Viewers tuned in for the end of one Laker series and the beginning of another.
Sunday’s Jazz/Lakers Game 1 drew a 4.7 overnight rating on ABC, up 24% from Mavericks/Nuggets Game 1 last year (3.8), down 2% from Jazz/Lakers Game 1 in 2008 (4.8) and up 4% from Spurs/Suns Game 1 in ’07 (4.5).
The 4.7 overnight is the highest of the 2010 NBA Playoffs, edging a 4.6 for Cavaliers/Bulls Game 4 in the same timeslot a week earlier.
On Friday night, Game 6 between the Lakers and Thunder drew a hefty 3.7 overnight on ESPN. There was no game on the comparable night last year; however, the game was up 61% from Mavericks/Spurs Game 3 in the same timeslot a week earlier (2.3).
The Lakers may be ratings gold, but the Bucks and Hawks were ratings kryptonite.
The Hawks’ Game 6 win over the Bucks drew a 1.7 overnight on ESPN Friday night, down 23% from Hawks/Heat Game 6 in a later timeslot last year (2.2).
Meanwhile, Sunday’s Game 7 drew a 2.7 overnight on ABC, down 18% from Heat/Hawks Game 7 last year (3.3), down 36% from Hawks/Celtics Game 7 in ’08 (4.2) and even down 10% from Nets/Cavaliers Game 1 in ’07 (3.0).
Elsewhere in the NBA Playoffs, Friday’s Nuggets/Jazz Game 6 drew a 1.1 overnight on ESPN2. There was no comparable game last year; however, Nuggets/Jazz Game 3 drew also drew a 1.1 on ESPN2 in virtually the same timeslot a week earlier.
(ESPN)
