The most one-sided game of the 2015 NBA Finals was also the most-watched, according to live-plus-same-day figures released Friday by Nielsen.
ABC’s coverage of the Golden State Warriors’ 103-82 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday averaged 19.84 million viewers, the most for a Game 4 of the finals since the 2004 series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons.
Viewership for a championship series generally increases as the series goes on. The best-of-seven series’ previous most-watched game was the Cavaliers’ 95-93 overtime victory in Game 2 on Sunday, which averaged 19.17 million viewers.
Viewership for most forms of programming has declined in recent years because of increased choices for viewers’ time.
Viewership was 32 percent higher than 15 million average for Game 4 of last year’s finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
Through four games, the series is averaging 18.9 million viewers, the most for the first four games of the finals since the 2001 series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, which aired on NBC.
Viewership is up 27 percent from the 14.9 million average for the first four games of last year’s finals.
ABC has aired the NBA Finals each year since 2003.
Thursday’s game was the night’s most-social telecast, with more than 1.97 million tweets.
—City News Service