The dramatic postseason run of LeBron James‘ Cavaliers has been a boon for NBA playoff TV ratings.
Tuesday’s Cavaliers-Raptors NBA Playoffs Game 1 delivered a 3.5 rating and 5.59 million viewers on TNT, up 17% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (Wizards-Celtics Game 2: 3.0, 4.8M) and up 40% and 49% respectively from 2016 (Heat-Raptors Game 1: 2.5, 3.8M).
Compared to Game 1 of the same series last year, which took place on a Monday night, viewership increased 56% from 3.6 million.
Cleveland’s overtime win was the most-watched Eastern Conference semifinal opener since 2013 (Pacers-Knicks: 6.0M).
Later in the night, Pelicans-Warriors Game 2 had 5.65 million viewers — up 15% from last year (Jazz-Warriors Game 1: 4.9M) and up 8% from 2016 (Blazers-Warriors Game 2: 5.2M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Game 1 of the series had a 2.7 and 4.6 million on Saturday night; there was no comparable window last year.
In other action, Game 1 of Sixers-Celtics scored a 3.0 and 4.7 million on TNT Monday night — up 31% in viewership from last year (Raptors-Cavs: 3.6M) and up 30% and 29% respectively from 2016 (Hawks-Cavs: 2.3, 3.6M).
The most-watched game of the semis thus far was Jazz-Rockets Game 1 on ABC Sunday afternoon. That game, which aired directly after Pacers-Cavs Game 7, had a 3.6 rating and 5.8 million viewers — down a tick in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (Jazz-Clippers Game 7: 3.7, 5.8M) and down 12% and 13% respectively from 2016 (Blazers-Warriors Game 1: 4.1, 6.7M).
On Tuesday, Pelicans-Warriors and Cavs-Raptors ranked second and third among all television programs in adults 18-49 (2.2; 2.1). ABC’s reanimated “Roseanne” took top honors (2.6). The NBA games comfortably topped the charts in adults 18-34 (2.0; 1.9), cruising past “Roseanne” (1.4).
Sixers-Celtics was Monday’s TV’s top program in adults 18-49 (1.8) and adults 18-34 (1.7). Pelicans-Warriors topped the charts in both demos on Saturday night with a 1.7 in 18-49 and a 1.5 in 18-34. As previously noted, Pacers-Cavs Game 7 was Sunday’s top TV program in adults 18-49 (18-34 figures were not available).
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily, Programming Insider]
