One of the most eventful NBA Finals games in recent memory delivered — easily — the strongest overnight rating of the series.
Monday’s Warriors-Raptors NBA Finals Game 5 earned a 13.4 overnight rating on ABC, down 16% from 2017 (16.0) and down 6% from 2016 (14.2), both of which were Cavaliers-Warriors games.
The 13.4 overnight is the fourth-highest for a Game 5 in the NBA Finals since 2004 (Lakers-Pistons: 15.4), behind only Cavaliers-Warriors in 2017, 2016 and 2015 (14.2).
It is also easily the highest overnight of a series that had been, through four games, a total dud in the United States. None of the first four games exceeded a 10.2. Game 5 increased 37% over the series-low in Game 4 (9.8), which per ESPN is the biggest jump from Game 4 to Game 5 in NBA Finals history.
The Warriors’ narrow, season-saving win peaked at a 16.2 from 11:30-11:45 PM ET.
Why the sudden surge? Ratings tend to jump for potential elimination games, last year being one of the exceptions. The close nature of the game, which saw Toronto come to within a bricked three-pointer of a championship, likely helped. So too was the albeit brief return of Kevin Durant, who had missed the first four games.
Final ratings for each of the first four games declined 22% from the overnight. That would put Game 5 on pace for double-digits — a 10.4 rating.
This year’s NBA Finals is the first to involve the Raptors, whose Canadian fanbase is not measured by Nielsen. In the Bay Area, Game 5 had a 32.8 rating — down 17% from the Warriors’ title-clinching win in 2017 (39.6) and down 11% from their 2016 loss (36.9). The 32.8 is the lowest for a Game 5 in the Warriors’ run of consecutive Finals appearances.
NBA Finals Game 5 overnights, past 20 years
[Numbers from ESPN PR/Twitter 6.11; local numbers from Sports Business Daily 6.11]
