In a year when the Lakers have been the NBA’s biggest draw, LeBron James‘ absence is taking a toll.
Lakers-Rockets scored a 2.1 rating and 3.39 million viewers in the season premiere of ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime, down 19% in ratings and 24% in viewership from last year (Warriors-Rockets: 2.6, 4.47M) and down 5% and 6% respectively from 2017 (Spurs-Cavaliers: 2.2, 3.60M).
Houston’s overtime win ranks tenth out of the 26 total NBA Saturday Primetime games (dates back to 2016), though it was the lowest rated and least-watched of the four season openers.
Despite the declines, Saturday’s game ranks as the fifth-most watched game of the season, and the second-most watched with Christmas excluded. Five of the top seven games this season have involved the Lakers, who as of Wednesday were in the lottery.
Earlier Saturday, Thunder-Sixers had a 1.4 (-20%) and 2.06 million (-26%). This year’s game was a thriller; last year’s comparable Thunder-Cavaliers game was a 24-point rout.
Shifting to Martin Luther King Day, Warriors-Lakers scored a 1.5 and 2.47 million viewers on TNT — up 25% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (Rockets-Clippers: 1.2, 1.94M) and up 36% and 44% respectively from 2017 (Thunder-Clippers: 1.1, 1.58M).
Monday’s game was the least-watched matchup between Golden State and a LeBron James team since January 2015 (1.77M). Not coincidentally, that was the last time James missed the head-to-head due to injury. Compared to Warriors-Cavaliers on MLK Day last year, viewership fell 47% from 4.68 million. That game aired in an earlier timeslot and included James.
In other holiday action, Rockets-Sixers had 1.2 (-57%) and 1.92 million (-59%), and Pelicans-Grizzlies scored a 0.43 (-36%) and 665,000 (-36%). The latter game ranks as the least-watched of the season on ESPN, TNT or ABC.
On a more positive note, last Friday’s Warriors-Clippers game scored a 1.3 and 2.04 million on ESPN — up 86% in ratings and 96% in viewership from last year (Knicks-Jazz: 0.7, 1.05M) and up 44% and 50% respectively from 2017 (Pacers-Lakers: 0.9, 1.36M).
Spurs-T’Wolves had a 0.9 (+13%) and 1.34 million (+15%) earlier in the night.
Top 2018-19 NBA Games Thus Far
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 1.23 a b; ShowBuzz Daily 1.23 a, b]
