NEW YORK - The NBA Finals games were the six highest-rated and most-watched programs so far in June, the first time that has happened in seven years.
Boston’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers averaged a 9.3 rating for the series, up 50 percent over the 6.2 for San Antonio’s sweep of Cleveland last year. The Celtics’ Game 6 clincher on Tuesday earned a 10.7 rating on ABC, averaging 16.9 million viewers over the course of the game.
Game 5, two nights earlier, averaged 17.4 million viewers.
The last time the finals swept the top spots was in 2001, when the Lakers beat Philadelphia in five games.
The Belmont Stakes, with 13.1 million viewers, was the most-watched program thus far in June besides the NBA Finals.
Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers hit the halfway point of their season with a 96-91 victory over the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
Jeremy Lin had an easy night ahead of his toughest opponent yet, and the New York Knicks tuned up for their trip to Miami by beating the Atlanta Hawks 99-82 on Wednesday night.
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