NBA Finals Rematch on ABC Matches Highest-Rated Christmas Game in 12 Years in the Early Window
Cavaliers’ Thrilling Victory over the Warriors Generates a 5.9 Overnight Rating, Peaked with a 6.8 at 5 p.m.
Most-Streamed NBA Christmas Game Ever with 14.8 Million Total Minutes
The Christmas Day NBA Finals rematch on ABC, in which the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors 109-108 after a thrilling fourth quarter comeback, delivered a strong 5.9 overnight rating, matching the highest-rated Christmas NBA game in 12 years on ABC in the early window (2:30 p.m. ET). The New York Knicks-Los Angeles Lakers matchup in 2012 also generated a 5.9 overnight rating.
According to Nielsen, the broadcast peaked with a 6.8 at 5 p.m. The game drew its four best quarter hours between 4:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Additionally, the broadcast was up 44 percent compared to the same window last year when the Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game drew a 4.1.
Streaming record
The Cavaliers-Warriors showdown was the most-streamed NBA Christmas game ever. It generated 14.8 million total minutes, 359,000 unique viewers and an average minute audience of 87,000.
Top local TV markets
| Market | Rating |
| Cleveland | 18.4 |
| San Francisco | 15.1 |
| Memphis | 9.6 |
| Las Vegas | 9.4 |
| Columbus | 9.0 |
Celtics-Knicks Up on ESPN
In addition, the Boston Celtics’ victory over the New York Knicks in the 12 p.m. (noon) window on ESPN delivered a 2.4 overnight rating, up four percent from last year. It’s the highest-rated ESPN noon window on Christmas since 2012.
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Media contact: Ben Cafardo at 860-766-3496 or [email protected]. On twitter: @Ben_ESPN.
