Orlando's Eastern Conference championship-clinching victory over Cleveland drew more than 8.3 million viewers, capping a strong series for TNT.
The network averaged 8.6 million viewers for the six-game series, a 37 percent increase over its 2008 conference finals coverage. TNT showed the West finals last year, drawing about 6.3 million per game for the Lakers' victory over San Antonio.The series averaged a 5.4 U.S. rating, up 29 percent from last year's West final. The series also had a 43 percent increase in total viewers over the 2008 East finals between Boston and Detroit, which was televised by ESPN.
Overall, TNT averaged a 3.1 rating for its 43 NBA playoff games, a 19-percent increase from a year ago.
