For the second time in a week, the Thunder and Warriors delivered strong numbers.
Thursday’s Thunder/Warriors NBA regular season game delivered a 2.3 final rating and 3.6 million viewers on TNT, up 109% in ratings and 139% in viewership from Mavericks/Blazers last year (1.1, 1.5M) and up 92% and 112%, respectively, from Clippers/Lakers in 2014 (1.2, 1.7M).
The Warriors’ win scored the fourth-largest audience of the season outside of Christmas Day, and the second-largest on cable — behind only Warriors/Cavaliers on TNT in January (3.62M to 3.61M). Regardless of day or network, the game ranks seventh for the season.
The strong performance came five days after the same matchup earned a 3.2 and 5.3 million viewers on ABC, ranking third for the season (and first with Christmas games excluded).
Golden State has now played in five of the nine most-watched games this season, with two coming against the Thunder in the past week. A third meeting between the teams ranks 12th for the season. Of the season’s top 12 games, all-but-two have involved either the Warriors or Cavaliers — Bulls/Thunder and Rockets/Spurs on Christmas.
Locally, the game drew a 15.3 rating in the Bay Area and a 9.7 in Oklahoma City. The teams’ previous meeting had a 14.9 in the former and a 14.6 in the latter.
In other action Thursday night, Spurs/Pelicans scored a 1.1 and 1.6 million — down 21% in ratings and 22% in viewership from Thunder/Bulls last year (1.4, 2.1M) and down 35% and 39%, respectively, from Heat/Spurs in ’14 (1.7, 2.6M).
(Thu. numbers via Programming Insider, Twitter)
