Worth Noting on TV

WEDNESDAY

1996 NBA Finals (NBC, 9-11:30 p.m. EDT): It's no wonder that the Chicago Bulls won basketball's Eastern Conference, but the surprise Western Conference victor, the Seattle SuperSonics, only emerged Sunday with a Game 7 win against the Utah Jazz. The Bulls and Sonics face off for the championship in a best-of-seven series beginning tonight at Chicago's United Center.

CPW (CBS, 10-11 p.m.): "Central Park West," CBS's answer to "Melrose Place," was a flop when it premiered last fall, but the network has spent considerable time retooling it in hopes of a better reception. Now simply titled "CPW," the melodrama about the affairs of glamorous Manhattanites makes its return tonight and will air new episodes on both Wednesdays and Fridays. Mariel Hemingway, one of the show's former leads, has dropped out of the picture; now on the scene is Raquel Welch, who joins the ensemble June 7.

THURSDAY

D-Day Heroes (TLC, 8-9 p.m.): On the anniversary of the Allied invasion of northern France during World War II, this program chronicles how the operation overcame obstacles to achieve success.

Stanley Cup Championship (ESPN, 8-11 p.m. EDT): The Florida Panthers are hockey's first team to reach the finals in only their third season, while the Colorado Avalanche, who moved from Quebec a year ago, have their first berth in the finals in franchise history. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series takes place in Denver tonight.

FRIDAY

1996 NBA Finals (9-11:30 p.m. EDT): Game 2, Chicago Bulls vs. Seattle SuperSonics, at Chicago's United Center.

Please check local listings for these programs.