The only remotely competitive series during the second round of the NBA Playoffs has also proven to be the biggest television draw.
The Cavaliers’ 32-point Game 5 loss to the Celtics drew a hefty 4.2 rating and 6.7 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, up 24% in ratings and 29% in viewership from Magic/Celtics Game 5 last year (3.4, 5.2 mil) and up 110% and 142%, respectively, from Magic/Pistons Game 5 in ’08 (2.0, 2.8 mil).
Tuesday’s blowout stands as the highest rated, most-viewed game of the playoffs on cable.
In a second round that featured three sweeps, the Celtics/Cavaliers series — the only one that has been competitive — has been easily the biggest draw.
Of the first five games, only one (Game 3) failed to draw at least a 3.4 rating. Final ratings for Sunday’s Game 4 on ABC were not immediately available, but the 5.1 overnight for the game indicates that the final rating should be well above a 3.4.
To put that in perspective, only two other second round games drew a rating over 3.4 — Games 1 and 3 between the Lakers and Jazz, both of which aired on ABC.
