NEW YORK (AP) -- The L.A. Lakers'series-clinching win over the Boston Celtics was seen by 28.2 million viewers last week, making it the most-watched NBA game since Michael Jordan won his sixth and final championship in 1998.
The Nielsen Co. said Thursday's game on ABC was the most-watched event during television's summer season since the first "Survivor" finale in 2000, with the exception of the Olympics. During the game's deciding moments in the fourth quarter, viewership peaked at 36.5 million -- even though it was after 11:30 p.m. on the East Coast.
It continues a trend of big events in sports and entertainment getting big ratings, attributed in part to the rapid acceptance of high-definition television. This year's Super Bowl ranks as the most most-watched program in U.S. television history.
As a whole, the seven-game championship series between the NBA's two most successful franchises had better ratings than any NBA finals since the Lakers took on the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001.
