BOSTON — As if we or those in the NBA office needed any validation of the power of Lakers-Celtics, we got it in the form of the TNT overnight ratings: The game in Boston on Thursday night was the most watched game on TNT in 13 years.
It drew 4.3 million viewers, the most for any game on cable since 2004 (Pistons-Pacers). It was TNT’s best game since 1996 (Bulls-Lakers).
Although another highly anticipated game is coming up Sunday on ABC with Lakers-Cavaliers, NBA TV is offering up both Kobe Bryant’s 61-point game and LeBron James’ no-longer-triple-double outing — both games just occurring in New York — for replay as lead-ins to the live game Sunday.
The Lakers-Knicks replay in its entirety will be on at 7:30 a.m Pacific time Sunday, followed by Cavaliers-Knicks. James lost his 10th rebound when the NBA on Friday corrected a statistcal error from that game against New York.
