A noisy NBA season has been quieter in the ratings.
NBA regular season games have averaged approximately 1.87 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT entering the NBA All-Star break, down 8% from last year (2.02M), but up 3% from 2016-17 (1.82M).
A commonly-cited reason for this year’s declines has been LeBron James‘ move to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the corresponding decline of marquee Eastern Conference games. Indeed, viewership has declined 12% for games starting before 9:30 PM ET (from 2.30M to 2.02M), and increased 4% for games starting after 9:30 (from 1.64M to 1.70M).
James’ Lakers, a lottery team, are the biggest draw in the league. Laker games have averaged 2.77 million viewers entering the All-Star break, despite James missing nine of the team’s 21 games on ESPN, ABC and TNT this season. Notably, the Lakers are less of a draw than James’ Cavaliers were at the same point last season (3.10M).
The Warriors rank as the second-biggest draw this season, with their games averaging 2.58 million. At the same point last year, Golden State games were averaging 2.94 million.
The Celtics (2.18M), Thunder (2.08M) and Sixers (2.03M) round out the top five.
In the final games before the All-Star break, Celtics-Sixers scored a 1.2 rating and 1.80 million viewers on TNT Tuesday — down 29% in ratings and 34% in viewership from last year (Cavaliers-Thunder: 1.7, 2.75M), but up 71% and 65% respectively from 2017 (Thunder-Wizards: 0.7, 1.10M). It trailed the competing Duke-Louisville college basketball game on ESPN (1.2, 1.88M).
Later in the night, Jazz-Warriors had a 1.05 (+31%) and 1.62 million (+31%).
On ESPN Wednesday, Rockets-T’Wolves scored a 1.0 (+25%) and 1.40 million (+10%), while Warriors-Blazers drew a 1.1 (flat) and 1.66 million (-2%). Finally, Thunder-Pelicans drew a 0.7 (-22%) and 1.09 million (-16%) on TNT Thursday.
* All averages cited are based on publicly available Nielsen data, which does not always account for the complete audience. As a result, the numbers may be off by a few thousand viewers.
