TNT started its exclusive Western Conference Finals Game #1 coverage with exceedingly high ratings, delivering a 4.1 US rating and 4,615,000 households. The game, which featured a come from behind 89-85 win for the #1 seeded Los Angeles Lakers over the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, delivered a 51% increase over TNT’s Eastern Conference Finals Game #1 last year between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons (2.7 US rating), and a 36% increase over the 2007 Western Conference Finals Game #1 match up between the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs on ABC. 

• TNT's coverage of Game #1 of the Western Conference beat ABC, NBC, CBS and the CW across all broadcast and cable outlets in A18-34, M18-34, M18-49 and M25-54.
• The game out-delivered all ABC, NBC and CW prime programs on P18-49 and P25-54.
• The game out-delivered all ABC and CW on Households and Total Viewers.
• The LA Lakers victory out-delivered Fox’s American Idol Finale  from 8 – 9 pm PT in the LA market in ratings (17.9 vs. 13.2) and households (1,008,000 vs. 744,000).
• Game #1 of the Lakers/Spurs was the most watched Western Conference Finals game since the 2006 Game #6 of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns.

Source: TNT

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

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