The NBA Playoffs were a hit on cable — out West, that is. Two of three Western Conference games saw year-to-date increases, and all three Western Conference games drew cable ratings of at least 2.0, led by Warriors/Mavericks Game 1, which drew a 2.6 rating on TNT.
No Eastern Conference game drew a rating of 2.0 or higher, and two of the three games saw massive declines from last year. Cavaliers/Wizards drew a paltry 1.6 in the 12:30 timeslot Sunday, down 24% from a Nets/Pacers game in a similar timeslot last year. Meanwhile, Magic/Pistons drew a 1.6 in the 7:00 PM timeslot on Saturday, down 36% from a 2.5 for Bulls/Heat last year. That Bulls/Heat game aired an hour later, and was part of ESPN Full Circle coverage.
