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June 5, 2008
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'80s Retro: NBA Finals Ratings Trend Since Last Lakers-Celtics Matchup

The last Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals matchup in '87 averaged a 16.7 Nielsen rating and 24.1 million viewers for six games. The NBA Finals averaged an all-time low last season for Spurs-Cavaliers with a 6.2 for the sweep. The NBA Finals have not averaged double-digit ratings since the Pistons-Lakers series averaged an 8.2 for the seven-game set in '04. With this season's NBA Finals featuring Celtics-Lakers set to tip off tonight, the following lists a Nielsen ratings trend for the series since the last meeting between the two teams (THE DAILY).

NIELSEN RATINGS TREND FOR NBA FINALS
YR
NET
GMS
RATING
VIEWERS
WINNER/LOSER
'07
ABC
4
6.2
9,289,000
Spurs-Cavaliers
'06
ABC
6
8.5
12,972,000
Heat-Mavericks
'05
ABC
7
8.2
12,544,000
Spurs-Pistons
'04
ABC
5
11.5
17,942,000
Pistons-Lakers
'03
ABC
6
6.5
9,864,000
Spurs-Nets
'02
NBC
4
10.2
15,678,000
Lakers-Nets
'01
NBC
5
12.1
18,996,000
Lakers-76ers
'00
NBC
6
11.6
17,402,000
Lakers-Pacers
'99
NBC
5
11.3
16,014,000
Spurs-Knicks
'98
NBC
6
18.7
29,040,000
Bulls-Jazz
'97
NBC
6
16.8
25,586,000
Bulls-Jazz
'96
NBC
6
16.7
24,858,000
Bulls-Sonics
'95
NBC
4
13.9
20,078,000
Rockets-Magic
'94
NBC
5
12.0
17,253,000
Rockets-Knicks
'93
NBC
6
17.9
27,209,000
Bulls-Suns
'92
NBC
6
14.2
20,838,000
Bulls-Trail Blazers
'91
NBC
5
15.8
23,910,000
Bulls-Lakers
'90
CBS
5
12.3
17,190,000
Pistons-Trail Blazers
'89
CBS
4
15.1
21,260,000
Pistons-Lakers
'88
CBS
7
15.4
21,700,000
Lakers-Pistons
'87
CBS
6
16.7
24,120,000
Lakers-Celtics

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