NBA Cup championship becomes most-watched non-Christmas game since 2018
The NBA attracted a big audience for its inaugural In-Season Tournament championship game.
Saturday's tilt between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers drew an average of 4.58 million viewers, peaking at 5.68 million. That makes it the most-watched non-Christmas NBA game during the regular season since February 2018, according to a press release.
The Lakers defeated the Pacers 123-109 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to win the NBA Cup, thanks in large part to a 41-point effort from Anthony Davis. LeBron James finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in the win and was named MVP of the tournament.
The traditional game broadcast, which aired on ABC, was up 64% from last season's NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC average. The alternate broadcast, hosted by comedian Kevin Hart on ESPN2, drew nearly 10% of the overall audience.
In addition to earning a trophy, Lakers players walked away with $500,000 each as the tournament champions. The Pacers received $200,000 apiece.