The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, as could be expected, attracted the largest audiences of the 2012-13 NBA regular season. Click here to jump to the chart.
The Heat or Lakers played in 18 of the 21 most-viewed games of the NBA regular season, including the eight most-viewed games. The top game of the season was Thunder/Heat on ABC Christmas Day (9.6M), followed by Knicks/Lakers earlier in the afternoon (8.8M), Lakers/Heat on February 10 (6.5M), Thunder/Lakers on January 27 (6.3M) and Celtics/Heat on TNT Opening Night (5.4M).
The top game of the season that did not involve the Lakers or Heat was Thunder/Clippers on March 3 (4.2M).
The least-viewed game of the season on ESPN/ABC or TNT was Sixers/Heat on ESPN April 6 (638K), which earned the smallest audience for any NBA game on those networks since November 2010. The game, which was added due to Miami’s 27-game winning streak, aired directly opposite the NCAA Final Four and was blacked out in both Miami and Philadelphia.
The April 16 Raptors/Hawks game on TNT, which was added to replace a canceled Pacers/Celtics game, was the second-least viewed of the season (774K). Pacers/Grizzlies on Martin Luther King Day, which aired opposite coverage of the presidential inauguration, ranked as the third-least viewed (781K).
Overall, of the 144 regular season games on ESPN, ABC and TNT this season, 23 earned at least three million viewers. By comparison, 33 of 134 games last season hit that mark. There were 49 games with fewer than 1.5 million viewers, compared to 34 last year.
On NBA TV, the most-viewed game of the season was Lakers/Trail Blazers on October 31 (868K), followed by Heat/Pacers on March 10 (764K), and Heat/Spurs on March 31 (743K). The three games rank among the four most-viewed regular season games ever on the network.
Game-by-Game Viewership For the 2012-13 NBA Regular Season
Ranked top to bottom
NBA TV games not included
|
#
|
Date | Time (ET) | Away | Home | Net |
Viewers
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Tue., 12/25/12 | 5:30 PM | Thunder | Heat | ABC |
9,571
|
|
2
|
Tue., 12/25/12 | 3:00 PM | Knicks | Lakers | ABC |
8,767
|
|
3
|
Sun., 2/10/13 | 3:30 PM | Lakers | Heat | ABC |
6,470
|
|
4
|
Sun., 1/27/13 | 3:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers | ABC |
6,330
|
|
5
|
Tue., 10/30/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Heat | TNT |
5,371
|
|
6
|
Sun., 1/27/13 | 1:00 PM | Heat | Celtics | ABC |
4,618
|
|
7
|
Sun., 4/07/13 | 3:30 PM | Lakers | Clippers | ABC |
4,325
|
|
8
|
Tue., 10/30/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Lakers | TNT |
4,298
|
|
9
|
Sun., 3/03/13 | 3:30 PM | Thunder | Clippers | ABC |
4,228
|
|
10
|
Sun., 3/03/13 | 1:00 PM | Heat | Knicks | ABC |
4,086
|
|
11
|
Sun., 3/10/13 | 3:30 PM | Bulls | Lakers | ABC |
4,064
|
|
12
|
Wed., 3/27/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Bulls | ESPN |
3,896
|
|
13
|
Mon., 3/18/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Celtics | ESPN |
3,787
|
|
14
|
Tue., 12/25/12 | 12:00 PM | Celtics | Nets | ESPN |
3,739
|
|
15
|
Thu., 1/17/13 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Lakers | TNT |
3,547
|
|
16
|
Thu., 2/14/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Thunder | TNT |
3,390
|
|
17
|
Tue., 3/05/13 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder | TNT |
3,339
|
|
18
|
Sun., 2/10/13 | 1:00 PM | Clippers | Knicks | ABC |
3,310
|
|
19
|
Fri., 1/04/13 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Clippers | ESPN |
3,086
|
|
20
|
Fri., 11/02/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Lakers | ESPN |
3,062
|
|
21
|
Thu., 12/13/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Knicks | TNT |
3,046
|
|
22
|
Sun., 4/07/13 | 1:00 PM | Knicks | Thunder | ABC |
3,025
|
|
23
|
Sun., 4/14/13 | 1:00 PM | Bulls | Heat | ABC |
3,009
|
|
24
|
Sun., 2/24/13 | 1:00 PM | Lakers | Mavs | ABC |
2,931
|
|
25
|
Sun., 3/10/13 | 1:00 PM | Celtics | Thunder | ABC |
2,902
|
|
26
|
Fri., 11/02/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Knicks | ESPN |
2,783
|
|
27
|
Thu., 3/07/13 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Knicks | TNT |
2,736
|
|
28
|
Tue., 4/02/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Heat | TNT |
2,726
|
|
29
|
Thu., 12/06/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Heat | TNT |
2,696
|
|
30
|
Fri., 12/07/12 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder | ESPN |
2,660
|
|
31
|
Thu., 2/07/13 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
2,613
|
|
32
|
Thu., 2/14/13 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Lakers | TNT |
2,610
|
|
33
|
Sun., 3/17/13 | 3:30 PM | Knicks | Clippers | ABC |
2,580
|
|
34
|
Wed., 4/17/13 | 10:30 PM | Rockets | Lakers | ESPN |
2,482
|
|
35
|
Thu., 1/24/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Celtics | TNT |
2,465
|
|
36
|
Thu., 2/21/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Bulls | TNT |
2,448
|
|
37
|
Wed., 1/30/13 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Suns | ESPN |
2,431
|
|
38
|
Tue., 12/25/12 | 8:00 PM | Rockets | Bulls | ESPN |
2,385
|
|
39
|
Tue., 4/02/13 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Lakers | TNT |
2,312
|
|
40
|
Tue., 12/25/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Clippers | ESPN |
2,309
|
|
41
|
Fri., 1/11/13 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers | ESPN |
2,307
|
|
42
|
Thu., 12/27/12 | 10:30 PM | Celtics | Clippers | TNT |
2,258
|
|
43
|
Wed., 2/20/13 | 10:30 PM | Celtics | Lakers | ESPN |
2,253
|
|
44
|
Wed., 11/14/12 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Clippers | ESPN |
2,241
|
|
45
|
Thu., 12/27/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Thunder | TNT |
2,237
|
|
46
|
Mon., 1/21/13 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Bulls | TNT |
2,235
|
|
47
|
Fri., 1/18/13 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Mavs | ESPN |
2,177
|
|
T48
|
Thu., 11/01/12 | 9:30 PM | Thunder | Spurs | TNT |
2,144
|
|
T48
|
Wed., 11/21/12 | 7:30 PM | Clippers | Thunder | ESPN |
2,136
|
|
50
|
Thu., 4/11/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Bulls | TNT |
2,136
|
|
51
|
Fri., 11/16/12 | 9:30 PM | Knicks | Grizzlies | ESPN |
2,040
|
|
52
|
Fri., 2/01/13 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | T’Wolves | ESPN |
2,032
|
|
53
|
Tue., 12/11/12 | 9:30 PM | Clippers | Bulls | ESPN |
2,020
|
|
54
|
Wed., 1/09/13 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Spurs | ESPN |
2,009
|
|
55
|
Wed., 1/30/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Nets | ESPN |
2,003
|
|
56
|
Fri., 3/01/13 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies | Heat | ESPN |
2,002
|
|
57
|
Thu., 12/20/12 | 9:30 PM | Heat | Mavs | TNT |
1,998
|
|
58
|
Fri., 3/01/13 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Nuggets | ESPN |
1,988
|
|
59
|
Thu., 11/29/12 | 8:00 PM | Spurs | Heat | TNT |
1,984
|
|
60
|
Thu., 2/21/13 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Clippers | TNT |
1,972
|
|
61
|
Fri., 1/18/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Celtics | ESPN |
1,958
|
|
62
|
Thu., 4/04/13 | 9:30 PM | Spurs | Thunder | TNT |
1,934
|
|
63
|
Mon., 3/25/13 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Magic | ESPN |
1,920
|
|
64
|
Fri., 2/08/13 | 8:00 PM | Clippers | Heat | ESPN |
1,912
|
|
65
|
Fri., 1/11/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Knicks | ESPN |
1,891
|
|
66
|
Thu., 11/08/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Bulls | TNT |
1,848
|
|
67
|
Fri., 1/04/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Heat | ESPN |
1,831
|
|
68
|
Mon., 11/26/12 | 7:15 PM | Knicks | Nets | TNT |
1,783
|
|
69
|
Wed., 1/09/13 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Clippers | ESPN |
1,760
|
|
70
|
Thu., 3/07/13 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Nuggets | TNT |
1,733
|
|
71
|
Wed., 12/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Celtics | ESPN |
1,727
|
|
72
|
Tue., 12/11/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Nets | ESPN |
1,712
|
|
73
|
Thu., 1/17/13 | 8:00 PM | Clippers | T’Wolves | TNT |
1,683
|
|
74
|
Thu., 12/20/12 | 7:00 PM | Thunder | T’Wolves | TNT |
1,682
|
|
75
|
Thu., 2/28/13 | 10:30 PM | T’Wolves | Lakers | TNT |
1,680
|
|
76
|
Wed., 11/14/12 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies | Thunder | ESPN |
1,679
|
|
77
|
Wed., 12/19/12 | 7:00 PM | Nets | Knicks | ESPN |
1,677
|
|
78
|
Sun., 3/03/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Pacers | ESPN |
1,665
|
|
79
|
Thu., 4/11/13 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Warriors | TNT |
1,660
|
|
80
|
Wed., 1/16/13 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Warriors | ESPN |
1,656
|
|
81
|
Fri., 3/08/13 | 10:30 PM | Rockets | Warriors | ESPN |
1,655
|
|
82
|
Fri., 2/01/13 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Pacers | ESPN |
1,639
|
|
83
|
Tue., 3/26/13 | 9:30 PM | Clippers | Mavs | TNT |
1,629
|
|
84
|
Wed., 4/17/13 | 8:00 PM | Jazz | Grizzlies | ESPN |
1,615
|
|
85
|
Thu., 1/31/13 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies | Thunder | TNT |
1,612
|
|
86
|
Mon., 3/18/13 | 10:30 PM | Knicks | Jazz | ESPN |
1,596
|
|
87
|
Fri., 11/30/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Lakers | ESPN |
1,595
|
|
88
|
Thu., 11/15/12 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Nuggets | TNT |
1,590
|
|
89
|
Fri., 2/22/13 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Warriors | ESPN |
1,590
|
|
90
|
Wed., 2/27/13 | 8:00 PM | Warriors | Knicks | ESPN |
1,558
|
|
91
|
Sun., 2/24/13 | 9:30 PM | Bulls | Thunder | ESPN |
1,556
|
|
92
|
Sun., 1/27/13 | 6:30 PM | Hawks | Knicks | ESPN |
1,544
|
|
93
|
Fri., 3/08/13 | 8:00 PM | Hawks | Celtics | ESPN |
1,527
|
|
94
|
Wed., 12/12/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Jazz | ESPN |
1,523
|
|
95
|
Wed., 3/27/13 | 10:30 PM | Nets | Blazers | ESPN |
1,516
|
|
96
|
Fri., 2/08/13 | 10:30 PM | Bulls | Jazz | ESPN |
1,478
|
|
97
|
Thu., 3/14/13 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Spurs | TNT |
1,461
|
|
98
|
Tue., 3/26/13 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Celtics | TNT |
1,458
|
|
99
|
Thu., 1/10/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Pacers | TNT |
1,450
|
|
100
|
Wed., 3/06/13 | 9:00 PM | Bulls | Spurs | ESPN |
1,432
|
|
101
|
Wed., 1/16/13 | 8:00 PM | Rockets | Mavs | ESPN |
1,431
|
|
102
|
Fri., 12/14/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Rockets | ESPN |
1,423
|
|
T103
|
Wed., 3/13/13 | 10:30 PM | Knicks | Nuggets | ESPN |
1,422
|
|
T103
|
Thu., 11/15/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Nets | TNT |
1,408
|
|
105
|
Fri., 12/07/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers | ESPN |
1,408
|
|
106
|
Thu., 11/08/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Blazers | TNT |
1,407
|
|
107
|
Thu., 1/24/13 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Suns | TNT |
1,406
|
|
108
|
Wed., 3/13/13 | 8:00 PM | Jazz | Thunder | ESPN |
1,401
|
|
109
|
Wed., 12/05/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Clippers | ESPN |
1,393
|
|
110
|
Sun., 2/24/13 | 7:00 PM | Grizzlies | Nets | ESPN |
1,382
|
|
T111
|
Wed., 2/27/13 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Blazers | ESPN |
1,372
|
|
T111
|
Thu., 1/10/13 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Blazers | TNT |
1,370
|
|
113
|
Tue., 3/05/13 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers | TNT |
1,370
|
|
114
|
Thu., 3/14/13 | 10:30 PM | Knicks | Blazers | TNT |
1,355
|
|
115
|
Sun., 2/10/13 | 8:00 PM | Spurs | Nets | ESPN |
1,344
|
|
116
|
Wed., 11/07/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Clippers | ESPN |
1,336
|
|
117
|
Mon., 1/21/13 | 7:00 PM | Spurs | Sixers | TNT |
1,335
|
|
118
|
Fri., 2/22/13 | 8:00 PM | T’Wolves | Thunder | ESPN |
1,324
|
|
119
|
Thu., 12/13/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Blazers | TNT |
1,322
|
|
120
|
Thu., 2/07/13 | 10:30 PM | Bulls | Nuggets | TNT |
1,320
|
|
121
|
Fri., 12/14/12 | 10:30 PM | Grizzlies | Nuggets | ESPN |
1,287
|
|
122
|
Thu., 2/28/13 | 8:00 PM | Sixers | Bulls | TNT |
1,280
|
|
123
|
Wed., 4/10/13 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Nuggets | ESPN |
1,272
|
|
124
|
Fri., 4/05/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Bobcats | ESPN |
1,254
|
|
125
|
Wed., 12/19/12 | 9:30 PM | Bucks | Grizzlies | ESPN |
1,223
|
|
126
|
Thu., 1/31/13 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Warriors | TNT |
1,220
|
|
127
|
Thu., 11/29/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Warriors | TNT |
1,208
|
|
128
|
Wed., 4/10/13 | 8:00 PM | Nets | Celtics | ESPN |
1,194
|
|
129
|
Thu., 12/06/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Suns | TNT |
1,189
|
|
130
|
Wed., 2/20/13 | 8:00 PM | Hornets | Cavs | ESPN |
1,183
|
|
131
|
Fri., 4/05/13 | 10:30 PM | Rockets | Blazers | ESPN |
1,152
|
|
132
|
Fri., 1/25/13 | 8:00 PM | Spurs | Mavs | ESPN |
1,117
|
|
133
|
Fri., 11/16/12 | 7:00 PM | Jazz | Sixers | ESPN |
1,101
|
|
134
|
Wed., 2/06/13 | 9:00 PM | Spurs | T’Wolves | ESPN |
1,092
|
|
135
|
Wed., 11/07/12 | 8:00 PM | Sixers | Hornets | ESPN |
1,065
|
|
136
|
Wed., 12/05/12 | 8:00 PM | Nuggets | Hawks | ESPN |
1,060
|
|
137
|
Thu., 4/04/13 | 7:00 PM | Bulls | Nets | TNT |
1,056
|
|
138
|
Fri., 11/09/12 | 10:30 PM | Jazz | Nuggets | ESPN |
1,050
|
|
139
|
Wed., 4/03/13 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Hawks | ESPN |
997
|
|
140
|
Wed., 3/20/13 | 8:00 PM | Nets | Mavs | ESPN |
983
|
|
141
|
Tue., 4/16/13 | 10:30 PM | Blazers | Clippers | TNT |
872
|
|
142
|
Mon., 1/21/13 | 1:00 PM | Pacers | Grizzlies | ESPN |
781
|
|
143
|
Tue., 4/16/13 | 8:00 PM | Raptors | Hawks | TNT |
774
|
|
144
|
Sat., 4/06/13 | 7:30 PM | Sixers | Heat | ESPN |
638
|
(Numbers from various sources, including ESPN, The Futon Critic, and Son of the Bronx)
