Entering the conference finals, NBA playoff viewership is at the highest level in nearly a decade.
The first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs averaged 3.71 million viewers across TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV, the highest average at this point of the playoffs since 2014. Viewership is up 14% from last year (3.26M), 53% from the months-delayed “bubble” two years ago (2.43M) and 4% from 2019, the previous postseason to begin as normal in the month of April (3.55M).
Excluding games on NBA TV, the postseason is averaging 4.08 million — up 15% from last year (3.56M), up 62% from two years ago (2.53M) and up 7% from ’19 (3.80M). It should be noted that out-of-home viewing was not included in 2019 (or prior years).
This year’s postseason has included the two most-watched early round playoff games in a decade. Sunday’s Bucks-Celtics Game 7 on ABC averaged a 4.0 rating and 7.48 million viewers, trailing only Warriors-Grizzlies Game 1 two weeks earlier (4.1, 7.71M) as the most-watched first or second round NBA playoff game since 2012 (Lakers-Thunder Game 5: 8.15M). Boston’s blowout win, which peaked with 9.56 million viewers, increased 9% in ratings and 18% in viewership from the previous semifinal Game 7 on ABC (2019 Blazers-Nuggets: 3.7, 6.34M).
The Celtics have now played in two of the three most-watched games this postseason, their first round opener against Brooklyn ranking third (3.1, 6.90M).
Later Sunday, the Mavericks’ stunning Game 7 rout of the Suns averaged a 3.2 and 6.29 million on TNT, edging out Grizzlies-Warriors Game 6 on ESPN the previous night (6.28M) as the most-watched game of the playoffs on cable. Even with Dallas leading by as many as 46 points, Mavericks-Suns drew the same rating as last year’s comparable Hawks-Sixers Game 7 on TNT and only slightly fewer viewers (6.4M to 6.3M).
Sunday’s Game 7s were easily the two highest rated shows on television in the adults 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54 (Bucks-Celtics: 2.3, 1.9, 2.6; Mavericks-Suns: 2.2, 1.9, 2.4). The NBA has helped ABC, ESPN or TNT win the night in primetime in each of the key demographics on 25 of 26 nights this postseason.
Bucks-Celtics was also the day’s most-watched show overall, edging “60 Minutes” on CBS (7.44M). While non-Finals NBA playoff games regularly top all of television in the key demographics, it is considerably rarer for one to top the charts in viewership.
In other action, the aforementioned Grizzlies-Warriors Game 6 delivered ESPN’s largest first or second round playoff audience since Warriors-Rockets in the same window three years ago (4.4, 7.33M). Ratings and viewership jumped double-digits from last year’s Jazz-Clippers Game 6 (2.5, 4.66M*).
Golden State has played in four of the seven most-watched games this postseason, the only exceptions being Sunday’s Game 7s and Nets-Celtics Game 1. Overall, the Warriors or Celtics have played in 16 of the 20 most-watched games in this year’s playoffs.
Largest first or second round NBA playoff audiences, past decade
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 5.17, network and league PR]
