With real stakes for the first time in quite some time, the latest chapter of the LeBron James-Stephen Curry rivalry delivered one of the stronger audiences of the season on cable.
Thursday’s Warriors-Lakers NBA regular season game averaged 2.5 million viewers across TNT and truTV, up 70% from Nuggets-Clippers last year (1.5M) and the second-most watched NBA game on cable this season, excluding Opening Night. Including broadcast network ABC, which owns 16 of the top 20 audiences this season, it ranks 18th.
Golden State’s win easily outdrew the rivals’ previous matchup on cable this season, which took place on the night of the trade deadline and averaged 1.84 million (also on TNT). Again excluding Opening Night, it was the most-watched TNT meeting of LeBron James and Stephen Curry since 2019.
For the night, it was the most-watched program on all of television among adults under 50.
The Lakers and Warriors are currently slated to meet in the first round of the playoffs, though it is more likely than not that the standings will change substantially in the remaining days of the regular season. At the start of the season, neither team was considered a contender and the meetings of James and Curry took on an air of appreciation rather than meaningful competition. Following blockbuster midseason deals for Luka Doncic and Jimmy Butler respectively, both teams are now believed to have realistic championship aspiriations.
Earlier in the night, Grizzlies-Heat averaged 1.01 million — down 7% from Kings-Knicks a year ago (1.1M).
For more NBA viewership from this past week and beyond, see the SMW Sports Ratings Tracker.
