NBA Playoffs: Spurs/Thunder Finale Earns 9.5 Million Viewers

Posted by | 06/07/2012 at 4:06 pm

TNT earned one of the largest NBA audiences ever on cable for Wednesday’s Spurs/Thunder finale.

Game 6 of the Spurs/Thunder NBA Western Conference Finals drew a 6.0 U.S. rating and 9.498 million viewers on TNT Wednesday night, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 25% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Lakers/Suns Game 6 on a Saturday night in 2010 (4.8, 8.154M), and up 15% and 14%, respectively, from Cavaliers/Magic Game 6 on a Saturday night in 2009 (5.2, 8.362M).

The game ranks as the 12th-most viewed NBA game ever on cable, and the second-most viewed Western Conference playoff game. Only Lakers/Nuggets Game 4 on ESPN in 2009 (9.731M) drew more viewers.

In addition, Game 6 is tied as the highest rated Western Conference Finals telecast to involve the Spurs since Spurs/Trail Blazers on NBC in 1999 (7.8).

Locally, Game 6 drew a 34.9 rating in Oklahoma City and a 26.7 in San Antonio.

Overall, the six-game Thunder/Spurs series averaged a 5.0 U.S. rating and 7.823 million viewers on TNT, down 19% in ratings and 25% in viewership from Heat/Bulls on TNT last year (6.2, 10.413M), and up 4% in ratings and virtually flat in viewership from Lakers/Suns on TNT in 2010 (4.8, 7.854M).

Compared to last year’s Mavericks/Thunder Western Conference Finals on ESPN, ratings and viewership increased by 16% and 13%, respectively, from a 4.3 and 6.939 million.

15 Most-Viewed NBA Games Ever on Cable

#
Date
Game
Round
Net
Viewers (000)
1 Sun., 5/15/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 1
 TNT
11,109
2 Sun., 6/3/12 Heat/Celtics
ECF Gm. 4
 ESPN
11,068
3 Sun., 5/22/11 Bulls/Heat
ECF Gm. 3
 TNT
10,889
4 Sun., 2/9/03 West/East
All-Star
 TNT
10,829
5 Thu., 5/26/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 5
 TNT
10,407
6 Tue., 6/5/12 Celtics/Heat
ECF Gm. 5
 ESPN
10,251
7 Tue., 5/26/09 Cavs/Magic
ECF Gm. 4
 TNT
10,075
8 Wed., 5/18/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 2
 TNT
10,036
9 Thu., 5/28/09 Magic/Cavs
ECF Gm. 5
 TNT
9,995
10 Tue., 5/24/11 Bulls/Heat
ECF Gm. 4
 TNT
9,770
11 Mon., 5/25/09 Lakers/Nuggets
WCF Gm. 4
 ESPN
9,731
12 Wed., 6/6/12 Spurs/Thunder
WCF Gm. 6
 TNT
9,498
13 Mon., 5/31/04 Wolves/Lakers
WCF Gm. 6
 TNT
9,438
14
 Wed., 5/27/09 Nuggets/Lakers
WCF Gm. 5
 ESPN
9,238
15
 Mon., 6/1/05 Pistons/Heat
ECF Gm. 7
 TNT
9,149

(Wednesday’s numbers from Turner Sports)

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  • Timmah

    lebron played in 9 of the top 10 games. of course it will be 10 of the top 11 after tonight. 

    paulsen, what are you projecting for tonight’s game? assuming no ot? just throw a number out there. i’m going w/a 9.3 overnight. there are few things in sports more riveting than lebron on the brink of elimination.

    • Paulsen

      9.3 sounds about right. Would not be surprised if it’s lower.

      • Timmah

        What was the jump in overnights from game 5 to game 6 during the 2010 celtics/cavs series? This situation reminds me of that series. I believe that game 6 also aired on a Thursday.

        • Paulsen

          Don’t know the jump in overnights, but the final U.S. rating rose from a 4.2 for Game 5 to a 5.7 for Game 6.

          • JakeFrankie

            If Heat can win tonight and possibly go to a game 7 which is very possible. Would a Heat/Celtics game 7 have a chance of being the highest viewed NBA game ever on Cable TV? Which is your opinion Paulsen?

          • Paulsen

            Of course. But the Heat have as good a chance of winning tonight as Keith Olbermann does of returning to SportsCenter.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrea-Cavalli/757338131 Andrea Cavalli

            ^EPIC FAIL on your part..no offense

            hahahahaha don’t worry, I had my doubts myself despite the fact I kept openly claiming to everyone the Heat still had a chance.

            This was a great eff you performance by LeBron..absolutely unstoppable.

            Saturday night or not, game 7 ratings are going through the roof.

          • Paulsen

            It will be interesting to see whether the ratings will top The Belmont Stakes on NBC.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrea-Cavalli/757338131 Andrea Cavalli

            What is the average rating of the Belmont Stakes? 

          • Paulsen

            8.2 and over 13 million the last time the Triple Crown was at stake.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrea-Cavalli/757338131 Andrea Cavalli

            ok, probably a close game should beat that..if it’s a blowout, then maybe not. We’ll see.