NBA Finals Rebound: Best Game 2 Ratings in 5 Years

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After a soft opening, the NBA Finals posted resurgent audience numbers in Game 2, with the Boston Celtics’ 105-98 victory Sunday over the Dallas Mavericks generating an average audience of 12.063 million viewers for ABC, the biggest viewership for an NBA title series second game since 2019.

Also read: MVP-Less NBA Finals See TV Ratings Crater at a Conspicuous $76 Billion Moment

This came after last week’s opener, a Celtics blowout, scored just 10.99 million viewers, the worst nonpandemic Game 1 since 2007.

Sunday’s game, which started at 10 p.m. ET, was far more competitive, with the Celtics holding only a three-point lead at halftime.

Game 3 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday from Dallas.

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!

Latest in Programming