TNT earned strong numbers for its annual Martin Luther King Day NBA coverage, as both Magic/Celtics and Thunder/Lakers were up double-digits from last year.
The Celtics’ thrilling win over the Magic earned a 1.7 U.S. rating and 2.618 million viewers on TNT Monday night, up 55% in ratings and 58% in viewership from last year (DAL/BOS: 1.1, 1.659 mil), and up 42% and 37%, respectively, from 2009 (PHX/BOS: 1.2, 1.910 mil).
In the nightcap, the Lakers’ win over the Thunder earned a 1.6 and 2.430 million viewers, up 23% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year (ORL/LAL: 1.3, 2.074 mil), but down 30% and 34%, respectively, from ’09 (CLE/LAL: 2.3, 3.654 mil).
Keep in mind last year’s comparable telecast was an NBA Finals rematch between the Magic and Lakers, while the game two years ago featured Kobe Bryant against LeBron James.
This was the first time since the 2006-07 season that TNT did not air a Martin Luther King Day tripleheader.
