The Denver Nuggets lost in brutal fashion to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday night.
And in the process of a blowing a 20-point lead at home, the worst Game 7 collapse in NBA history, a whole lot of people were tuned in to see it around the country.
The league released the numbers for the broadcast, and it set a notable TNT record for viewers in the first two rounds of the postseason.
Sunday’s Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets averaged 8.41M viewers on TNT/truTV/Max, making it the most-watched first or second round playoff game ever on TNT Sports. Sunday also marked the most active day ever across the NBA App and… https://t.co/NjPu7tk6S7
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
Averaging nearly 8.5 million viewers on a Sunday night on cable is impressive. It’s even more impressive that it was teams from Denver and Minnesota that set the record for TNT in any first round or second round game ever.
There’s a myth out there that the NBA needs big markets to drive ratings, one the Nuggets and Wolves completely busted. You know what drives ratings? Superstars.
Clearly, both teams have them in three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and rising standout Anthony Edwards. And while Jokic had a moment of annoyance with Edwards, it’s clear he’s a great player who’s only going to get better.
It’s just a shame the talk isn’t now about the Nuggets and Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, but that’s what happens when you squander a massive lead.
Denver’s season is over, while Minnesota rolls on against Dallas. You can bet plenty of people will watch that series, too.
