Ratings and viewership for each game of the NBA Playoffs entering the NBA Finals.
Through the Conference Finals, 69 NBA Playoff games on TNT, ESPN/ESPN2 and ABC averaged approximately 4.4 million viewers. The top game of the postseason so far was Cavaliers/Celtics Game 6 on ESPN May 13, which drew a 5.7 U.S. rating and just under 9 million viewers.
The Lakers/Suns Western Conference Finals took up the next three spots, with Game 4 of the Magic/Celtics Eastern Final rounding out the top five.
Due in part to their deep playoff runs, the Celtics, Lakers and Cavaliers were involved in the 25 most-viewed playoff games.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Games 3 and 6 of the Nuggets/Jazz first round series rank as the two least-viewed games of the postseason. However, keep in mind that both games aired on ESPN2 opposite other playoff games on ESPN.
Six of the eight least-viewed playoff games involved the Magic and Hawks, with Game 3 of the teams’ second round series ranking as the fifth-least viewed.
31 of the 69 games had declines in ratings compared to last year, with 10 of those declines taking place in the Conference Finals alone. 27 games had increases, six were even, and comparisons were unavailable for five games.
Though all three NBA broadcast partners have had declines compared to last year, Sports Business Daily reports that the 2010 NBA Playoffs has “marked the league’s second most-viewed postseason on record,” behind only last year.
Percentage Increases/Decreases For 2010 NBA Playoffs
NBA Playoff Games Ranked By Viewership
Games on NBA TV were not included, as NBA TV is not a Nielsen rated network.
| # | Date | Round | Game | # | Net | Rating | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu., 5/13/10 |
Second | Cavaliers 85, Celtics 94 | 6 | ESPN |
5.7
|
8,983
|
| 2 | Thu., 5/27/10 |
WCF | Suns 101, Lakers 103 | 5 | TNT |
5.3
|
8,670
|
| 3 | Sun., 5/23/10 |
WCF | Lakers 109, Suns 118 | 3 | TNT |
5.0
|
8,460
|
| 4 | Sat., 5/29/10 |
WCF | Lakers 111, Suns 103 | 6 | TNT |
4.8
|
8,154
|
| 5 | Mon., 5/24/10 |
ECF | Magic 96, Celtics 92 | 4 | ESPN |
4.9
|
7,960
|
| 6 | Tue., 5/25/10 |
WCF | Lakers 106, Suns 115 | 4 | TNT |
4.9
|
7,641
|
| 7 | Fri., 5/28/10 |
ECF | Magic 84, Celtics 96 | 6 | ESPN |
4.6
|
7,538
|
| 8 | Tue., 5/18/10 |
ECF | Celtics 95, Magic 92 | 2 | ESPN |
4.6
|
7,156
|
| 9 | Mon., 5/17/10 |
WCF | Suns 107, Lakers 128 | 1 | TNT |
4.4
|
7,112
|
| 10 | Sun., 5/16/10 |
ECF | Celtics 92, Magic 88 | 1 | ABC |
4.5
|
7,030
|
| 11 | Wed., 5/19/10 |
WCF | Suns 112, Lakers 124 | 2 | TNT |
4.4
|
7,004
|
| 12 | Wed., 5/26/10 |
ECF | Celtics 92, Magic 113 | 5 | ESPN |
4.4
|
6,835
|
| 13 | Tue., 5/11/10 |
Second | Celtics 120, Cavaliers 88 | 5 | TNT |
4.2
|
6,737
|
| 14 | Sun., 5/9/10 |
Second | Cavaliers 87, Celtics 97 | 4 | ABC |
4.2
|
6,580
|
| 15 | Sat., 5/22/10 |
ECF | Magic 71, Celtics 94 | 3 | ESPN |
3.7
|
6,023
|
| 16 | Sun., 5/2/10 |
Second | Jazz 99, Lakers 104 | 1 | ABC |
3.8
|
5,955
|
| 17 | Sat., 5/8/10 |
Second | Lakers 111, Jazz 110 | 3 | ABC |
3.7
|
5,809
|
| 18 | Sat., 5/1/10 |
Second | Celtics 93, Cavaliers 101 | 1 | TNT |
3.4
|
5,705
|
| 19 | Sun., 4/25/10 |
First | Cavaliers 121, Bulls 98 | 4 | ABC |
3.7
|
5,704
|
| 20 | Mon., 5/3/10 |
Second | Celtics 104, Cavaliers 86 | 2 | TNT |
3.5
|
5,499
|
| 21 | Sun., 4/18/10 |
First | Thunder 79, Lakers 87 | 1 | ABC |
3.3
|
5,132
|
| 22 | Mon., 5/10/10 |
Second | Lakers 111, Jazz 96 | 4 | TNT |
3.2
|
5,079
|
| 23 | Fri., 4/30/10 |
First | Lakers 95, Thunder 94 | 6 | ESPN |
3.1
|
4,833
|
| 24 | Tue., 4/27/10 |
First | Thunder 87, Lakers 111 | 5 | TNT |
3.1
|
4,685
|
| 25 | Tue., 5/4/10 |
Second | Jazz 103, Lakers 111 | 2 | TNT |
3.0
|
4,668
|
| 26 | Sun., 5/9/10 |
Second | Suns 107, Spurs 101 | 4 | TNT |
2.8
|
4,577
|
| 27 | Fri., 5/7/10 |
Second | Suns 110, Spurs 96 | 3 | ESPN |
2.7
|
4,267
|
| 28 | Tue., 4/27/10 |
First | Bulls 94, Cavaliers 96 | 5 | TNT |
2.8
|
4,244
|
| 29 | Sat., 4/24/10 |
First | Lakers 89, Thunder 110 | 4 | ESPN |
2.7
|
4,163
|
| 30 | Mon., 5/3/10 |
Second | Spurs 102, Suns 111 | 1 | TNT |
2.7
|
4,110
|
| 31 | Wed., 5/5/10 |
Second | Spurs 102, Suns 110 | 2 | TNT |
2.7
|
3,999
|
| 32 | Thu., 4/22/10 |
First | Lakers 96, Thunder 101 | 3 | TNT |
2.5
|
3,934
|
| 33 | Sun., 4/18/10 |
First | Spurs 94, Mavericks 100 | 1 | TNT |
2.5
|
3,925
|
| 34 | Sun., 4/25/10 |
First | Celtics 92, Heat 101 | 4 | ABC |
2.6
|
3,913
|
| 35 | Mon., 4/19/10 |
First | Bulls 102, Cavaliers 112 | 2 | TNT |
2.6
|
3,907
|
| 36 | Sat., 4/17/10 |
First | Heat 76, Celtics 85 | 1 | ESPN |
2.5
|
3,821
|
| 37 | Tue., 4/20/10 |
First | Thunder 92, Lakers 95 | 2 | TNT |
2.5
|
3,741
|
| 38 | Fri., 5/7/10 |
Second | Cavaliers 124, Celtics 95 | 3 | ESPN |
2.4
|
3,701
|
| 39 | Sat., 4/17/10 |
First | Bulls 83, Cavaliers 96 | 1 | ABC |
2.5
|
3,679
|
| 40 | Thu., 4/29/10 |
First | Mavericks 87, Spurs 97 | 6 | TNT |
2.4
|
3,590
|
| 41 | Mon., 5/10/10 |
Second | Magic 98, Hawks 84 | 4 | TNT |
2.3
|
3,400
|
| 42 | Sun., 4/25/10 |
First | Mavericks 89, Spurs 92 | 4 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,252
|
| 43 | Sun., 4/25/10 |
First | Nuggets 106, Jazz 117 | 4 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,156
|
| 44 | Thu., 5/6/10 |
Second | Hawks 98, Magic 112 | 2 | ESPN |
2.1
|
3,155
|
| 45 | Mon., 4/19/10 |
First | Jazz 114, Nuggets 111 | 2 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,149
|
| 46 | Sun., 4/18/10 |
First | Bobcats 89, Magic 96 | 1 | TNT |
2.0
|
3,116
|
| 47 | Thu., 4/29/10 |
First | Blazers 90, Suns 99 | 6 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,115
|
| 48 | Mon., 4/26/10 |
First | Magic 99, Bobcats 90 | 4 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,068
|
| 49 | Wed., 4/28/10 |
First | Jazz 102, Nuggets 116 | 5 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,060
|
| 50 | Wed., 4/21/10 |
First | Spurs 102, Mavericks 88 | 2 | TNT |
2.1
|
3,059
|
| 51 | Sun., 5/2/10 |
First | Bucks 74, Hawks 95 | 7 | ABC |
2.1
|
3,056
|
| 52 | Sun., 4/18/10 |
First | Blazers 105, Suns 100 | 1 | TNT |
2.0
|
2,988
|
| 53 | Tue., 5/4/10 |
Second | Hawks 71, Magic 114 | 1 | TNT |
1.9
|
2,977
|
| 54 | Sat., 4/17/10 |
First | Jazz 113, Nuggets 126 | 1 | ESPN |
1.9
|
2,921
|
| 55 | Tue., 4/20/10 |
First | Heat 77, Celtics 106 | 2 | TNT |
1.9
|
2,874
|
| 56 | Fri., 4/23/10 |
First | Mavericks 90, Spurs 94 | 3 | ESPN |
1.9
|
2,820
|
| 57 | Thu., 4/22/10 |
First | Cavaliers 106, Bulls 108 | 3 | TNT |
1.8
|
2,763
|
| 58 | Mon., 4/26/10 |
First | Blazers 88, Suns 107 | 5 | TNT |
1.9
|
2,716
|
| 59 | Wed., 4/28/10 |
First | Bucks 91, Hawks 87 | 5 | TNT |
1.8
|
2,538
|
| 60 | Sat., 4/24/10 |
First | Suns 87, Blazers 96 | 4 | TNT |
1.7
|
2,429
|
| 61 | Fri., 4/23/10 |
First | Celtics 100, Heat 98 | 3 | ESPN |
1.6
|
2,386
|
| 62 | Fri., 4/30/10 |
First | Hawks 83, Bucks 69 | 6 | ESPN |
1.5
|
2,190
|
| 63 | Sat., 4/17/10 |
First | Bucks 92, Hawks 102 | 1 | ESPN |
1.5
|
2,160
|
| 64 | Wed., 4/21/10 |
First | Bobcats 77, Magic 92 | 2 | TNT |
1.4
|
2,066
|
| 65 | Sat., 5/8/10 |
Second | Magic 105, Hawks 75 | 3 | ESPN |
1.4
|
2,006
|
| 66 | Sat., 4/24/10 |
First | Hawks 89, Bucks 107 | 3 | ESPN |
1.3
|
1,945
|
| 67 | Sat., 4/24/10 |
First | Magic 90, Bobcats 86 | 3 | TNT |
1.2
|
1,678
|
| 68 | Fri., 4/23/10 |
First | Nuggets 93, Jazz 105 | 3 | ESPN2 |
0.9
|
1,461
|
| 69 | Fri., 4/30/10 |
First | Nuggets 104, Jazz 112 | 6 | ESPN2 |
0.9
|
1,416
|
(Individual game data from Turner Sports, ESPN, pifeedback.com; Sports Business Daily)
