With several close games and upsets, the 2014 NBA playoffs has been a strong draw despite the absence of big market teams.
Six of nine NBA playoff games on cable had increases in overnight ratings over the weekend. The top draw was Game 4 of the Rockets/Blazers series Sunday night, which earned a 3.4 overnight on TNT — up 26% from Nuggets/Warriors last year (2.7), and even with Lakers/Nuggets in 2012 (3.4).
Thunder/Grizzlies Game 4 ranked second for the weekend with a 3.3 overnight on ESPN Saturday night, up 33% from Thunder/Rockets last year (2.5) and up 74% from Spurs/Jazz in 2012 (1.9). Friday’s Rockets/Blazers Game 3 ranked third with a 2.9, also on ESPN — up 21% from Spurs/Lakers last year (2.4) and up 12% from Lakers/Nuggets in 2012 (2.6).
Tying for fourth place were Raptors/Nets Game 4 on Sunday and Spurs/Mavericks Game 3 on Saturday, both of which earned a 2.8 overnight on TNT. Raptors/Nets was down a tick from Spurs/Lakers last year (2.9) and up a tick from Hawks/Celtics in 2012 (2.7). Spurs/Mavericks increased 17% over Clippers/Grizzlies last year (2.4) and 27% over Grizzlies/Clippers in 2012 (2.2).
Eastern Conference games brought up the rear. Saturday’s Pacers/Hawks Game 4 had a 2.3 overnight on TNT, up a tick from Bulls/Nets last year (2.2) and up 44% from Pacers/Magic on ESPN in 2012 (1.6). Later in the night, ESPN’s Heat/Bobcats Game 3 also earned a 2.3 — up 67% from Pacers/Hawks last year (1.5), but down a tick from Thunder/Mavericks on TNT in 2012 (2.4).
Friday’s Bulls/Wizards Game 3 earned a 2.2 overnight on ESPN, down 12% from Knicks/Celtics last year (2.5) and up 10% from Hawks/Celtics in 2012 (2.0). The game aired opposite Raptors/Nets Game 3 on ESPN2, which earned a 1.2 overnight — down a tick from Nuggets/Warriors in a later window last year (1.3).
(Overnights from ESPN, Turner Sports, ShowBuzz Daily)
