The NBA continued its strong start to the season in viewership behind a busy Martin Luther King Jr. Day lineup, headlined by two key matchups between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Warriors and Lakers capped off a jam-packed schedule, drawing an average of 2.2 million viewers, an increase of 84% based on the same telecast window from last year. Overall, the primetime doubleheader coverage on TNT averaged 2.1 million viewers for an increase of 31% versus last year’s coverage.
The marquee contest saw the Warriors overcome a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Lakers, 115-113. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 26 points while LeBron James had 19 points with Anthony Davis adding 17 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists.
The MLK Day primetime doubleheader on TNT, which featured Bucks-Nets and Warriors-Lakers, averaged 2.1 million viewers for an increase of 31% vs. last year’s comparable MLK Day coverage, according to Nielsen.
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) January 19, 2021
In addition to the strong viewership numbers on MLK Day, which marks the second-largest day of programming of the season, the league also saw the opening week end as the most-watched since 2012, with combined viewership up 67% compared to last year.
Amidst an unprecedented season in the NBA, fans have continued to tune into games at a high volume to watch the stars of the league take the court each night.
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