The latest chapter in the Celtics/Lakers rivalry got off to the same start as their last meeting in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers’ Game 1 win over the Celtics drew a 10.4 overnight rating on ABC Thursday night, up 17% from Magic/Lakers Game 1 last year (8.9), even with Lakers/Celtics Game 1 in ’08 (10.4) and up 32% from Cavaliers/Spurs Game 1 in ’07 (7.9).
The 10.4 overnight is tied as the highest for Game 1 of the NBA Finals since Pistons/Lakers Game 1 in ’04, which drew an 11.6 on a Sunday night.
This is only the third time that ABC has drawn a double-digit overnight for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Thursday’s game drew an 25.2 rating in Los Angeles, up 21% from last year’s Game 1 (20.8), and up 11% from Game 1 in 2008 (22.8). In Boston, the game drew a 19.1, down 12% from Game 1 in ’08 (21.7).
Amazingly, the 19.1 rating in Boston is not even the highest rating of the season for an NBA game in the market; Magic/Celtics Game 4 drew a 19.2 on cable network ESPN.
Since 2000, final ratings for Game 1 of the NBA Finals have declined between 16% and 21% from the overnight — with the lone exception of last year, when the Game 1 final dropped only 12%.
With that in mind, Thursday’s final rating should finish in the 8.2-8.7 range. Last year’s Game 1 drew a 7.8 final rating; Game 1 in ’08 drew an 8.7.
(ESPN)
