The second round of the NBA Playoffs has thus far been largely unable to sustain last year’s pace, with one exception.
Sunday’s Nuggets-Timberwolves second round NBA playoff Game 4 averaged a 2.8 rating and 5.61 million viewers on TNT, up 13% in ratings and 19% in viewership from Nuggets-Suns last year (2.5, 4.72M) and the most-watched game of the second round thus far.
Denver’s series-tying win delivered the third-largest audience of the NBA season, trailing only Games 1 and 4 of their first round series against the Lakers, which aired in primetime on ABC.
Nuggets-Timberwolves has been the exception in a run of declines for the second round of the playoffs. All four games have posted an increase in viewership over last year’s comparable window — Nuggets-Suns in every instance — while only two of the other nine second round games have increased.
Earlier in the day, the Pacers’ Game 4 rout of the Knicks averaged a 2.5 and 5.03 million on ABC — down 7% in ratings and 1% in viewership from Celtics-Sixers on ESPN last year (2.7, 5.10M). It was preceded by the NBA Draft Lottery at a 1.2 and 2.01 million, down sharply from last year, when the event aired in primetime on ESPN and Victor Wembanyama was the top prospect (3.24M).
On Saturday, ABC drew a 3.0 and 5.60 million for Celtics-Cavaliers Game 3 — down 29% in ratings and a third in viewership from last year’s higher-profile Warriors-Lakers matchup (4.2, 8.37M), but still the fourth-largest audience of the NBA season. ABC also drew a 2.0 (-4%) and 3.87 million (-1%) for Thunder-Mavericks Game 3 earlier in the day.
Though mostly down, the NBA games were still the four most-watched sporting events of the weekend.
NBA playoff games were averaging a 1.9 rating and 3.50 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT/truTV and NBA TV through Sunday, down 9% and 10% respectively from the same point last year (2.1, 3.90M).
