The opening NBA act including Nets-Warriors and Clippers-Lakers drew an average of 2.9 million viewers to the NBA-on-TNT double-header, which was the best opening night for the league since 2017.
Per Deadline’s Dominic Patten via SB Nation:
“With the Clippers taking down LeBron James and the Lakers 116-109 and the now Kevin Durant starring Nets schooling Steph Curry and crew 125 – 99, last night’s Opening Night was up 1% over the 2019 tip-off on October 22 last year. Coming just over two months after the Lakers and the NBA wrapped up the coronavirus elongated season in the bubble playoffs, Tuesday’s overall tip-off viewership was up 5% from the July restart of the 2019-2020 season.
Overall, with big market teams filling the screen, the start of the season last night was the best the NBA has done since 2017, Covid or no Covid.”
Individually, the Net-Warriors drew 2.7 million viewers while the Lakers-Clippers attracted 3.08 million for an average of 2.9 million.
