ABC drew a 3.8 overnight for Grizzlies-Warriors NBA Western Conference Semifinals Game 1 in yesterday's late window. The net had two first round Game 7s on the same weekend last year. Yesterday's 3.8 overnight is down sharply from a 4.9 overnight for Pacers-Knicks Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 1 in '13. ABC in the early afternoon window yesterday drew a 2.6 overnight for Wizards-Hawks Conference Semifinals Game 1, down from a 3.8 overnight for Thunder-Grizzlies Game 1 in the same window in '13 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
TIP OF THE CAP: SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote TNT's Chris Webber was "terrific during the thrilling Game 7 between the Clippers and Spurs, particularly in the final minutes." First, Webber was "quick and decisive to call out the phantom foul call" on Spurs F Tim Duncan against Clippers G Chris Paul with 13 seconds left. But where he "really shined was on the game’s final play when the clock inadvertently ran to zero prior to the inbounds play." Deitsch: "It was great to see Webber and play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan as excited to call the game as viewers were to watch it." Webber also "offered a poignant end note for what was easily the most dramatic watch on Saturday" (SI.com, 5/3).
IN A BLOWOUT: In Chicago, Ed Sherman noted Thursday night's Bulls-Bucks Game 6 "did a combined" 10.7 local rating in Chicago (5.8 on CSN Chicago and 4.9 on TNT). Meanwhile, the first round of the NFL Draft, also Thursday night, "did a combined 6.1 rating in Chicago (4.1 on ESPN and 2.0 on NFL Network)" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 5/1).
