The NBA has started the new year on a good note thanks to some star-studded matchups.
Blazers/Warriors scored 2.2 million viewers on ESPN’s NBA Wednesday this week, up 48% from Grizzlies/Thunder last year (1.5M), up 101% from Suns/Timberwolves in 2015 (1.1M) and the most-watched game this season — excluding Christmas — since Warriors/Clippers on December 7 (2.4M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Earlier in the night, Bulls/Cavaliers had 2.1 million — up 69% from Knicks/Heat last year (1.2M) and up 46% from Rockets/Cavaliers sans-LeBron James in 2015 (1.4M).
Again excluding Christmas, the eight most-watched games this season have involved either Golden State or Cleveland.
Shifting to Thursday, TNT earned 1.8 million for Thunder/Rockets Thursday night — aka Russell Westbrook vs. James Harden — up 28% from Bulls/Celtics last year (1.4M) and up 25% from Rockets/Knicks in 2015 (1.4M). The Lakers/Trail Blazers nightcap scored 1.4 million, up 12% from Lakers/Kings last year (1.2M) but down 1% from Heat/Blazers in ’15 (1.39M to 1.38M).
