Revealed: Boston Celtics win over Milwaukee Bucks was NBA’s most-watched Christmas game with Six MILLION fans tuning in – as NBA tops record numbers against NFL competition
The NBA recorded a five percent increase in viewership for this year’s five Christmas Day games from 2021, it has been announced ESPN.
The Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics in the 5:00pm time slot was the most watched game of the day with six million viewers.
The number of fans reached a 16 percent increase from last year.
The Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics was the most watched NBA game on Christmas
The other four games of the day were the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 12pm, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas mavericks at 2:30pm, Grizzlies vs. Warriors at 8:00pm, and Suns vs. Nuggets at 10:30pm.
The increase in viewership is much needed by the NBA, which recorded its lowest viewership last year in 2021, since adopting a five-game slate.
This year’s five-game holiday slate averaged 4,271,000 viewers, compared to 4,082,000 viewers from last year.
76ers’ Tobias Harris (12) drives to the basket against Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (11) on Sunday
While it fell shy of the six million plus viewers the Bucks and Celtics game received the Knicks-76ers game averaged 4,036,000 viewers, up 38 percent from last season’s noon ET window. The game was aided by a matchup that also aired on ESPN2 via the NBA on Stephen A’s World alternate presentation.
It turned out to be the most watched 12pm game since 2011.
The final NBA game in the West which started at 10:30pm EST, also drew record numbers. The game Suns vs. Nuggets averaged 2,485,000 viewers and has been the most-watched final Christmas game in seven years, dating back to 2015.
Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns is defended by Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets
