Thunder/Warriors Top West Final Opener Since 2002

A stronger than usual conference final matchup opened with strong numbers on TNT.

Game 1 of the Thunder/Warriors NBA Western Conference Finals had a 5.3 rating and 8.7 million viewers on TNT Monday night, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 20% in ratings and 27% in viewership from Cavaliers/Hawks last year (4.4, 6.8M) and up a third and 37%, respectively, from Thunder/Spurs in 2014 (4.0, 6.4M).

Compared to Game 1 of last year’s Rockets/Warriors WCF, which aired on ESPN, ratings increased 20% and viewership 27% from a 4.4 and 6.8 million.

Oklahoma City’s win, which peaked at a 6.4 and 10.6 million from 11:15-11:30 PM ET, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals since Lakers/Kings on NBC in 2002 (6.3, 9.2M). The previous highs were a 5.0 and 8.1 million for Nuggets/Lakers in 2009.

Regardless of conference, Monday’s game delivered the third-largest audience for a conference final opener since 2002 — behind only Celtics/Heat on ESPN in 2012 (9.0M) and Heat/Bulls on TNT in 2011 (11.1M). It also tied the third-highest rating over that span, matching Pacers/Heat in 2013 and behind Celtics/Heat (5.6) and Heat/Bulls (6.2).

Game 1 scored a 3.65 rating among adults 18-49, up from last year’s 2.8 for Cavaliers/Hawks and the top rating of the night on any network. NBC’s The Voice ranked a distant second with a 2.1.

Most-Watched NBA Conference Final Openers
Since NBC lost rights to the league in 2002

(Mon. numbers from Turner Sports, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)