The national love affair with the Golden State Warriors could not keep viewers tuned to a 33-point blowout.
Game 2 of the Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals earned an 11.8 overnight rating on ABC Sunday night, down 9% from the same matchup last year (12.9) but up 16% from Heat/Spurs in 2014 (10.2). The 11.8 tied the third-highest overnight for a Game 2 of the NBA Finals since ABC acquired rights, matching Heat/Thunder in 2012 and behind only last year and Pistons/Lakers in 2004 (12.3).
The Warriors’ blowout win peaked early at a 13.2 from 9-9:15 PM ET and again from 10-10:15 PM. Last year’s Game 2, which went to overtime, peaked at a 16.9.
While strong historically, Game 2 marked the first time in eight Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals games that overnights declined from the previous year. Each of the previous seven hit a multi-year high. The 11.8 is the lowest of the eight games, with none of the other seven falling below 12.9.
Sunday’s game slipped 10% from Thursday’s series opener (13.1), the largest drop from Game 1 to Game 2 of an NBA Finals since Cavaliers/Spurs in 2007 (7.9 to 6.9, -13%). That was another lopsided series.
Locally, Game 2 had a 32.1 in both Cleveland and the Bay Area — down 24% in the former but up 1% in the latter from last year (42.1 and 31.7, respectively). Sacramento ranked third (17.6). Miami-Ft. Lauderdale was again the top neutral market with a 15.9, with Atlanta rounding out the top five (15.6).
(Sun. numbers from ESPN)
