NBA playoff ratings are trending back up as the first round winds down.
Tuesday’s Spurs-Warriors NBA Playoffs Game 5 earned a 2.5 rating and 3.77 million viewers on TNT, up 19% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year (Jazz-Clippers: 2.1, 3.2M). There was no comparable late night game in 2016.
Compared to Warriors’ last first round Game 5 — against Houston two years ago — ratings increased a tick and viewership 3% from 3.66 million. It was the first game in the series to outperform Golden State’s corresponding matchup last year or in 2016.
Earlier in the night, Heat-Sixers Game 5 had a 2.4 and 3.6 million — down 11% in ratings and 13% in viewership from last year (Thunder-Rockets: 2.7, 4.1M) but up 26% and 21% respectively from 2016 (Celtics-Hawks: 1.9, 3.0M).
Three of the five Sixers-Heat games declined from last year, with the caveat that those year-ago windows featured particularly high-profile teams — the Cavaliers, Thunder and Rockets.
TNT’s national figures do not include viewership on local RSNs. The Sixers’ series-clinching win had an 8.2 rating on NBC Sports Philadelphia, the team’s highest on the network since 2002.
In other action, Bucks-Celtics Game 5 drew a 0.44 rating (+52%) and 677,000 viewers (+44%) on NBA TV. It was the network’s most-watched playoff game since 2014 (Pacers-Hawks Game 6: 1.1M).
Shifting to Monday, Thunder-Jazz Game 4 drew a 2.5 and 3.9 million on TNT — up a tick in ratings but down 1% in viewership from last year (Warriors-Blazers: 2.4, 3.9M) but up 32% and 30% respectively from 2016 (Clippers-Blazers: 1.9, 3.0M).
Rockets-Timberwolves Game 4 had a 2.2 and 3.5 million in the early window (both +16%).
On Tuesday, Spurs-Warriors tied as the night’s highest rated program in adults 18-49 (1.6) and led the way in adults 18-34 (1.5). On Monday, Thunder-Jazz took top honors in both demos (1.6 in each).
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 4.25 a, b; ShowBuzz Daily 4.24, 4.25]
