A classic NBA playoff series has produced the most watched first round playoff game ever on cable.
The Bulls’ triple-overtime Game 6 win over the Celtics drew a 3.5 U.S. rating and 5.4 million viewers on TNT Thursday night, up 133% in ratings from a 1.5 for Pistons/76ers Game 6 last year, and the most viewed first round NBA Playoff game ever on cable.
The 3.5 rating also ties with Cavaliers/Pistons Game 4 as the highest rated game of the 2009 playoffs on broadcast or cable. Through Thursday, Celtics/Bulls accounted for two of the three highest rated NBA playoff games of the season.
Game 6 was not the only ratings hit in the Bulls/Celtics series. Game 5 on Tuesday night drew a 2.5 U.S. rating on TNT, up 47% from a 1.7 for Mavericks/Hornets Game 5 in ’08. Sunday’s Game 4 drew a 3.3 final rating on ABC, up 38% from a 2.4 for Cavaliers/Wizards Game 4 last year.
Through six games, the Bulls/Celtics series is averaging a 2.7 U.S. rating on ESPN, ABC and TNT, up 42% from a 1.9 for games in the six comparable windows last year.
Additional sources: Turner, ESPN
