The Cleveland Cavaliers’ dramatic playoff run has been a boon for NBA playoff ratings.
Monday’s Raptors-Cavaliers NBA Playoffs Game 4 had a 3.6 rating and 5.9 million viewers on TNT, up 29% in ratings and 30% in viewership from last year (Warriors-Jazz: 2.8, 4.5M) and up 38% and 47% respectively from 2016 (Raptors-Heat: 2.6, 4.0M).
Compared to Game 4 of the same series last year, which aired on a Sunday afternoon on ABC, ratings increased 13% (from 3.0) and viewership 17% (from 5.0M). Cleveland clinched a sweep of Toronto in both games, winning by a much bigger margin this year (35) than last (7).
Game 3 of the series had a 3.8 rating and 6.4 million viewers on ABC Saturday night, up 6% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (Warriors-Jazz: 3.6, 5.9M) and up 6% and 9% respectively from 2016 (Warriors-Blazers: 3.6, 5.8M).
Cleveland’s buzzer-beating win was the highest rated and most-watched primetime NBA game on ABC — excluding the NBA Finals — since 2012 (Sixers-Celtics Game 7: 4.5, 7.0M).
It delivered the second-largest audience of the postseason, behind Pacers-Cavs Game 7 in the first round (6.8M). The Cavaliers have played in the five most-watched games of the playoffs.
In addition, it was the most-watched Raptors game on U.S. TV since 2001. The previous high was 6.1 million for Cavs-Raptors Game 4 in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
In other action, Game 4 of Celtics-Sixers had a 2.2 and 3.4 million on TNT Monday evening. The game began shortly after 6 PM ET; there was no comparable window last year.
Saturday’s Game 3 had a 2.3 rating and 3.619 million on ESPN opposite the Kentucky Derby, up 53% in ratings and 56% in viewership from 2016 (Raptors-Heat: 1.5, 2.3M). There was no comparable window last year. It was the most-watched NBA game opposite the Derby since 2014 (Hawks-Pacers Game 7: 3.624M).
Out West, Warriors-Pelicans Game 4 drew a 3.3 and 5.3 million on ABC Sunday afternoon — up a tick in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (Cavs-Raptors: 3.2, 5.0M) and up 6% and 2% respectively from 2016 (Cavs-Hawks: 3.1, 5.2M).
Rockets-Jazz had a 2.65 (-12%) and 4.4 million (-12%) on TNT later in the night.
Cavs-Raptors was easily Monday’s highest rated television program in adults 18-49, cruising past NBC’s “The Voice” (2.3 to 1.5). The NBA settled for second place in the demo over the weekend, with Cavs-Raptors trailing NBC’s Kentucky Derby on Saturday (2.2 to 2.5) and Warriors-Pelicans behind ABC’s “American Idol” on Sunday (1.7 to 1.8).
