In-Season Tourney Championship: Most-watched non-Christmas game since 2018

The Los Angeles Lakers' victory overthe Indiana Pacers in Saturday's inaugural NBA In-Season TournamentChampionship Game from Las Vegas averaged 4,580,000 viewers on ABCand ESPN2, making it the most-watched non-Christmas NBA game duringthe regular season on any network in nearly six years, sinceFebruary of 2018, according to Nielsen.

Viewership peaked with 5,680,000viewers at 11 p.m. ET. The average audience was up 46 percent vs.last year’s NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC season debut, which isthe comparable window (Boston Celtics vs. Golden StateWarriors).

The audience for the NBA In-SeasonTournament Championship Game was also up 64 percent from lastseason’s NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC average. It was themost-watched program in primetime and among all key demographicsfor Saturday, December 9.

The traditional game broadcast airedon ABC, while NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart, the alternatepresentation, aired on ESPN2. NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hartgarnered nearly 10 percent of the overall audience in in itsdebut.

NBA Countdown, ABC’s pregame show,averaged 2,060,000 viewers prior to the Championship Game. It wasup 30 percent compared to the comparable window last year – thepregame show for NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC season debut.

The Lakers defeated the Pacers, 123-109, at the T-Mobile Arenato earn the NBA Cup and a $500,000 prize for every player on theirroster. LeBron James was named the In-Season Tournament MVP aftercontributing 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, whileshooting 47.6% from the field.