As was the case during the regular season, the Cavaliers continue to be the exception to the NBA Playoffs’ downward trend.
Game 1 of the Bulls/Cavaliers NBA playoff series drew 4.6 million viewers on TNT Monday, up 26% from Wizards/Pacers last year (3.7M) but down 17% from Bulls/Heat in 2013, the last time LeBron James faced Chicago in the playoffs (5.5M). All five games of the 2013 Heat/Bulls series, which did not feature Derrick Rose, earned a larger audience than Monday’s opener.
Viewership has now increased for four of the Cavaliers’ five playoff games this year, bucking the overall trend. Of the 38 non-Cavaliers games this postseason (not including Sunday’s ABC doubleheader), just three have had increases.
Later in the night, Game 1 of Clippers/Rockets earned 4.7 million viewers — topping Bulls/Cavaliers, but down 14% from Clippers/Thunder last year (5.4M) and 15% from Warriors/Spurs in 2013 (5.5M).
(Mon. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
