2022-23 NBA Thread

[MU82]

From The Athletic:

The NBA and ESPN announced on Tuesday that the final game of the thrilling Warriors-Kings series averaged 9.8 million viewers, the most-watched first round NBA playoff game in 24 years. Golden State's 120-100 win over Sacramento was ABC's largest audience ever for a non-Finals postseason game and peaked with 11.9 million viewers. Per Sports Media Watch: The game was the largest first round playoff audience since Kings-Jazz Game 5 on NBC in 1999 (11.21 million) and the largest first- or second-round NBA audience since Raptors-Sixers Game 7 on NBC in 2001 (11.17 million).

(Note that games before 2020 did not get an out-of-home viewership bump, which Nielsen added three years ago.)

The league said this year's first round across ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV was its most in nine years — games averaged 3.4 million viewers. That was up 15 percent over last year.

TNT specifically had its most-watched first round in five years, averaging 3.5 million viewers.

ABC and ESPN had its most-watched first round ever with an average of 4.5 million viewers.

Why the big viewership number?

This isn't very hard: People love watching Steph Curry play – and the Warriors by extension. Plus, the Kings are a dynamic, young team, and then you add the element of Game 7.

The larger dynamic at play is the NBA's upcoming media rights deals. These kind of viewership numbers — the league said TNT, ABC and ESPN were the most-watched networks in primetime among viewers under 50 on 13 of the 14 nights of first round coverage — are what you want as a sports league as your rights renewal is coming up.

Look for the Lakers-Warriors second-round series, which began Tuesday, to put up massive numbers.

So much for the narrative that the willingness of NBA players and coaches to speak their minds on racial and other cultural issues would increasingly turn off the audience.

[withoutbias]

That was bad.

But also after the great comeback the Warriors went to some mental offense.

Also LOL at Minny trading away Vando as one of the 47 players for Gobert. Rudy aint chasing Curry around the court and locking him up on the perimeter.

Yes. As a non Timberwolves fan myself this is also what I was thinking about during this game. Who the Timberwolves and all their success prior to trading for Rudy Gobert gave up to get him.

[wadesworld]

The Suns/Nuggets played game 2 on Monday.  They don't play game 3 until Friday.  Same with Heat/Knicks.  Game 2 was last night, game 3 is Saturday.

Meanwhile C's/6ers game 2 is tonight and game 3 is Friday night.  That makes very little sense.

[The Sultan]

The Suns/Nuggets played game 2 on Monday.  They don't play game 3 until Friday.  What in the world?

Not unusual at all for the series that start earlier than the others to get a break during the week.  Miami and New York don't play game three until Saturday.  Now they are set up for Game 3 doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, and a Game 4 doubleheader on Sunday.

Last year the Bucks and Celtics had three full off days between Games 2 and 3 to let the other series to "catch-up." This is no different.

[Uncle Rico]

Paul Reed getting minutes in a real NBA playoff game.  Wild

[MU82]

Paul Reed getting minutes in a real NBA playoff game.  Wild

He played real well in the second half of Game 1, too, which also was stunning!

[Its DJOver]

Buds gone.

[wadesworld]

Bud fired.  Had to happen.

He should get a standing ovation every time he walks into the FISERV for forever.  And he should get a new job immediately with a younger up and coming team.  Very good coach, but it was time for a change for the Bucks.

[MuggsyB]

Bud fired.  Had to happen.

He should get a standing ovation every time he walks into the FISERV for forever.  And he should get a new job immediately with a younger up and coming team.  Very good coach, but it was time for a change for the Bucks.

It had to be done.  Nurse?

[Uncle Rico]

It had to be done.  Nurse?

Eh

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

Becky Hammon

[MuggsyB]

GS seems to be in serious trouble.  The Lakers are getting much better shots. 

[WhiteTrash]

Funny to look at the standards of the Bucks v the Bulls.


Actual kind of like the standards of MU v DePaul.

[MuggsyB]

Funny to look at the standards of the Bucks v the Bulls.


Actual kind of like the standards of MU v DePaul.

The Bulls are an unmitigated disaster.  They must start over imo. 

[wadesworld]

Now you can take a charge by turning to the side and taking the hit with your hip.

The charge sucks.

[MuggsyB]

Now you can take a charge by turning to the side and taking the hit with your hip.

The charge sucks.

That was a total flop.  Should be a no call.

[MuggsyB]

Great.  Let's take the most exciting player on.the floor out of the game by calling a touch foul.  Fk. 

[MuggsyB]

Bizarre offense for the Lakers.  Why wouldn't you post Davis?  Fortunately he appears to be unfocused and GS should get this one. 

[MuggsyB]

WTH is Lebron complaining about there? 

[forgetful]

I don't remember the officiating being this across the board bad in the playoffs. So many bewildering calls and imbalanced officiating in games this playoffs.

I'd say the NBA is rigging things, but have no idea what they'd be rigging as the poor officiating, and imbalanced calls have been all over the map.

[rocket surgeon]

It had to be done.  Nurse?

  unless it was mentioned somewhere in here earlier-i didn't scroll back too far to review, but one of bud's 3 brothers died in a car crash/accident before game 4 about 10-11 days ago

[The Sultan]

It was mentioned. Which is likely why the Bucks waited.

It is very sad and unfortunate. But you can only judge what happened on the court - and it was pretty bad. He probably should have removed himself from the bench, but that is entirely his call.

I have absolutely nothing but gratitude for Bud's tenure. He took that team that next step. But I think in the NBA a new voice is needed every so often, and I think we are at that point with Milwaukee.

[WhiteTrash]

The Bulls are an unmitigated disaster.  They must start over imo.

I don't think you could find 1 person, not cashing a check from the Bulls, that would disagree with you.

[MU82]

Not that he needs it for validation, but shout out to Steve Kerr for making some great coaching decisions before and during last night's game and for getting his players focused but not tight.

[tower912]

I agree with Damian Lillard.