The final game of the Heat/Pacers series earned near-record numbers on TNT.
Game 7 of the Pacers/Heat NBA Eastern Conference Finals drew an 8.6 overnight rating on TNT Monday night, down 6% from Celtics/Heat Game 7 on ESPN last year, which aired on a Saturday night.
The 8.6 overnight is the second-highest ever for an NBA game on cable television, trailing only last year’s Game 7. The 8.6 is also the second-highest for any NBA game (excluding the NBA Finals) since the current television arrangement began in the 2002-03 season.
Again excluding the NBA Finals, ten of the 11 highest rated NBA playoff overnights in the current TV deal have been for games involving the Miami Heat.
Game 6 of the series drew a 6.2 overnight on Saturday, down 13% from Thunder/Spurs Game 6 last year (7.1). Compared to Game 6 of Heat/Celtics on ESPN last year (8.2), the 6.2 overnight declined by 24%.
Including Game 7, every single game of the Heat/Pacers series had a lower overnight than the comparable game of Heat/Celtics last year.
Highest Overnight Ratings For the NBA Playoffs (Excluding the NBA Finals)
Since current television arrangement began in 2002-03 season
(This year’s overnights from Sports Business Daily [1], [2])
