The Cavaliers’ utter destruction of the Celtics did not help ABC in the ratings on Sunday.
ABC’s last NBA doubleheader of the season averaged a 2.2 overnight rating on Sunday afternoon, down 4% from a 2.3 for last year’s comparable games. Celtics/Cavaliers, a marquee matchup that turned into a 31-point blowout, drew a 2.5 overnight, down 11% from a 2.8 for Spurs/Lakers in ’08.
Despite the decline, the 2.5 overnight is the best for an NBA game on ABC since March 1.
The early game between the Mavericks and Hornets drew a 1.9 overnight, up 6% from a 1.8 for Raptors/Pistons last year.
Overall, after very strong ratings to start the season, ABC has drawn mediocre numbers in the past six weeks. One possible reason? The Lakers made only one appearance on the network after March 1.
