Ratings: NBA Playoffs, Stanley Cup, WNBA Draft

Sunday’s Thunder-Trail Blazers first round NBA Playoffs Game 1 earned a 3.3 overnight rating on ABC, down 25% from a 4.4 both last year (Pacers-Cavaliers) and in 2017 (Blazers-Warriors). The 3.3 is the lowest for an ABC game on the first Sunday of the postseason (dates back to 2003).

With the final round of the Masters moved up several hours to avoid rain, the game avoided direct competition with Tiger Woods’ victory. Even so, it trailed the mid-afternoon replay of the Masters head-to-head (3.4). Prior to this year, the NBA Playoffs generally did not coincide with the Masters.

Overnights for Sunday’s games on TNT were not available.

NBC earned a 1.3 overnight rating for Saturday’s Maple Leafs-Bruins first round Stanley Cup playoff Game 2, even with the same matchup last year and up a tick from 2017 (Predators-Blackhawks: 1.2). In other weekend action, the network scored a 1.0 for Hurricanes-Capitals Game 2 Saturday afternoon (-23%) and a 1.1 for Penguins-Islanders Game 3 on Sunday (-31%), both of which faced the Masters.

Shifting to cable, Friday’s Penguins-Islanders Game 2 earned 626,000 viewers on NBCSN — down 12% from last year (Flyers-Penguins: 715K), but up 32% from 2017 (Blues-Wild: 474K). The Golden Knights-Sharks nightcap had 480,000, down 23% from last year (Kings-Golden Knights: 624K) and down 10% from 2017 (Sharks-Oilers: 534K).

Over on CNBC, Blue Jackets-Lightning had 359,000 (+1%) and Blues-Jets 309,000.

Last Wednesday’s WNBA Draft earned 243,000 viewers on ESPN2, down 21% from last year (308K) and down 11% from 2017 (273K). It was the least-watched edition of the event since 2012, the last time it took place on a weekday afternoon (173K).