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Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals Game 1 Delivers 12.3 Overnight Rating

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ABC on Thursday night drew a 12.3 overnight rating for the Warriors' 124-114 overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, off slightly from a 12.4 last year for the same matchup, which was a Warriors’ blowout win. The 12.3 also is down from a 13.1 overnight in ’16 (15-point Warriors win), and down from a 12.9 in ’15, which also went to OT. Despite the decline, the 12.3 is still well above Finals openers from before the Warriors-Cavs matchups of ’15-18. Spurs-Heat Game 1 in ’14 drew a 10.4 overnight on ABC, while that same matchup in ’13 drew a 10.6. Back in ’12, ABC saw an 11.8 overnight for Heat-Thunder Game 1. Thursday night’s game peaked at a 14.9 rating toward the end of the game, both from 11:15-11:30pm ET and 11:30-11:45pm. Cleveland-Akron led all markets with a 36.1 local rating, which is up from a 33.4 last year. S.F-Oakland-San Jose drew a 31.1 local rating, also up from a 30.9 last year. The game also will mark the 61st straight time an NBA Finals game has delivered a primetime win (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM…: LeBron James’ Uninterrupted online video platform has partnered with Twitter for an exclusive live content series around the NBA Finals, which will be focused on the discussion happening on Twitter around the games. The show, “Halftime is Uninterrupted,” also has signed up Crown Royal as a presenting sponsor. Commentary began Thursday night with Clippers G Austin Rivers, Bucks G Eric Bledsoe and Spurs F Rudy Gay. Meanwhile, Uninterrupted has inked a deal with the NBPA to reveal its Players’ Voice Awards, which is voted on by NBAers. The first award, for best defender, was announced during Uninterrupted’s halftime show on Thursday night. There will be more awards given out during the next Twitter halftime shows around Games 2 and 3 on Sunday and Wednesday night, respectively (THE DAILY).

BEST DON'T REST: In Newark, Joseph Atmonavage writes ESPN's Doris Burke has become the "best basketball broadcaster working today." She was the "first woman" to do a Knicks game on TV or radio and the first woman to "be a full-time NBA analyst on national television." She "breaks down the game in a to-the-point fashion that both the sophisticated basketball viewer and someone watching for the first time can appreciate and understand." And when she transitions to the sideline, Burke "can put on a Ph.D.-level discourse of how to ask questions in a hectic, emotional environment." The "ugliness" of sexism "won’t ever fully go away." But Burke "does her job at such a high level that even the Internet trolls have moved on to their next target" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/1). 

PLAYOFF PAYOFF: ESPN last month averaged 2.04 million viewers in primetime, fueled in large part by the NBA Playoffs. That figure is up 31% from 1.56 million viewers last year. ESPN also saw gains of over 35% in each key adult male demo in primetime for the month. The net saw a 17% gain in total-day audience as well, while “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” -- which typically aired following late night games, was up 62% in May (ESPN).

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