Thursday’s NBA playoff doubleheader produced mixed results for TNT.
Game 6 of the Nuggets/Lakers first round NBA playoff series drew 4.339 million viewers on TNT Thursday night, up 28% from Mavericks/Trail Blazers Game 6 last year (3.400M), and up 39% from Suns/Trail Blazers Game 6 in 2010 (3.115M).
The 28% increase is the third-largest of the playoffs for a game on ESPN/ABC or TNT. Only Knicks/Heat Game 2 (+29%) and Mavericks/Thunder Game 3 (+41%) had larger increases.
So far this postseason, only 10 of 35 telecasts on ESPN/ABC and TNT have had increases compared to last year.
Earlier Thursday night, Game 6 between the Hawks and Celtics drew 3.627 million viewers — down 6% from Lakers/Hornets Game 6 last year (3.871M), but up 1% from Mavericks/Spurs Game 6 in 2010 (3.590M).
Keep in mind that last year’s comparable games aired opposite first round coverage of the NFL Draft on ESPN.
(Thursday’s numbers from TV By the Numbers)
