NBA TV Ratings 2022: Celtics Deliver Most-Watched Second-Round Game In A Decade

The 2022 NBA playoffs continue to produce strong television ratings. Game 7 between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks was the league’s most-watched Eastern Conference Semifinals game in 10 years.

An average of 7.481 million people watched the Celtics beat the Bucks, 109-81, on Sunday afternoon in the final game of their second-round series, according to Nielsen. The last East Semifinal contest to draw more viewers was Game 4 between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers in 2012, which was watched by an average of 7.625 million people.

Sunday’s Game 7 peaked with 9.559 million viewers at 6 p.m. ET, even though the contest was well out of hand at that point. The game started at 3:30 p.m. ET, and Boston led by at least 15 points for the final 10 minutes of regulation.

_ABC's broadcast of the #Celtics victory over the #Bucks in Game 7 on Sunday was the most-watched Eastern Conference Semifinals game since 2012. It averaged 7,481,000 viewers, peaking with 9,559,000 viewers at 6 p.m. (Nielsen). pic.twitter.com/NabNed1sBK
— Ben Cafardo (@Ben_ESPN) May 17, 2022

NBA Game 7s were at 7.48M (Bucks-Celtics) and 6.29M (Mavs-Suns). Mavs-Suns was surprisingly strong given the lopsided score.
— Sports Media Watch (@paulsen_smw) May 17, 2022

The Celtics have been a major ratings draw for the NBA this postseason. Boston’s sweep of the Brooklyn Nets was the league’s most-watched first-round series since 2016.

The first two days of the 2022 NBA playoffs were the most-watched opening postseason weekend since 2011.

The second round of the playoffs ended Sunday night when the Dallas Mavericks upset the Phoenix Suns, 123-90, in Game 7 of their series. An average of 6.29 million viewers watched the contest, Sports Media Watch reports. Dallas led by at least 30 points for the entire second half.

An average of 6.34 million viewers watched Game 7 between the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets in 2019. It had been the most recent Game 7 in the Western Conference Semifinals with fans in attendance. Portland won, 100-96, in a competitive contest that was decided in the final minute of regulation.

The NBA has lost significant star power in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The top-four MVP vote-getters have all been eliminated from the postseason. LeBron James and Kevin Durant won’t be featured in the conference finals.

The Celtics, Heat, Mavericks and Golden State Warriors are the four teams left in the 2022 playoffs.