NBA Finals television ratings up from 2016 even with blowouts

Despite concern that the NBA has never been less competitive, the television ratings continue to spike. As the Warriors won Game 2 of the Finals by 19 points, the game earned a 12.7 overnight rating, up 8 percent from last year’s Game 2, though down 2 percent from the same game in 2015.

The two games have averaged a 12.6 rating, which is up slightly from last year’s 12.5 rating. Of course, last year’s Finals gave us a historic comeback and LeBron James’ first championship in Cleveland after the Cavaliers had fallen down two games to none. The same thing has happened this series with Golden State winning the opening two matchups by double-digit margins.

Cleveland was the top market with a 32.4 rating, which was slightly up over last year but significantly down from 2015, when the Cavaliers won Game 2 and posted a 42.1 rating. The Bay Area had a 31.1 rating, slightly down from the last two seasons.

By television ratings, the NBA was at its peak in 1998 when Michael Jordan won his sixth championship. Even though that decade was predictable — none of the Finals that Jordan won even went to a seventh game — it also was the most watched.

Golden State and Cleveland appear to be having a similar effect, with the numbers climbing even higher after 2016 boasted the best ratings since 2004.

The big question is what happens if the Warriors continue to dominate, but for now, Golden State clearly isn’t killing general interest in the league, even if we all know they’re the heavy favorites to win.