With both teams battling just to make the playoffs, several stars sidelined, and a lopsided final score, it should be no surprise the Lakers/Celtics rivalry attracted fewer viewers Thursday night.
Thursday’s Lakers/Celtics NBA regular season game drew 2.6 million viewers on TNT, down 16% from the teams’ meeting on the comparable date last year (3.1M), and down 7% from Heat/Magic in 2011 (2.8M).
The game ranks as the least-viewed between the Lakers and Celtics since Kevin Garnett joined the Celtics in August 2007. The previous low was 2.9 million for a February 2010 game that started at 10:30 PM ET, aired opposite the Winter Olympics, and did not include an injured Kobe Bryant.
Later Thursday night, another blowout between the Bulls and Nuggets earned just 1.3 million viewers — down 32% from Thunder/Kings last year (1.9M), and down 57% from Spurs/Lakers in 2011 (3.0M).
So far this season, 48 of the 70 NBA games that can be compared to last season* have had declines in viewership.
Viewership For Lakers/Celtics Regular Season Games
Since Kevin Garnett was traded to Celtics in 2007
|
Season
|
Date
|
Time |
Away
|
Home |
Net
|
Viewers
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2012-13
|
Thu., 2/7/13 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
2.6M
|
|
2011-12
|
Sun., 3/11/12 | 3:30 PM | Celtics | Lakers | ABC |
4.0M
|
| Thu., 2/9/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
3.1M
|
|
|
2010-11
|
Thu., 2/10/11 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
4.7M
|
| Sun., 1/30/11 | 3:30 PM | Celtics | Lakers | ABC |
7.0M
|
|
|
2009-10
|
Thu., 2/18/10 | 10:30 PM | Celtics | Lakers | TNT |
2.9M
|
| Sun., 1/31/10 | 3:30 PM | Lakers | Celtics | ABC |
5.7M
|
|
|
2008-09
|
Thu., 2/5/09 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
4.3M
|
| Thu., 12/25/08 | 5:00 PM | Celtics | Lakers | ABC |
10.0M
|
* Games from October 30-December 25 compared to 2010-11, games from December 25-present compared to 2011-12.
* UPDATED 2/15: In original version of post, comparisons were made to the wrong week in 2011.
(Thu. numbers from TV By the Numbers)
