Friday’s NBA playoff doubleheader performed well for ESPN, with Thunder/Lakers Game 3 earning one of the network’s largest early round audiences.
Game 3 of the Thunder/Lakers second round NBA playoff series drew 7.377 million viewers on ESPN Friday night, down 4% from Lakers/Mavericks Game 3 last year (7.658M), but up 73% from Suns/Spurs Game 3 in 2010 (4.267M).
The game stands as the second-most viewed telecast of the postseason (through Friday), behind only Game 2 of the series (7.445M).
Overall, Game 3 ranks as the third-most viewed first or second round NBA playoff game ever on ESPN — behind only Cavaliers/Celtics Game 6 in 2010 (8.983M) and last year’s aforementioned Lakers/Mavericks Game 3.
Earlier in the night, Game 4 of the Celtics/Sixers series drew 4.751 million viewers, up 32% from Bulls/Hawks Game 3 last year (3.610M), and up 28% from Cavaliers/Celtics Game 3 in 2010 (3.701M).
The 32% increase is the second-largest of the playoffs on ESPN/ABC or TNT, behind only a 41% jump for Thunder/Mavericks Game 3 in the first round.
(Friday’s numbers from TV By the Numbers)
