The Lakers/Celtics NBA Finals delivered another strong overnight rating on Sunday night.
Sunday’s Lakers/Celtics Game 5 drew a 12.8 overnight rating on ABC, up 36% from the series-clinching Lakers/Magic Game 5 last year (9.4), up 6% from Celtics/Lakers Game 5 in 2008 (12.1) and up 26% from Mavericks/Heat Game 5 in 2006 (10.2).
Overnight ratings peaked at a 16.5 from 10:30-10:45 PM ET.
This is the highest overnight for Game 5 of the NBA Finals since Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (15.4), and the highest for a non-clinching Game 5 since 1998 (six games).
Overall, the 12.8 is tied as the 12th highest overnight rating for any NBA Finals game since 1998 (64 games) — and the 8th-highest when series clinching games are excluded.
Additionally, the 12.8 is tied as the fourth-highest overnight for an NBA game on ABC since the network acquired the rights in 2002, surpassed by only Games 4 and 5 of Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (14.4 and 15.4, respectively) and Game 7 of Pistons/Spurs in 2005 (13.9).
Every single game of the NBA Finals has hit a six-year high in overnight ratings, with the exception of Game 1 — which tied a six-year high. Overnight ratings have increased from game to game.
Once again, the NBA Finals was the top program of the night in primetime, helping ABC win the night.
Since Game 5 of the NBA Finals moved to a Sunday night in 2005, final ratings have declined between 12% and 17% from the overnight, putting Sunday’s game on pace to finish in the 10.6-11.3 range.
10 Highest Overnights For NBA on ABC Since The Network Acquired The Rights in ’02
(ESPN)
