The NBA Playoffs delivered as mixed a performance as possible on ABC Sunday.
Game 4 of the Warriors/Rockets NBA playoff series earned a 5.3 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, up 6% from Clippers/Spurs last year and from Clippers/Warriors in 2014 (5.0 both years). Overnights peaked at a 6.1 from 5:30-5:45 PM ET.
The 5.3 is tied as the highest for a first round NBA playoff game, on any network, in 12 years — since Lakers/Rockets Game 4 on ABC in 2004 (5.8). Over that span, only Heat/Knicks Game 4 in 2012 and Bulls/Celtics Game 7 on TNT in 2009 had as high a rating in the metered markets.
The Warriors’ dominating victory had a 20.7 rating in the Bay Area, a record for the first round in the market. It had a 10.9 in Houston, that market’s second-highest first round rating. ESPN/ABC’s records go back to 2003.
Earlier in the day, Spurs/Grizzlies Game 4 had a 2.7 overnight — down 36% from Cavaliers/Celtics last year (4.2), down 27% from Bulls/Wizards in 2014 (3.7), and tied as the second-lowest for a playoff game on ABC since it reacquired rights to the league.
The Spurs’ blowout ranks ahead of only Wizards/Hawks Game 1 last year (2.6) and tied four other games — Bucks/Hawks Game 7 in 2010, Pistons/Cavaliers Game 1 in 2009, Wizards/Cavaliers Game 1 in 2006 and Sixers/Pistons Game 1 in 2005.
(Wknd. numbers via ESPN Media Zone, ESPN)
