NBA Playoffs: ABC’s Knicks/Heat and Nuggets/Lakers Both Down From Last Year

Despite featuring two of the most obsessively covered franchises in recent history, the Knicks/Heat NBA playoff series got off to fairly mediocre start Saturday afternoon.

Game 1 of the Knicks/Heat NBA playoff series drew a 3.8 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down a tick from Sixers/Heat Game 1 last year (3.9), but up 15% from Bulls/Cavaliers Game 1 in 2010 (3.3).

The 3.8 is the second-highest for the NBA on ABC on the first Saturday of the playoffs since the network acquired rights to the league in 2002, behind only last year.

Game 1 was not even the highest rated Knicks/Heat game of the year in the metered markets. The teams’ February 23 meeting on TNT drew a 4.0 overnight.

The last time the Knicks and Heat met in the NBA Playoffs (2000), Game 1 of the series drew a 6.0 overnight on NBC. The last time the teams met in the first round (1999), Game 1 drew a 4.5 on NBC.

On Sunday, Game 1 between the Nuggets and Lakers drew a 3.9 overnight, down 15% from Hornets/Lakers Game 1 last year (4.6), and down 5% from Thunder/Lakers Game 1 in 2010 (4.1). The 3.9 is tied as the lowest for the NBA on ABC on the first Sunday of the playoffs since Nets/Heat Game 1 in 2005 (3.6).

Overnight Ratings For the First Weekend of the NBA Playoffs on Broadcast
Dating back to 2001
(ABC since 2003, NBC in 2001 and 2002)

(This weekend’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)