Highest-Rated NBA Finals Ever on ABC through Five Games

The 2015 NBA Finals, in which the Golden State Warriors lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2, is the highest-rated ever on ABC through five games, according to Nielsen.

Last night's Game 5 delivered a 14.2 overnight rating, which is the highest-rated Game 5 on ABC in more than a decade and up 21 percent from an 11.7 for last year's Game 5 (Miami-San Antonio). The broadcast peaked with an 18.1 from 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET.

San Francisco Market Sets another Record

The 2015 NBA Finals set another local ratings record for Game 5. In the San Francisco market, the ABC broadcast generated a 33.6 rating, an all-time best for an NBA game on the network. In the Cleveland market, the broadcast delivered a 42.5 rating, making it the third-highest rated NBA game ever on the network (trails only Games 3 and 4).

The NBA Finals is expected to win the night for the 47th consecutive time across all of television (broadcast and cable).

The record-setting 2015 NBA Finals is averaging a 13.5 overnight rating through five games, which is up 27 percent from a 10.6 last year.

Last night's edition of NBA Countdown, ABC's NBA Finals pre-game show, delivered a 3.7 overnight rating, which was up 28 percent from a 2.9 for last year's Game 5 pre-game show.

The 2015 NBA Finals will continue with Game 6 on Tuesday, June 16, at 9 p.m. on ABC. Mike Breen, in his record-setting 10th season as the voice of The Finals, will continue to provide commentary with analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and reporter Doris Burke. NBA Countdown will precede the broadcast at 8:30 p.m. with host Sage Steele and analysts Jalen Rose and Doug Collins.

ABC has been the exclusive home of the NBA Finals since the 2002-03 season.