NBAOff Screen

THE LINEUP: Banner ESPN ratings for historic night of NBA coverage

Hannah Storm captured a colorful moment in Staples Center.

 

What a night! #Kobe

A photo posted by Hannah Storm (@espnhannahstorm) on

NBA Playoffs begin this weekend on ESPN platforms

The NBA Playoffs 2016 tip off on ABC and ESPN this weekend with the first five games of the postseason airing Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17. Mike Breen, analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and reporter Lisa Salters will call Game 1 of the Houston Rockets (8) vs. the defending champion Golden State Warriors (1) at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Breen and the team will then fly to Cleveland to call the Detroit Pistons (8) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (1) matchup Sunday (3 p.m., ABC).

ABC broadcasts are also available on ESPN3/WatchESPN. For more playoff schedule information, visit ESPN MediaZone.

ESPN’s networks and platforms presented millions of sports fans comprehensive coverage of two historic games closing the 2015-16 NBA regular season on Wednesday, April 13.

On ESPN, the host Golden State Warriors won their NBA single-season record 73rd game, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies. Simultaneously on ESPN2, Kobe Bryant closed out his 20-year NBA career with a 60-point performance as his Los Angeles Lakers defeated the visiting Utah Jazz. Final ratings results will be released later today, but the overnights reveal:

  • Golden State’s record-setting 73rd win delivered a 2.7 overnight rating on ESPN, making it the highest-rated NBA regular-season game (Non-Christmas) on ESPN since 2014.
  • Kobe Bryant’s farewell game on ESPN2 delivered a 2.6 overnight rating, making it the highest-rated NBA regular-season game ever on ESPN2.
  • Both games surpassed the 100,000 average minute audience threshold on WatchESPN, setting regular-season records. Kobe’s farewell: 134,000, Warriors: 111,000.

In this LINEUP, Front Row presents a sampling of the sights and sounds from both Oakland and Los Angeles as presented on social media by ESPN commentators.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Next page
Back to top button