonight after that puny spin)
Eric: 2 N's ($650), S ($500), OTHER NATURAL BANKRUPT 
Chuck: 2 R's ($700), A
Kelsea: 2 T's ($500), 2 I's, BANKRUPT (next to the biggie)
Eric: SAME BANKRUPT KELSEA JUST GOT (3rd overall this evening)
Chuck: 2 P's ($700), 3 O's, L ($550)
Kelsea: G ($500), Y ($900), U

S _ O R I N G

O P P O R T U N I T Y

Not sure why she bought that last vowel, but she takes advantage of this latest SCORING OPPORTUNITY to the tune of an additional 1,150 clams.

DUDS (both by Chuck): A & L
SOLE LaT: Kelsea
BANKRUPTS: 3 (two by Eric; Kelsea)

Current Scores:

Eric: $12,050 in cash & Big Apple/Chuck: $2K/Kelsea: $11,240 in cash & St. Croix

S-U: Occupation
FS: $1,700

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

LETTERS: B, 3 R's, 2 S's

R _ _ _ S _ _ R _ _

_ _ R S _

She might not be a REGISTERED NURSE, but she's definitely a winner now w/ that $3,400 solve.

SOLE DUD: B (Eric)

Final Scores:

Eric: $12,050 in cash & NY/Chuck: $2K/Kelsea: $14,640 in cash & St. Croix
GT: $28,690

TONIGHT'S BANKRUPT TRASH (excluding extras): $6,250

$100K BR #96: Like last week, the all-cash Bonus Wheel's intact (but a MINI Cooper will be up for grabs in Bonusland during Sandals Resorts Romance Week next week) & a basketball hoop replaces where a BR car might've been on this set this week; furthermore, there are replica NBA jerseys on top of the audience area. She's spun that C for hopefully loads of cash. And Paul Pierce did the pre-BR bumper.

Category: Thing

This might also qualify as a Phrase:

_ E _ / T _ 

T _ E / _ _ _ _ _ E

KELSEA'S CHOICES: CPMA

_ E _ / T _

T _ E / _ _ _ _ C E

She won't be getting the KEY TO THE OFFICE where the $35K she could've won awaited.

$5K SPIN ID #91: PW8266260

Coming into the studio at show's end is James Worthy.

EPISODE RATING: 6