With the NBA champions almost certain to come out of the Western Conference, it should be no surprise that the East has lagged behind in the ratings.
Game 2 of the Hawks/Cavaliers NBA playoff series drew a 2.3 final rating and 3.5 million viewers on TNT Wednesday night, down 15% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Bulls/Cavaliers last year (2.7, 4.1M) and down 15% and 12%, respectively, from Wizards/Pacers in 2014 (2.7, 4.0M).
The next night, Heat/Raptors Game 2 also had a 2.3 and 3.5 million on ESPN — up 15% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Nets/Heat on ESPN2 in 2014, which aired opposite the NFL Draft (2.0, 3.0M). There was no game on the comparable night last year.
While three of the first four Western semifinal games have topped five million viewers, Thunder/Spurs Game 1 being the lone exception (3.6M), none of the corresponding Eastern Conference games has cracked the four million mark.
Overall, just two of the ten most-watched playoff games this year have involved an Eastern conference team — Games 1 and 4 of Cavaliers/Pistons in the first round.
