NBA Finals television ratings
Game-by-game breakdown by year (1974 - present)
Figures are expressed as Rating/Share. Rating represents the percentage of US TV households that watched the game, Share represents the percentage of TV sets in use that were tuned to the game.

NBA Finals television ratings

Section Title: Game-by-game breakdown by year (1974 - present)
Table Section Text: Figures are expressed as Rating/Share. Rating represents the percentage of US TV households that watched the game, Share represents the percentage of TV sets in use that were tuned to the game.

Year	Network	Results	Avg	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7

2018	ABC	Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 0	10.0 (17.56M Viewers)	10.0 (17.67M Viewers)	10.3 (18.47M Viewers)	10.4 (17.85M Viewers)	9.3 (16.24M Viewers)	No Game

2017	ABC	Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 1	11.3/22 (20.38M Viewers)	10.5/20 (18.70M Viewers)	10.7/20 (19.69M Viewers)	11.3/21 (20.05M Viewers)	10.7/22 (19.01M Viewers)	13.5/25 (24.47M Viewers)	No Game

2016	ABC	Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Golden State Warriors 3	11.4/21 (20.28M Viewers)	11.1/20 (19.20M Viewers)	9.8/17 (17.49M Viewers)	9.7/18 (16.47M Viewers)	9.8/19 (16.57M Viewers)	11.8/21 (20.53M Viewers)	11.8/22 (20.70M Viewers)	15.8/29 (31.02M viewers)

2015	ABC	Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 2	11.6/21 (19.94M Viewers)	10.6/20 (17.77M Viewers)	10.8/19 (19.17M Viewers)	11.1/20 (18.77M Viewers)	11.7/21 (19.84M Viewers)	11.8/21 (20.86M Viewers)	13.4/24 (23.25M Viewers)	No Game

2014	ABC	San Antonio Spurs 4, Miami Heat 1	9.3/16 (15.54M Viewers)	9.0/15 (14.85M Viewers)	9.0/15 (15.13M Viewers)	9.0/15 (14.78M Viewers)	9.3/15 (14.96M Viewers)	10.3/18 (18.00M Viewers)	No Game

2013	ABC	Miami Heat 4, San Antonio Spurs 3	10.4/17 (17.47M Viewers)	8.8/14 (14.24M Viewers)	8.5/15 (14.57M Viewers)	8.5/14 (14.05M Viewers)	10.0/16 (16.23M Viewers)	9.5/16 (16.27M Viewers)	12.3/21 (20.64M Viewers)	15.3/26 (26.32M Viewers)

2012	ABC	Miami Heat 4, Oklahoma City Thunder 1	10.1/17 (16.88M Viewers)	9.9/16 (16.20M Viewers)	10.4/17 (16.67M Viewers)	8.8/16 (15.55M Viewers)	10.5/18 (17.50M Viewers)	10.9/18 (18.46M Viewers)	No Game

2011	ABC	Dallas Mavericks 4, Miami Heat 2	10.2/17 (17.39M Viewers)	9.0/15 (15.17M Viewers)	9.3/15 (15.52M Viewers)	9.1/15 (15.34M Viewers)	9.6/16 (16.13M Viewers)	10.8/18 (18.32M Viewers)	13.3/23 (23.88M Viewers)	No Game

2010	ABC	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 3	10.6/18 (18.14M Viewers)	8.6/14 (14.09M Viewers)	9.2/15 (15.72M Viewers)	9.6/16 (15.96M Viewers)	9.9/18 (16.37M Viewers)	10.8/18 (18.65M Viewers)	10.4/18 (17.96M Viewers)	15.6/27 (28.20M Viewers)

2009	ABC	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Orlando Magic 1	8.4/15 (14.35M Viewers)	7.8/14 (13.04M Viewers)	8.2/14 (14.06M Viewers)	8.6/15 (14.20M Viewers)	9.4/17 (15.96M Viewers)	8.0/14 (14.17M Viewers)	No Game

2008	ABC	Boston Celtics 4, Los Angeles Lakers 2	9.3/17 (14.94M Viewers)	8.7/16 (13.38M Viewers)	8.5/15 (13.50M Viewers)	9.2/16 (14.51M Viewers)	8.7/16 (13.76M Viewers)	10.2/19 (17.39M Viewers)	10.7/19 (16.88M Viewers)	No Game

2007	ABC	San Antonio Spurs 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 0	6.2/11 (9.29M Viewers)	6.3/11 (9.21M Viewers)	5.6/10 (8.55M Viewers)	6.4/11 (9.49M Viewers)	6.5/12 (9.91M Viewers)	No Game

2006	ABC	Miami Heat 4, Dallas Mavericks 2	8.5/15 (12.97M Viewers)	7.8/14 (11.51M Viewers)	8.0/14 (12.41M Viewers)	8.0/14 (12.25M Viewers)	7.8/14 (11.56M Viewers)	9.1/17 (14.32M Viewers)	10.1/18 (15.71M Viewers)	No Game

2005	ABC	San Antonio Spurs 4, Detroit Pistons 3	8.2/15 (12.54M Viewers)	7.2/13 (10.57M Viewers)	6.9/12 (10.66M Viewers)	7.2/13 (10.63M Viewers)	7.2/13 (10.92M Viewers)	8.4/15 (13.09M Viewers)	8.8/15 (13.47M Viewers)	11.9/22 (19.00M Viewers)

2004	ABC	Detroit Pistons 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1	11.5/20 (17.94M Viewers)	9.8/17 (15.36M Viewers)	10.7/19 (16.13M Viewers)	10.5/19 (16.21M Viewers)	12.7/22 (20.30M Viewers)	13.8/23 (21.84M Viewers)	No Game

2003	ABC	San Antonio Spurs 4, New Jersey Nets 2	6.5/12 (9.86M Viewers)	6.4/11 (9.60M Viewers)	5.2/10 (8.06M Viewers)	7.0/12 (10.76M Viewers)	6.6/12 (9.66M Viewers)	6.2/12 (9.31M Viewers)	7.5/14 (11.57M Viewers)	No Game

2002	NBC	Los Angeles Lakers 4, New Jersey Nets 0	10.2/19 (15.68M Viewers)	10.6/20 (15.85M Viewers)	9.1/18 (14.05M Viewers)	10.2/18 (16.21M Viewers)	10.8/19 (16.56M Viewers)	No Game

2001	NBC	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 1	12.1/23 (19.00M Viewers)	12.4/23 (18.58M Viewers)	11.6/22 (18.72M Viewers)	12.7/23 (20.28M Viewers)	12.6/23 (19.97M Viewers)	11.2/22 (17.36M Viewers)	No Game

2000	NBC	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Indiana Pacers 2	11.6/21 (17.40M Viewers)	10.5/18 (10.56M Households)	9.9/20 (10.02M Households)	10.7/19 (10.84M Households)	13.1/24 (13.17M Households)	10.0/20 (10.04M Households)	14.7/26 (14.85M Households)	No Game

1999	NBC	San Antonio Spurs 4, New York Knicks 1	11.3/21 (16.01M Viewers)	11.5/20 (16.57M Viewers)	9.6/19 (13.98M Viewers)	12.1/21 (17.01M Viewers)	12.0/22 (16.76M Viewers)	11.0/22 (15.53M Viewers)	No Game

1998	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Utah Jazz 2	18.7/33 (29.04M Viewers)	18.0/32 (26.70M Viewers)	16.6/31 (26.30M Viewers)	16.2/28 (15.8M Households)	19.1/33 (18.7M Households)	19.8/37 (30.60M Viewers)	22.3/38 (35.89M Viewers)	No Game

1997	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Utah Jazz 2	16.8/30 (25.59M Viewers)	15.8/27 (15.3M Households)	15.1/27 (14.6M Households)	14.2/27 (13.7M Households)	16.9/30 (16.4M Households)	20.1/35 (19.5M Households)	18.5/35 (17.9M Households)	No Game

1996	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Seattle SuperSonics 2	16.7/31 (24.86M Viewers)	16.8/31 (16.1M Households)	13.9/27 (13.3M Households)	15.8/28 (15.2M Households)	18.1/33 (17.4M Households)	17.2/33 (16.5M Households)	18.8/35 (18.0M Households)	No Game

1995	NBC	Houston Rockets 4, Orlando Magic 0	13.9/25 (20.08M Viewers)	14.7/26 (14.0M Households)	12.0/23 (11.4M Households)	14.1/25 (13.4M Households)	14.9/26 (14.2M Households)	No Game

1994	NBC	Houston Rockets 4, New York Knicks 3	12.3/23 (17.25M Viewers)	12.6/23 (11.9M Households)	10.7/21 (10.1M Households)	12.4/24 (11.7M Households)	12.9/23 (12.1M Households)	7.8/14 (coverage affected by Bronco Chase)	11.3/24 (10.6M Households)	17.9/31 (16.9M Households)

1993	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Phoenix Suns 2	17.9/33 (27.21M Viewers)	16.8/29 (15.6M Households)	14.6/29 (13.6M Households)	17.0/32 (15.8M Households)	19.8/35 (18.4M Households)	19.0/36 (17.7M Households)	20.3/39 (32.10M Viewers)	No Game

1992	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Portland Trail Blazers 2	14.2/27 (20.84M Viewers)	13.5/25 (12.4M Households)	13.7/26 (12.6M Households)	13.6/26 (12.5M Households)	16.0/29 (14.7M Households)	13.9/28 (12.8M Households)	14.7/29 (13.5M Households)	No Game

1991	NBC	Chicago Bulls 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1	15.8/34 (23.91M Viewers)	12.6	16.1/29 (15.0M Households)	15.7/31 (14.6M Households)	15.2/30 (14.2M Households)	19.7/36 (18.3M Households)	No Game

1990	CBS	Detroit Pistons 4, Portland Trail Blazers 1	12.3/25 (17.19M Viewers)	11.8	12.2	10.8	13.4	13.2	No Game

1989	CBS	Detroit Pistons 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0	15.1/30 (21.26M Viewers)	14.0	15.6	13.2	17.4	No Game

1988	CBS	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Detroit Pistons 3	15.4/31 (21.70M Viewers)	13.9	14.8	12.0	14.8	16.1	14.4	21.2/37

1987	CBS	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 2	15.9/32 (24.12M Viewers)	13.8	14.6	11.9	18.9	18.9	17.3	No Game

1986	CBS	Boston Celtics 4, Houston Rockets 2	14.1/31 (14.43M Households)	9.9	14.8	13.4	15.4	16.9	14.2	No Game

1985	CBS	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 2	13.5/30	--	14.3	--	17.0	15.3	15.3	No Game

1984	CBS	Boston Celtics 4, Los Angeles Lakers 3	12.1/26	--	12.3	--	13.1	12.1	--	19.3

1983	CBS	Philadelphia 76ers 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0	12.3/26	--	12.9/23	--	--	No Game

1982	CBS	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2	13.0/28

1981	CBS	Boston Celtics 4, Houston Rockets 2	6.7/27

1980	CBS	Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2	8.0/29

1979	CBS	Seattle SuperSonics 4, Washington Bullets 1	7.2/24

1978	CBS	Washington Bullets 4, Seattle SuperSonics 3	9.9/25

1977	CBS	Portland Trail Blazers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2	12.7/33

1976	CBS	Boston Celtics 4, Phoenix Suns 2	11.5/29

1975	CBS	Golden State Warriors 4, Washington Bullets 0	10.1/28 (11.38M Viewers)

1974	CBS	Boston Celtics 4, Milwaukee Bucks 3	13.5/32

Sentence(s)

Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals had a 21.2 rating / 37 share.
In the 1988 NBA Finals, the Game 7 was rated with 21.2 rating / 37 share.
Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals was the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with a 21.2 rating / 37 share.

final_sentence: Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals had a 21.2 rating / 37 share.
final_sentence: In the 1988 NBA Finals, the Game 7 was rated with 21.2 rating / 37 share.
final_sentence: Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals was the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with a 21.2 rating / 37 share.