NBA Finals: Heat/Thunder Earns Best Game 2 Overnight Since ’04

Posted by | 06/15/2012 at 11:41 am

The hot start for the 2012 NBA Finals continued on Thursday.

Game 2 of the Heat/Thunder NBA Finals drew an 11.8 overnight rating on ABC Thursday night, up 12% from Mavericks/Heat Game 2 last year (10.5), and up 8% from Celtics/Lakers Game 2 on a Sunday night in 2010 (10.9).

The 11.8 overnight is the highest for a Game 2 in the NBA Finals since Pistons/Lakers in 2004 (12.3), and the second-highest since Sixers/Lakers in 2001 (14.5). Excluding series that involved the Lakers, the overnight is the highest for a Game 2 since Bulls/Jazz in 1998 (17.7).

Thursday’s overnight was the same as Tuesday’s Game 1. This marks just the fourth time in the past fifteen NBA Finals that the overnight for Game 2 did not decline from the opener.

Since the current Thursday-Sunday-Tuesday scheduling format began in 2004, final ratings for Game 2 of the NBA Finals have declined between 11% and 19% from the overnight — putting Thursday’s game on pace to finish in the 9.6-10.5 range.

Game 2 drew a 44.4 rating in Oklahoma City, a tick higher than Game 1 (44.3). For some perspective, Game 2 of the 1996 SuperSonics/Bulls NBA Finals — the last NBA Finals for the SuperSonics franchise before the moving to Oklahoma City — drew a 33.7 on a Friday night.

The drew a 30.3 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, down 1% from Game 1 (30.5), and down 14% from last year’s Game 2 (35.3).

(Thursday’s overnight from ESPN Media Zone)

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  • Rich S.

    The NBA must be thrilled with this. Expecting a big rating for Game 3. Sunday evening, series tied. I can’t see this going any less than six games. If they did get Game 7 (watch the refs!) I wonder if it would outrate the Lakers/Celtics game 7 from a few years back, which iirc had a massive rating.

    • JakeFrankie

      Last Year’s NBA Finals Game 3 was the only game that declined, I expect game 4 and on the series will get bigger bumps in the ratings. But Game 3 ratings will be something to see, Looks like Game 2 just got a 10.0. This series will probably average a better rating than 10.6 of Lakers-Celtics (2010). Even without a game 7, But can it get to a 11.0? That’s possible too but surpassing the 11.5 of 2004 Lakers vs Pistons will be tough. In my opinion this series will be the 2nd highest rated series in ABC History for the NBA Finals.

  • JakeFrankie

    Paulen is game 2 going to get 9.9 again? Or will it be enough to get into double digits?

    Just like others said game 4 and on there will be bigger bumps in the ratings.

    • Paulsen

      It depends. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in the high 9.0s, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in the low 10.0 range.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/GDEYUQYISOX47HRGQ6O6JMNQAA MG

    About what I expected for Game 2. Hopefully the final rating stays over 10.0.

    The question is, how will the U.S. Open affect Game 3? If Tiger Woods is still in contention, the final around on Sunday could draw upwards of 15 million people. I think the golf action will end sometime around 6-8PM.

    • Paulsen

      U.S. Open will end around 10:30 PM ET. If Tiger is in contention, Game 3 will no doubt suffer in the ratings. It should still do well enough.