The Oklahoma City Thunder’s victory over the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals drew the highest rating for a Game 1 that ABC has ever had.
The 105-94 win in Oklahoma City earned a 11.8 overnight Nielsen rating, up 10 percent over last year’s Finals Game 1 between the Heat and Mavericks. The previous record for a Game 1 was 11.6 in a 2004 game between the Pistons and Lakers.
In Oklahoma City, Game 1 netted a 44.3 rating, the best ever for an NBA game in the market. The rating was 30.5 in Miami.
The ratings news comes on the heels of Game 7 of the East finals between the Heat and Celtics earning the top rating for an NBA game on cable.
–ESPN
