TNT’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs had a double-digit decline viewership on Tuesday night.
Game 5 of the Grizzlies/Clippers first round NBA playoff series drew 3.1 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, down 25% from Nuggets/Lakers Game 5 last year (4.2M), and down 46% from Hornets/Lakers in 2011 (5.8M). Last year, Game 5 between the same teams earned 4.0 million on a Wednesday night, albeit with a stronger lead-in.
Earlier in the night, Warriors/Nuggets Game 5 scored just under 3.0 million — down 20% from Celtics/Hawks Game 5 last year (3.7M), and down 27% from Pacers/Bulls Game 5 in 2011 (4.1M).
Of the 26 NBA playoff games that can be compared to last year, half have had declines in viewership.
TNT avoided declines on Monday night, as Game 4 of the Thunder/Rockets series drew 3.8 million viewers — up 15% from Grizzlies/Clippers Game 4 last year (3.3M), and up 7% from Thunder/Nuggets Game 4 in 2011 (3.5M).
Thunder/Rockets earned the fourth-largest audience of the playoffs on cable.
Bulls/Nets Game 5 earlier in the night scored 2.6 million, up 4% from Spurs/Jazz Game 4 last year (2.5M), but down 22% from Spurs/Grizzlies Game 4 in 2011 (3.4M).
(Numbers from The Futon Critic, TV By the Numbers)
