TV ratings: Promising start for NBA Finals

NEWSMAKERS

Promising start for NBA Finals

NEW YORK

The second-straight NBA Finals matchup between Golden State and Cleveland got off to a promising start for ABC, but the network has to be hoping the series becomes more competitive in a hurry.

The first two games averaged 18.3 million viewers, the Nielsen company said Tuesday. Except for last year’s two-game average of 18.5 million, it’s the best start for the NBA Finals for viewers since the 2001 series between Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

For the week of May 30-Sunday, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: NBA Finals: Cleveland vs. Golden State, Game 1, ABC, 19.2 million; NBA Finals: Cleveland vs. Golden State, Game 2, ABC, 17.49 million; NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City vs. Golden State, Game 7, TNT, 16 million; “America’s Got Talent,” NBC, 11.67 million; “NBA Finals Post-Game,” ABC, 9.15 million; “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.27 million; “Game of Thrones,” HBO, 7.8 million; “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 7.79 million; “NCIS,” CBS, 7.42 million; “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS, 6.98 million.

Associated Press