Viewership numbers for the first games of the 2023 NBA play-in tournament are in, and three of the four games played earlier this week showed improvement compared to 2022.
Timberwolves/Lakers in the late game on TNT averaged 3.474 million viewers. The late game on TNT in 2022 was Clippers/Timberwolves, and that broadcast averaged 2.7 million.
Both play-in games on ESPN saw viewership increases year over year. Bulls/Raptors in the early game averaged 2.335 million compared to 2.11 million for Hornets/Hawks last year. In the late game, Thunder/Pelicans averaged 2.858 million. That contest saw an improvement in average viewership compared to Spurs/Pelicans in the late game in 2022.
TNT’s other game, Hawks/Heat, averaged 2.245 million, down ever so slightly from the 2.48 million that watched Cavs/Nets a year ago.
The play-in tournament concludes on Friday with Bulls/Heat in the early game on TNT and Thunder/Timberwolves at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. The winner of each game will secure the 8th seed in their conference.
