Even after all these years, there is no better NBA ratings combo than LeBron James against Stephen Curry.
Warriors-Lakers averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.34 million viewers on the latest edition of ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime, marking the third-largest audience of the season outside of Christmas. The three Warriors-Lakers games this season rank as the three most-watched outside of Christmas, with their Opening Night matchup on TNT ranking second (1.9, 3.39M) and their February 12 game on ABC first (1.9, 3.61M).
Including Christmas, the three Warriors-Lakers games rank among the six most-watched all season. Golden State has played in more than half — 13 — of the 25 most-watched games this season, more than any other team. The Lakers, Suns and Nets are a distant second with six each, followed by the Knicks at five.
Saturday’s game, in which James scored 56 points to help the Lakers secure a rare win, increased 41% in ratings and 73% in viewership from the comparable window two years ago (Sixers-Warriors: 1.3, 1.93M). There were no comparable games last year due to All-Star weekend.
In other weekend action, ABC drew a 1.7 and 2.97 million for a Suns-Bucks NBA Finals rematch Sunday afternoon — down 27% in ratings and 18% in viewership from two years ago (Lakers-Clippers: 2.3, 3.62M) but nonetheless the ninth-largest audience of the season.
Milwaukee’s win also ranks as the most-watched game this season that did not air on Christmas or involve the Warriors, topping the previous high of 2.74 million set by Jazz-Suns in the same window a week earlier.
ABC led off its Sunday doubleheader with a 1.3 and 2.19 million for Nets-Celtics. It is worth noting that the network had a stronger 2.38 million for Sixers-Knicks in the same window the previous week.
Rounding out Sunday’s action, ESPN drew a 0.7 and 1.23 million for Raptors-Cavaliers and a 0.6 and 1.07 million for Knicks-Clippers. On the same network Friday night, Bucks-Bulls drew a 0.85 (-15% from two years ago) and 1.49 million (-1%) and Knicks-Suns a 0.8 (-52%) and 1.25 million (-48%).
TNT last Thursday drew a 0.8 (-33%) and 1.38 million (-26%) for Lakers-Clippers and a 0.7 (-30%) and 1.18 million (-23%) for Grizzlies-Celtics.
Most-watched NBA games so far this season
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 3.8]
