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Most-Watched NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend Ever on ESPN Platforms
· Audience Up 15 Percent From Last Year; Averaged 4,487,000 Viewers Across Six Games
· Boston Celtics Game 1 Victory Over Orlando Magic on April 20 Averaged 6,689,000 Viewers; Peaked with 8,022,000 Viewers and Up 44 Percent from Last Year's Comparable Game
· Minnesota Timberwolves Victory Over Los Angeles Lakers on April 19 Propelled ABC to Win the Day Across All of Television and in All Key Demographics
ESPN generated its most-watched NBA Playoffs opening weekend ever across its platforms, according to Nielsen. The six-game slate across Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20, averaged 4,487,000 viewers, up 15 percent from last year. ESPN's NBA Playoffs coverage began with the 2002-03 season.
Most-Watched Game
The defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics' victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their first round series was the most-watched game of the weekend, averaging 6,689,000 viewers Sunday afternoon on ABC. The broadcast peaked with 8,022,000 viewers at 5:45 p.m. ET and was the second-most watched NBA Playoffs first round Game 1 ever, just behind the Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets game in 2022. Sunday's viewership was up 44 percent from its comparable game last year.
Winning the Night
Saturday night's Minnesota Timberwolves victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC averaged 5,838,000 viewers and peaked with 6,756,000 viewers at 10:30 p.m. The game broadcasted propelled ABC to win the night for April 19 across all of television and in all key demographics, including amongst People and Males. It was up three percent from its comparable game last year.
Additional viewership numbers from ESPN's opening weekend:
Date Game Average Viewership Peak Viewership Platform
Sat, Apr. 19 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers 2,368,000 3,145,000 ESPN
LA Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets 3,642,000 5,197,000 ESPN
Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks 4,124,000 4,661,000 ESPN
Sun, Apr. 20 Memphis Grizzles vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 4,451,000 5,601,000 ABC
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