The NBA’s ratings have slumped to start the season, but Wednesday’s return of Stephen Curry when the Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics was the most-watched game since Opening Night. The game averaged a 1.2 rating and had 2.14 million viewers on ESPN.
The game marked an increase of 77 percent from the average of ESPN games during the first two weeks of the season. The ESPN average of 1.21 million in the first two weeks marked a 34% decline from the comparable point last year (1.84M).
The NBA has been competing against a World Series that had higher ratings featuring the big market Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, as well as election coverage.