TNT earned a 4.0 metered-market rating for Game 5 of the Pacers-Knicks Eastern Conference Semifinals series Thursday night, winning the night in cable and ranking fourth across all TV outlets. Thursday featured the season finale of Fox’ “American Idol” and the series finale of NBC’s “The Office.” The game, which saw the Knicks stave off elimination, earned a 12.2 local rating in the Indianapolis market and a 8.4 local rating in the N.Y. market. Meanwhile, ESPN’s coverage of the Spurs’ series-clinching win against the Warriors in Game 6 Thursday earned a 3.4 overnight rating (THE DAILY).
SORRY, GOTTA GO: In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y. Wednesday pulled Knicks coach Mike Woodson "from speaking during his regular segment" on the station, creating a "needless controversy." Woodson was taking some heat in the media following Game 4 of the Pacers series, and taking him off his radio spot "made the situation worse." It "created another story that again made the organization look paranoid." It is "tremendously telling" that the team "does not trust Woodson enough to allow him to participate in a radio segment he has been doing the entire season." Knicks execs "knew the station had been promoting Woodson's appearance all morning long and still would not allow the coach to fulfill a commitment, which he is paid (very well) for" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/16).
