After a series-low for Game 3, overnight ratings for Game 4 of the NBA Finals hit a series-high on ABC.
Game 4 of the Thunder/Heat NBA Finals drew a 12.4 overnight rating on ABC Tuesday night, up 12% from Heat/Mavericks Game 4 last year (11.1), and up 7% from Lakers/Celtics Game 4 on a Thursday night in 2010 (11.6).
The 12.4 overnight is the highest for Game 4 of the NBA Finals since Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (14.4), and the second-highest since Lakers/Sixers in 2001 (14.7).
Overall, the 12.4 is the tenth-highest overnight for an NBA Finals game on ABC since the network resumed airing games in the 2002-03 season, and the fifth-highest when series-clinching games are excluded.
Since the current Thursday-Sunday-Tuesday scheduling format began in 2004, final ratings for Game 4 of the NBA Finals have declined between 12% and 17% from the overnight — putting Tuesday’s game on pace to finish in the 10.3-10.9 range.
Game 4 drew a 49.1 rating in Oklahoma City, up 17% from Game 3 (41.9), and a series-high. In Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, the game drew a 34.6 rating — up 17% from Game 3 (29.6), and up 1% from last year (34.2).
10 Highest Overnights For the NBA Finals on ABC
Since the network resumed airing games in the 2002-03 season
(Tuesday’s numbers from ESPN Media Zone)
