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NBA Finals opens under 11 million for Celtics' rout of Mavs
The Celtics' blowout win over the Mavericks topped only the COVID-era years as the least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since 2007.
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NBA Finals opens under 11 million for Celtics’ rout of Mavs
by Jon Lewis34 mins ago
Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks against Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) and forward Maxi Kleber (42) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Mavericks failed to show up in Game 1 of the NBA Finals — and so did the viewers.
Thursday’s Mavericks-Celtics NBA Finals Game 1 averaged a 5.7 rating and 10.99 million viewers on ABC (11.04 million including 43,000 on ESPN Deportes), topping only the two COVID-era series of 2020 (Heat-Lakers: 4.1, 7.69M) and 2021 (Bucks-Suns: 4.5, 8.70M) as the least-watched Game 1 of the Finals since 2007.
Ratings and viewership declined 5% from last year’s Heat-Nuggets Game 1, which drew a 6.0 and 11.58 million on ABC and ESPN2. Compared to the previous Finals to involve the Celtics — 2022 against the Warriors — ratings fell 11% and viewership 8% from a 6.4 and 11.90 million.
Though ratings and viewership declined, Game 1 averaged a higher share of the overall audience (20%) and adults 18-34 (50%) than any other Finals opener on ABC. (The share — the percentage of homes or viewers watching in the average minute out of the number using television — will tend to rise as television viewership declines.)
The Celtics’ 18-point margin of victory tied the Lakers’ 2020 win over Miami in the “bubble” as the most-lopsided Finals opener since 2017. Ratings and viewership peaked early at a 6.2 and 12.11 million during the 9:15 quarter-hour and bottomed out sharply at the conclusion, dropping to a 4.8 and 9.01 million during the 10:45 quarter-hour.
Game 1 drew a 3.5 rating in adults 18-49, a 2.9 in 18-34 and a 4.0 in 25-54 — down 6, 9 and 6 percent respectively from last year (3.7, 3.2, 4.2).
The NBA Finals has now opened below the 14 million mark in six-straight years, the longest streak since a seven-year stretch from 2003-09.