Lakers-Suns Tips TNT

Fueled by the NBA Western Conference Finals, TNT nailed down its fifth consecutive demo sweep, topping ESPN for supremacy among the core viewing groups.For the week ended May 23, the Turner net averaged 1.56 million viewers 18-49, 1.47 million adults 25-54 and 840,000 viewers 18-34, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day ratings data.Game 3 of the Lakers-Suns series drew 8.46 million total viewers to TNT, down 6 percent from last year’s analogue, a Magic-Cavs Eastern Conference Finals tilt that drew 8.98 million viewers on May 24, 2009. In a must-win game that drew 4.67 million viewers 18-49 and 4.5 million adults 25-54, Phoenix’ defense and a big night from 7-foot center Robin Lopez helped the Suns cut the Lakers’ series lead to 2-1.As with total viewers, TNT’s Game 3 demos dipped 6 percent from its year-ago deliveries.Game 1 of the Lakers-Suns showdown served up 7.11 million viewers Monday night, down 3 percent from Game 1 of the Magic-Cavs series. Among those tuning in were 3.95 million viewers 18-49 and 3.7 million adults 25-54. The second game of the best-of-seven series delivered 7 million total viewers, of which 3.92 million were members of the 18-49 set and 3.68 million were adults 25-54.All told, TNT took second in prime last week among total viewers, as USA Network edged it by a margin of 67,000 (2.91 million to 2.84 million).ESPN also put up big numbers with its NBA playoff coverage, as Game 2 of the Celtics-Magic series drew 7.16 million viewers Tuesday night. (Broadcast by ABC, Game 1 of the Boston-Orlando set drew 7.03 million viewers Sunday afternoon.) Deliveries for the Celtics’ 95-92 victory were down 9 percent from the 7.89 million viewers ESPN drew with Game 2 of the Lakers-Nuggets Western Conference Finals.Bristol also drew 4.2 million viewers 18-49 and 3.84 million adults 25-54.Game 3 averaged 6.02 million viewers Saturday night, of which more than half (3.22 million) were adults 25-54 and viewers 18-49 (3.14 million). There is no analogue to Saturday’s contest, as Game 3 of the 2009 Lakers-Nuggets series was broadcast by ABC (8.73 million).On the week, ESPN finished second in the core demos, averaging 1.33 million viewers 18-49, 1.3 million adults 25-54 and 676,000 viewers 18-34. The sports net took third among total prime time viewers, drawing 2.61 million.USA Network took the bronze with its delivery of adults 25-54 (748,000) and viewers 18-49 (1.03 million). The NBC Universal property notched its biggest delivery of the week with WWE Raw, scaring up 4.91 million viewers Monday night between 9 p.m. and 11:05 p.m.Closing out the top five, Fox News Channel averaged 1.88 million viewers, while Nick at Nite served up 1.7 million.

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Lakers-Suns Tips TNT

Anthony Crupi

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Anthony Crupi