After a middling start, the NBA Finals returned to the strong levels of previous years on Thursday night.
Game 4 of the Heat/Spurs NBA Finals drew a 12.0 overnight rating on ABC Thursday night, down 3% from Thunder/Heat Game 4 last year (12.4), but up 8% from Heat/Mavericks Game 4 in 2011 (11.1).
The 12.0 overnight is the third-highest for a Game 4 in the NBA Finals since ABC reacquired rights in the 2002-03 season, behind only last year and Lakers/Pistons Game 4 in 2004 (14.4).
The 12.0 also ranks as the highest overnight for a Game 4 to involve the Spurs since 1999 (12.5), and the second-highest overnight for any Spurs game in the NBA Finals since ’99.
Prior to Game 4, no other game in the Heat/Spurs series had drawn more than a 10.6 overnight.
Locally, Game 4 drew a series-high 34.2 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale — down 1% from Thunder/Heat last year (34.6), and even with Heat/Mavericks in 2011.
Game 4 also earned a series-high 43.7 in San Antonio, still down 9% from the Spurs/Cavaliers in 2007 (48.1). The first four games of Spurs/Heat trailed each corresponding game of Spurs/Cavaliers in the market.
Overnight Ratings For Game 4 of the NBA Finals
Involving the Spurs
(Tuesday’s overnight from ESPN Media Zone)
