The Sacramento Kings’ first playoff game in 16 years highlighted the most-watched opening weekend of the postseason since 2011.
The opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs averaged 4.15 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT, up 3% from last year and the highest since 2011. (As with all multi-year highs, keep in mind that out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen’s final nationals until three years ago.)
Saturday’s Warriors-Kings Game 1 led the way with a 3.2 rating and 6.26 million viewers on ABC, up 32% in ratings and 38% in viewership from Nuggets-Warriors last year (2.4, 4.52M) and the most-watched game on the opening Saturday of the playoffs since Hornets-Knicks Game 2 on NBC in 1997 (6.77M).
The Kings’ win, which peaked with 7.56 million from 11-11:15 PM ET, trails only Nets-Celtics on Easter Sunday last year (6.90M) and Blazers-Warriors in 2017 (6.52M) as the most-watched opening weekend playoff game — regardless of day — in the past 20 years. It also delivered the largest audience of the NBA season, topping the previous mark of 6.08 million for Bucks-Celtics on ESPN and ABC Christmas Day.
Ranking second for the weekend, Lakers-Grizzlies averaged a 2.95 and 5.54 million on ABC Sunday afternoon — down 4% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Nets-Celtics last year (3.1, 6.90M). Much of the decline (though not all, given the dip in household rating) can be explained by last year’s game airing on Easter, now a high-viewing holiday in the out-of-home era.
The Lakers’ win, which peaked with 7.49 million from 5:15-5:30 PM, ranks third for the season behind Warriors-Kings on Saturday and Bucks-Celtics on Christmas.
Placing third for the weekend, Clippers-Suns scored a 2.7 and 5.04 million on TNT Sunday night — up a third in ratings and a quarter in viewership from Pelicans-Suns on Easter last year (2.0, 4.02M) and the most-watched opening weekend playoff game on cable since 2017 (Bulls-Celtics: 5.14M; Thunder-Rockets: 5.16M).
Notably, Clippers-Suns was the weekend’s top show on all of television in adults 18-49 (1.9) and 18-34 (1.8), topping both ABC games. (Warriors-Kings took the top spot in 25-54). The eight opening weekend playoff games were the highest rated shows of the weekend in 18-49 and 18-34 and took seven of the top eight spots in 25-54 (ABC’s “American Idol” snuck into eighth ahead of Nets-Sixers).
Overall, TNT aired its most-watched opening weekend tripleheader (3.9M, +3%) since 2017. The network drew a 2.2 and 4.08 million for Heat-Bucks earlier in the day, down 3% in ratings and 14% in viewership from Bulls-Bucks last year (2.2, 4.77M). The Timberwolves-Nuggets nightcap chipped in a 1.5 and 2.62 million, on par with Hawks-Heat in an early afternoon window last year (1.3, 2.67M).
Returning to Saturday’s games, ESPN topped out at a 2.0 and 3.91 million for Knicks-Cavaliers — up 5% in ratings and 9% in viewership from Raptors-Sixers last year (1.9, 3.60M) and its most-watched opening weekend playoff game since 2018 (Heat-Sixers: 4.02M).
The network also drew a 1.6 and 2.93 million for Hawks-Celtics, down 17% and 13% respectively from Timberwolves-Grizzlies a year ago (1.9, 3.36M). Nets-Sixers opened the day with a 1.35 and 2.43 million across ESPN and ESPN2, up 1% and 4% respectively from Jazz-Mavericks last year (1.3, 2.34M).
ESPN/ABC averaged 4.28 million for their five games, also the highest since 2011.
(Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 4.18)
