Game 7 Of NBA Finals Sees Highest Ratings Since 1998

ABC's exclusive coverage of The Finals Game 7 - Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers - delivered an 18.2 overnight rating, the highest-rated NBA game since 1998 (Bulls/Jazz). The overnight rating for last night's Game 7 marks the highest-rated NBA Finals game ever on ABC (surpassing Lakers/Pistons, Game 5, in 2005 - 15.5 overnight rating; ABC overnight records go back to 2003).

Last night's Game 7 overnight rating was up 32 percent compared to the last Game 7 in 2005 (Pistons/Spurs - 13.8 overnight rating).

The Finals led ABC to win the night in prime time for all seven nights of the series. Thursday's Game 7 broadcast was the highest-rated show of the night for all of television, as was the case for the previous six games. The game peaked with a 23.7 rating from 11:45 p.m. to midnight ET.

In Los Angeles, Game 7 delivered a 39.7 metered market rating to become ABC's highest-rated NBA game ever in the market. Boston's 33.9 rating is ABC's second highest-rated game locally, trailing only the Celtics' championship-clinching victory in 2008 (Game 6).

Through six games of national ratings, The Finals on ABC have averaged 16,434,000 viewers and a 9.7 rating, the highest six-game averages since 2004 (Pistons/Lakers).