Arguably the lowest key and most lopsided first round series was the weekend’s top NBA Playoffs draw on cable.
Game 1 of the Grizzlies/Spurs NBA playoff series earned a 2.9 overnight rating on TNT, according to Sports Business Daily, up 12% from Blazers/Grizzlies last year (2.6) and even with Wizards/Bulls in 2014. The Spurs’ sleepy rout was the top playoff opener on cable, and the only one of the six games on TNT and ESPN to post an increase.
Later in the night, Blazers/Clippers had a 2.2 overnight — down 21% from Spurs/Clippers last year (2.8) and down 29% from Blazers/Rockets in 2014 (3.1). Hornets/Heat had a 2.4 in the late afternoon window, down 8% from both Nets/Hawks last year and Mavericks/Spurs in 2014 (2.6 for both).
Shifting to Saturday, Mavericks/Thunder scored a 2.2 overnight on ESPN — down 21% from Mavericks/Rockets last year (2.8) and down 19% from Grizzlies/Thunder in 2014 (2.7). Celtics/Hawks also had a 2.2, down a tick from last year’s Bulls/Bucks (2.3) and down 8% from Hawks/Pacers in ’14 (2.4).
Pacers/Raptors opened the day with a 1.6, even with Wizards/Raptors last year and down 16% from Nets/Raptors in 2014 (1.9).
(ESPN numbers from ESPN; Turner numbers via Sports Business Daily)
