The only seventh game of the second round scored strong numbers on ABC.
Game 7 of the Clippers/Rockets NBA playoff series drew a 5.8 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, even with Heat/Pacers Game 1 last year (5.8) and up 49% from Grizzlies/Spurs Game 1 in 2013 (3.9). Compared to the last second round Game 7 on ABC, the overnight increased 6% over Sixers/Celtics on a Saturday night in 2012 (5.5).
The 5.8 is the highest overnight of the playoffs on ABC, topping the previous high of 5.5 for Game 4 of Cavaliers/Bulls the previous week. Overall, it is the highest for a first or second round playoff game on the network since Heat/Pacers Game 4 in 2012 (5.9).
Excluding the NBA Finals, it also ranks as the highest Game 7 overnight on ABC since Cavaliers/Celtics in 2008 (6.9), and the network’s fourth-highest such overnight since acquiring rights to the league in the 2002-03 season (13 telecasts). Only Cavaliers/Celtics, Cavaliers/Pistons in 2006 (6.7) and Blazers/Mavericks in 2003 (6.1) earned a higher overnight.
The Rockets’ win had a 25.1 rating in Houston, the market’s highest for a playoff game since ESPN/ABC acquired NBA rights. The game also had a 9.5 rating in Los Angeles.
For the weekend, Clippers/Rockets tied horse racing’s Preakness Stakes as the highest rated sporting event in the metered markets.
(Sun. numbers from ESPN Media Zone)
