Ratings and viewership for every game of the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Finals dating back to 2002. Viewership unavailable for some games.
The 2011 Heat/Bulls Eastern Conference Finals was the most-viewed ever on cable, averaging a 6.2 U.S. rating and 10.413 million viewers. The previous cable record was a 5.4 and 8.633 for Magic/Cavaliers in 2009.
The 2002 Lakers/Kings Western Conference Finals still stands as the most-viewed conference final of the past ten seasons, averaging over 12 million viewers across NBC and TNT. That series was just one of two Conference Finals over the past ten seasons to go to seven games.
2011
|
EAST FINALS: HEAT 4, BULLS 1
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/15/11 | MIA 83, CHI 102 | TNT |
6.2
|
11,109
|
|
2
|
Wed., 5/18/11 | MIA 85, CHI 75 | TNT |
6.1
|
10,036
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/22/11 | CHI 85, MIA 96 | TNT |
6.4
|
10,889
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/24/11 | CHI 93, MIA 101 | TNT |
6.1
|
9,770
|
|
5
|
Thu., 5/26/11 | MIA 83, CHI 80 | TNT |
6.4
|
10,407
|
|
WEST FINALS: MAVERICKS 4, THUNDER 1
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Tue., 5/17/11 | OKC 112, DAL 121 | ESPN |
4.3
|
6,982
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/19/11 | OKC 106, DAL 100 | ESPN |
4.4
|
7,041
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/21/11 | DAL 93, OKC 87 | ESPN |
3.7
|
6,175
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/23/11 | DAL 112, OKC 105 | ESPN |
4.6
|
7,410
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/25/11 | OKC 96, DAL 100 | ESPN |
4.5
|
7,012
|
2010
|
EAST FINALS: CELTICS 4, MAGIC 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/16/10 | BOS 92, ORL 88 | ABC |
4.5
|
7,030
|
|
2
|
Tue., 5/18/10 | BOS 95, ORL 92 | ESPN |
4.6
|
7,156
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/22/10 | ORL 71, BOS 94 | ESPN |
3.7
|
6,023
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/24/10 | ORL 96, BOS 92 | ESPN |
4.9
|
7,960
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/26/10 | BOS 92, ORL 113 | ESPN |
4.4
|
6,835
|
|
6
|
Fri., 5/28/10 | ORL 84, BOS 96 | ESPN |
4.6
|
7,538
|
|
WEST FINALS: LAKERS 4, SUNS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Mon., 5/17/10 | PHX 107, LAL 128 | TNT |
4.4
|
7,112
|
|
2
|
Wed., 5/19/10 | PHX 112, LAL 124 | TNT |
4.4
|
7,004
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/23/10 | LAL 109, PHX 118 | TNT |
5.0
|
8,460
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/25/10 | LAL 106, PHX 115 | TNT |
4.9
|
7,641
|
|
5
|
Thu., 5/27/10 | PHX 101, LAL 103 | TNT |
5.3
|
8,670
|
|
6
|
Sat., 5/29/10 | LAL 111, PHX 103 | TNT |
4.8
|
8,154
|
2009
|
EAST FINALS: MAGIC 4, CAVALIERS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| 1 | Wed., 5/20/09 | ORL 107, CLE 106 | TNT |
4.6
|
7,321
|
| 2 | Fri., 5/22/09 | ORL 95, CLE 96 | TNT |
4.4
|
6,910
|
| 3 | Sun., 5/24/09 | CLE 89, ORL 99 | TNT |
5.4
|
8,969
|
| 4 | Tue., 5/26/09 | CLE 114, ORL 116 | TNT |
6.3
|
10,075
|
| 5 | Thu., 5/28/09 | ORL 102, CLE 112 | TNT |
6.2
|
9,995
|
| 6 | Sat., 5/30/09 | CLE 90, ORL 103 | TNT |
5.2
|
8,362
|
|
WEST FINALS: LAKERS 4, NUGGETS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Tue., 5/19/09 | DEN 103, LAL 105 | ESPN |
5.0
|
8,085
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/21/09 | DEN 106, LAL 103 | ESPN |
4.9
|
7,886
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/23/09 | LAL 103, DEN 97 | ABC |
5.4
|
8,731
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/25/09 | LAL 101, DEN 120 | ESPN |
5.8
|
9,731
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/27/09 | DEN 94, LAL 103 | ESPN |
5.6
|
9,238
|
|
6
|
Fri., 5/29/09 | LAL 119, DEN 92 | ESPN |
5.1
|
8,462
|
2008
|
EAST FINALS: CELTICS 4, PISTONS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Tue., 5/20/08 | DET 79, BOS 88 | ESPN |
3.7
|
5,431
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/22/08 | DET 103, BOS 97 | ESPN |
3.9
|
5,698
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/24/08 | BOS 94, DET 80 | ABC |
3.7
|
5,454
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/26/08 | BOS 75, DET 94 | ESPN |
4.0
|
6,086
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/28/08 | DET 102, BOS 106 | ESPN |
4.3
|
6,434
|
|
6
|
Fri., 5/30/08 | BOS 89, DET 81 | ESPN |
4.2
|
6,445
|
|
WEST FINALS: LAKERS 4, SPURS 1
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Wed., 5/21/08 | SA 85, LAL 89 | TNT |
4.1
|
6,190
|
|
2
|
Fri., 5/23/08 | SA 71, LAL 101 | TNT |
3.7
|
5,513
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/25/08 | LAL 84, SA 103 | TNT |
3.7
|
5,729
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/27/08 | LAL 93, SA 91 | TNT |
4.8
|
7,247
|
|
5
|
Thu., 5/29/08 | SA 92, LAL 100 | TNT |
4.6
|
6,794
|
2007
|
EAST FINALS: CAVALIERS 4, PISTONS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Mon., 5/21/07 | CLE 76, DET 79 | TNT |
2.7
|
3,910
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/24/07 | CLE 76, DET 79 | TNT |
2.9
|
4,250
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/27/07 | DET 82, CLE 88 | TNT |
2.9
|
4,370
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/29/07 | DET 87, CLE 91 | TNT |
3.2
|
4,734
|
|
5
|
Thu., 5/31/07 | CLE 109, DET 107 | TNT |
4.0
|
5,649
|
|
6
|
Sat., 6/2/07 | DET 82, CLE 98 | TNT |
4.5
|
6,914
|
|
WEST FINALS: SPURS 4, JAZZ 1
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/20/07 | UTA 100, SA 108 | ABC |
3.1
|
—
|
|
2
|
Tue., 5/22/07 | UTA 96, SA 105 | ESPN |
2.4
|
3,420
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/26/07 | SA 83, UTA 109 | ABC |
3.1
|
4,698
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/28/07 | SA 91, UTA 79 | ESPN |
2.9
|
4,614
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/30/07 | UTA 84, SA 109 | ESPN |
2.7
|
3,969
|
2006
|
EAST FINALS: HEAT 4, PISTONS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Tue., 5/23/06 | MIA 91, DET 86 | ESPN |
3.7
|
5,370
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/25/06 | MIA 88, DET 92 | ESPN |
3.8
|
5,750
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/27/06 | DET 83, MIA 98 | ESPN |
3.4
|
4,720
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/29/06 | DET 78, MIA 89 | ABC |
5.5
|
8,190
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/31/06 | MIA 78, DET 91 | ESPN |
4.5
|
6,600
|
|
6
|
Fri., 6/2/06 | DET 78, MIA 95 | ESPN |
4.4
|
6,460
|
|
WEST FINALS: MAVERICKS 4, SUNS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Wed., 5/24/06 | PHX 121, DAL 118 | TNT |
3.5
|
3,840**
|
|
2
|
Fri., 5/26/06 | PHX 98, DAL 105 | TNT |
3.6
|
5,320
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/28/06 | DAL 95, PHX 88 | TNT |
3.3
|
5,040
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/30/06 | DAL 86, PHX 106 | TNT |
4.1
|
5,750
|
|
5
|
Thu., 6/1/06 | PHX 101, DAL 117 | TNT |
4.2
|
6,200
|
|
6
|
Sat., 6/3/06 | DAL 102, PHX 93 | TNT |
3.9
|
5,890
|
2005
|
EAST FINALS: PISTONS 4, HEAT 3
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Mon., 5/23/05 | DET 90, MIA 81 | TNT |
3.7
|
5,371
|
|
2
|
Wed., 5/25/05 | DET 86, MIA 92 | TNT |
3.8
|
5,461
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/29/05 | MIA 113, DET 104 | TNT |
3.4
|
5,298
|
|
4
|
Tue., 5/31/05 | MIA 96, DET 106 | TNT |
4.1
|
6,072
|
|
5
|
Thu., 6/2/05 | DET 76, MIA 88 | TNT |
3.9
|
5,640
|
|
6
|
Sat., 6/4/05 | MIA 66, DET 91 | TNT |
3.2
|
4,997
|
|
7
|
Mon., 6/6/05 | DET 88, MIA 82 | TNT |
6.2
|
9,149
|
|
WEST FINALS: SPURS 4, SUNS 1
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/22/05 | SA 121, PHX 114 | ABC |
4.1
|
5,843
|
|
2
|
Tue., 5/24/05 | SA 111, PHX 108 | ESPN |
3.4
|
4,839
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/28/05 | PHX 92, SA 102 | ESPN |
2.6
|
3,940
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/30/05 | PHX 111, SA 106 | ABC |
4.7
|
7,100
|
|
5
|
Wed., 6/1/05 | SA 101, PHX 95 | ESPN |
3.8
|
5,285
|
2004
|
EAST FINALS: PISTONS 4, PACERS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sat., 5/22/04 | DET 74, IND 78 | ESPN |
2.5
|
—
|
|
2
|
Mon., 5/24/04 | DET 72, IND 67 | ESPN |
3.4
|
4,601
|
|
3
|
Wed., 5/26/04 | IND 78, DET 85 | ESPN |
3.4
|
4,591
|
|
4
|
Fri., 5/28/04 | IND 83, DET 68 | ESPN |
2.7
|
3,716
|
|
5
|
Sun., 5/30/04 | DET 83, IND 65 | ESPN |
2.6
|
4,133
|
|
6
|
Tue., 6/1/04 | IND 65, DET 69 | ESPN |
4.1
|
5,592
|
|
WEST FINALS: LAKERS 4, TIMBERWOLVES 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Fri., 5/21/04 | LAL 97, MIN 88 | TNT |
4.5
|
7,034
|
|
2
|
Sun., 5/23/04 | LAL 71, LAL 89 | TNT |
5.2
|
8,163
|
|
3
|
Tue., 5/25/04 | MIN 89, LAL 100 | TNT |
5.5
|
8,090
|
|
4
|
Thu., 5/27/04 | MIN 85, LAL 92 | TNT |
5.2
|
7,515
|
|
5
|
Sat., 5/29/04 | LAL 96, MIN 98 | TNT |
4.3
|
6,565
|
|
6
|
Mon., 5/31/04 | MIN 90, LAL 96 | TNT |
6.0
|
9,438
|
2003
|
EAST FINALS: NETS 4, PISTONS 0
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/18/03 | NJ 76, DET 74 | ABC |
3.5
|
4,938
|
|
2
|
Tue., 5/20/03 | NJ 88, DET 86 | ESPN |
2.7
|
3,981
|
|
3
|
Thu., 5/22/03 | DET 85, NJ 97 | ABC |
4.2
|
5,811
|
|
4
|
Sat., 5/24/03 | DET 82, NJ 102 | ESPN |
1.9
|
—
|
|
WEST FINALS: SPURS 4, MAVERICKS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Mon., 5/19/03 | DAL 113, SA 110 | TNT |
3.9
|
5,685
|
|
2
|
Wed., 5/21/03 | DAL 106, SA 119 | TNT |
3.1
|
4,285
|
|
3
|
Fri., 5/23/03 | SA 96, DAL 83 | TNT |
3.2
|
4,854
|
|
4
|
Sun., 5/25/03 | SA 102, DAL 95 | TNT |
4.0
|
6,082
|
|
5
|
Tue., 5/27/03 | DAL 103, SA 91 | TNT |
3.7
|
5,255
|
|
6
|
Thu., 5/29/03 | SA 70, DAL 78 | TNT |
4.0
|
5,798
|
2002
|
EAST FINALS: NETS 4, CELTICS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sun., 5/19/02 | BOS 97, NJ 104 | NBC |
5.9
|
8,667
|
|
2
|
Tue., 5/21/02 | BOS 93, NJ 86 | TNT |
2.6
|
3,804
|
|
3
|
Sat., 5/25/02 | NJ 90, BOS 94 | NBC |
4.2
|
5,711
|
|
4
|
Mon., 5/27/02 | NJ 94, BOS 92 | NBC |
5.5
|
7,640
|
|
5
|
Wed., 5/29/02 | BOS 92, NJ 103 | NBC |
7.3
|
9,913
|
|
6
|
Fri., 5/31/02 | NJ 96, BOS 88 | NBC |
6.5
|
9,167
|
|
WEST FINALS: LAKERS 4, KINGS 2
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gm #
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
1
|
Sat., 5/18/02 | LAL 106, SAC 99 | NBC |
6.3
|
9,153
|
|
2
|
Mon., 5/20/02 | LAL 90, SAC 96 | TNT |
3.7
|
5,538
|
|
3
|
Fri., 5/24/02 | SAC 103, LAL 90 | NBC |
6.7
|
10,063
|
|
4
|
Sun., 5/26/02 | SAC 99, LAL 100 | NBC |
6.8
|
9,659
|
|
5
|
Tue., 5/28/02 | LAL 91, SAC 92 | NBC |
9.9
|
14,586
|
|
6
|
Fri., 5/31/02 | SAC 102, LAL 106 | NBC |
11.1
|
16,644
|
|
7
|
Sun., 6/2/02 | LAL 112, SAC 106 | NBC |
14.4
|
23,796
|
** According to Nielsen’s weekly cable ratings for the week of May 22-28, 2006, Suns/Mavericks Game 1 drew 3.84 million viewers. However, the same listing says the game aired in 3.81 million homes. It seems unlikely that a game that aired in 3.81 million homes would attract just 3.84 million viewers, so the assumption here is that the viewership is incorrect.
