NBA Playoffs: Heat, Thunder, Help Reverse Downward Trend For TNT

Posted by | 05/04/2012 at 5:12 pm

The Heat/Knicks and Thunder/Mavericks series have thus far been the only bright spots in a generally soft NBA postseason.

Game 3 of the Heat/Knicks NBA playoff series drew 4.132 million viewers on TNT Thursday night, up 7% from Heat/Sixers Game 3 last year (3.875M), and up 67% from Cavaliers/Bulls Game 3 opposite the NFL Draft in 2010 (2.763M).

Heat/Knicks is the only NBA playoff series to have had an increase in viewership for each game.

In the nightcap, Game 3 of the Thunder/Mavericks series drew 4.622 million viewers — up 41% from Mavericks/Trail Blazers Game 3 last year (3.268M), and up 18% from Lakers/Thunder Game 3 in 2010 (3.934M).

Of the seven most-viewed NBA playoff games this year, six have been from the Heat/Knicks or Thunder/Mavericks series. In addition, of the eight games to have increases compared to last year, five have been from either series.

Viewership For the 2012 NBA Playoffs
Excludes Pacers/Magic Game 3 on NBA TV

Date Time Away Home # Net
Viewers (000)
vs. ’11
Sat., 4/28/12 1:00 PM Sixers Bulls
1
 TNT
2,475
-31%
3:30 PM Knicks Heat
1
 ABC
4,752
+5%
7:00 PM Magic Pacers
1
 ESPN
2,551
-23%
9:30 PM Mavs Thunder
1
 ESPN
4,115
+19%
Sun., 4/29/12 1:00 PM Jazz Spurs
1
 ESPN
3,197
+13%
3:30 PM Nuggets Lakers
1
 ABC
4,882
-18%
7:00 PM Celtics Hawks
1
 TNT
3,971
-34%
9:30 PM Clippers Grizzlies
1
 TNT
3,982
-21%
Mon., 4/30/12 7:00 PM Knicks Heat
2
 TNT
4,373
+29%
7:30 PM Magic Pacers
2
 NBATV
144
none
9:30 PM Mavs Thunder
2
 TNT
4,736
-4%
Tue., 5/1/12 7:30 PM Celtics Hawks
2
 NBATV
642
+134%
8:00 PM Sixers Bulls
2
 TNT
3,108
-34%
10:30 PM Nuggets Lakers
2
 TNT
3,931
2%
Wed., 5/2/12 7:00 PM Jazz Spurs
2
 TNT
1,811
-45%
9:30 PM Clippers Grizzlies
2
 TNT
3,137
-41%
Thu., 5/3/12 7:00 PM Heat Knicks
3
 TNT
4,132
+7%
9:30 PM Thunder Mavs
3
 TNT
4,622
+41%

(Thursday’s numbers from TV By the Numbers; additional information from Sports Business Daily; NBA TV numbers from Turner Sports)

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