The NBA is having a very entertaining postseason, with thrilling finishes, upsets and star-making performances galore. And the numbers show that a record number of fans are enjoying the show.
According to reports, ESPN is having its best NBA postseason ever, averaging over 5.2 million viewers per game, with a 27-game sample size thus far. ESPN’s broadcast of the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals was a huge hit. And now both sets of Conference Finals are set to begin, which could continue the ratings bonanza for all networks involved, especially with stars like LeBron James still involved out west for the Los Angeles Lakers and Jayson Tatum’s Celtics back east.
Meanwhile, those Celtics were part of ABC’s biggest Eastern Conference Semifinals broadcast in 12 years with their series-clinching 112-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday. The series was very dramatic, and an afternoon clash of rivals with the 3:30pm tipoff on Mother’s Day garnered a massive audience, over 8.4 million viewers. Now Tatum and the C’s will take on the Miami Heat for the third time in four years in the Eastern Conference Finals.
ESPN will have the rights to LeBron’s Lakers vs. Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on the ESPN/ABC networks, which begins Tuesday night on ESPN, while TNT, who has enjoyed their biggest NBA postseason ratings since 2014, has exclusive broadcast rights to the Celtics-Heat showdown, scheduled to tip off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.
The numbers are there for the Celtics as far as viewers go. The fans are with them, and loud again per Jaylen Brown’s request. Now they just have to deliver for themselves, the fans and a number of networks also enjoying this wild postseason ride.
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