The Celtics’ final win of the season and the Lakers’ final game of the season both scored big numbers for ABC earlier this month.
The Lakers’ season-ending Game 4 blowout loss to the Mavericks earned a 5.3 final rating and 8.886 million viewers on ABC May 8, up 26% in ratings and 35% in viewership from last year (CLE/BOS G4: 4.2, 6.580M), and up 67% and 77%, respectively, from 2009 (LAL/HOU G4: 3.2, 5.032M).
Excluding the NBA Finals, the game ranks as the third-most viewed NBA playoff game on ABC since the network reacquired rights to the league in 2003 (124 telecasts*). Only Celtics/Heat Game 1 earlier this month (9.169M) and Spurs/Lakers Game 6 in primetime in 2003 (9.477M) drew more viewers.
The previous night, Game 3 between the Heat and Celtics drew a 4.9 and 8.202 million viewers, up 32% in ratings and 41% in viewership from last year (LAL/UTA G3: 3.7, 5.809M), and up 53% and 65%, respectively, from 2009 (CLE/ATL G3: 3.2, 4.964M).
The Celtics’ lone win of the series ranks as the ninth-most viewed playoff game on ABC since 2002, again excluding the NBA Finals. Of the ten most-viewed non-finals playoff games on ABC, three have taken place this season alone.
Final ratings and viewership were not immediately available for Sunday’s Game 7 between the Grizzlies and Thunder. Overnight ratings for that game are available here.
Most-Viewed NBA Playoff Games on ABC (excluding NBA Finals)
Since acquiring rights in 2002-03
|
#
|
Date
|
Game
|
Round, Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Thu., 5/15/03 | SA 110, LAL 82 | Semis, G6 | ABC |
6.5
|
9,477
|
|
2
|
Sun., 5/1/11 | BOS 90, MIA 99 | Semis, G1 | ABC |
5.8
|
9,169
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/8/11 | LAL 86, DAL 122 | Semis, G4 | ABC |
5.3
|
8,886
|
|
4
|
Sun., 5/21/06 | CLE 61, DET 79 | Semis, G7 | ABC |
6.1
|
8,877
|
|
5
|
Sat., 5/23/09 | LAL 101, DEN 120 | WCF, G3 | ABC |
5.4
|
8,731
|
|
6
|
Sun., 5/18/08 | CLE 92, BOS 97 | Semis, G7 | ABC |
5.7
|
8,697
|
|
7
|
Thu., 5/13/04 | LAL 74, SA 73 | Semis, G5 | ABC |
6.0
|
8,551
|
|
8
|
Sun., 5/11/03 | SA 95, LAL 99 | Semis, G4 | ABC |
5.7
|
8,243
|
|
9
|
Sat., 5/7/11 | MIA 81, BOS 97 | Semis, G3 | ABC |
4.9
|
8,202
|
|
10
|
Mon., 5/29/06 | DET 78, MIA 89 | ECF, G4 | ABC |
5.5
|
8,190
|
* Does not include Sunday’s Grizzlies/Thunder Game 7. Also does not include Jazz/Spurs Game 1 in 2007, as viewership for that game was not available.
(This year’s numbers from Media Life Magazine)
