LeBron James’s record-breaking performance delivers massive ratings for TNT with 3.7m viewers’ LeBron James’s record-setting performance drew in a massive audience for TNT Tuesday night – but still wasn’t the most-watched game of the season.
James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record against the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 34-year mark with 38,388 points, during the LA Lakers 133-130 loss.
LeBron James’s record-breaking performance delivers massive ratings for TNT with 3.7m viewers
The stunning performance drew an average of three million viewers to TNT, making it the network’s largest non-Opening Night regular-season audience in five years.
TNT’s telecast peaked with 3.7 million viewers from 11.45 pm to midnight – exceptional numbers for an NBA regular season game in February.
It was the ninth most-watched game of the 2022-23 season with every game topping it either having been played on Christmas Day, Opening Night or shown on ABC, according to Sports Media Watch.
LeBron James’s record-setting performance drew in a massive audience for TNT Tuesday
James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record against the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Lakers star surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s (right) 34-year mark with 38,388 points
The Milwaukee Bucks’ visit to Boston on Christmas Day topped the chart for this season with a peak of 6.08 million viewers – 1.33 million more than the festive clash between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors in second place.
Viewership for Tuesday night’s historic game dwindled after James scored the record-breaking shot.
After James set the new record, numbers fell from 3.72 million at 11.45pm and 3.64 million at midnight to 2.40 million in the final full quarter-hour.
TNT’s telecast won the night across all of television in the key young adults demographics – between 18-49 years old and 25-54 years old – which is even more notable given President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address aired across multiple networks Tuesday night.
It was also the network’s largest regular season audience outside of Opening Night since Clippers-Lakers on opening night of the ‘bubble’ restart in July 2020, which drew in 3.35 million.
Excluding that anomaly, it was the most-watched since Lakers-Blazers in October 2018, James’ first game with the Lakers, which 3.31 million tuned in to see.
Fans had also shelled out thousands to secure a seat at Crypto.com arena to witness history in person, and James didn’t make them wait – putting on a show to seal the record, while Abdul-Jabbar watched on from courtside.
James went into the game against OKC needing 36 points to overtake the record of 38,387 – which was set by Abdul-Jabbar in 1989.
James celebrated the achievement with his sons Bronny (L) and Bryce (R) on Tuesday night
James lofted his hands high into the air as his teammates celebrated before mobbing The King
The telecast won the night across all of television among key young adults demographics, beating President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address (pictured)
The King claimed the record with 10.9 seconds remaining in the third quarter with a trademark fadeaway dagger. He finished with 38 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a 133-130 defeat.
Following the record-breaking shot, James walked away with his hands high in the air before he was mobbed by teammates and eventually his sons, Bronny and Bryce, along with wife, Savannah.
The game between the Lakers and OKC was stopped in order to recognize the moment.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver grabbed a microphone, as social media ran wild, to honor James alongside Abdul-Jabbar, who gifted James the ceremonial basketball.
James came into Tuesday’s game averaging 30 points, with his performance sure to be a huge disappointment to those who shelled out up to $100,000 a ticket to secure a seat for Thursday’s game against Milwaukee.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver congratulated James alongside former holder Abdul-Jabbar
The King thanked his family, friends and the Lakers fanbase for the everlasting support
Film star Denzel Washington watches the Lakers game alongside Jay-Z on Tuesday night
‘I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful, you guys are one of a kind,’ James said.
‘To be in the presence of such a legend and great as Kareem it means so much to me, it’s very humbling. Please give a standing ovation to the captain, please.’
‘To my beautiful wife, my daughter, my two boys, my friends, my boys, my family, my mother. Man, everybody that’s been a part of this run with me these last 20-plus years. I just wanna say thank you so much because I wouldn’t be me without y’all.
‘All y’all help, all y’all passion, all y’all sacrifice has helped me get to this point. And to the NBA, to Adam Silver, to the late, great David Stern, I thank you guys so much for allowing me to be a part of something I’ve always dreamed about.
‘I would never, ever in a million years dreamt this any better than what it is tonight. F*** man, thank you guys,’ he ended.
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