Viewers were less than enthralled by the Atlanta Hawks’ showing in Game 1 of the East Semifinals.
The Hawks’ 43-point loss to the Magic drew a 1.9 U.S. rating and 3.0 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, down 35% in ratings and 34% in viewership from Hawks/Cavaliers Game 1 last year (2.9, 4.5 mil) and down 46% and 39%, respectively, from Cavaliers/Celtics Game 1 in ’08 (3.5, 4.9 mil).
Hawks/Magic Game 1 ranks as the lowest rated second round NBA Playoff game in two years.
In the nightcap, Game 2 of the Jazz/Lakers series drew a 3.0 and 4.7 million viewers, up 11% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year’s Mavericks/Nuggets Game 2 (2.7, 4.0 mil). There was no game in the comparable timeslot in ’08.
Though up from Mavericks/Nuggets, the Lakers’ Game 2 win was down 29% and 26%, respectively, from Game 2 of their series against the Rockets last year (4.2, 6.3 mil).
