Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-finals saw the Golden State Warriors defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 127-100. The game witnessed staggering TV ratings despite the rout; the game was seen by a large crowd, setting a record for the most viewers for a conference semifinal on a Disney platform. With an average of 7.4 million people watching Game 1 on television, fans of both the Warriors and the Lakers are tuning in for this series, driving fans to engage on Fuksiarz.
In addition to LeBron James squaring off against Stephen Curry, the Lakers’ reputation and prominence in the second-largest media market in North America have helped boost the series’ profile.
There will be a Game 3 of the series on Saturday night at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN in Southern California, and the NBA and Disney are probably crossing their fingers for a long series that may end with a Game 7 on Mother’s Day during primetime, which would generate massive numbers.
Despite two midweek blowouts, the NBA Playoffs ratings continue to soar, as evidenced by the impressive viewership numbers of Thursday’s Lakers-Warriors second-round game 2. The game drew a 3.95 rating and 7.35 million viewers on ESPN, ranking as the second-largest early-round audience on cable since 2012, trailing only Game 1 on TNT, which drew 7.4 million viewers.
For the second game in a row, the Lakers-Warriors matchup was the most-watched show on all of television that night. The Warriors dominated the game by 27 points, with a peak viewership of 8.39 million around halftime.
This game was the fourth-largest audience of the NBA season, behind Game 1 on Tuesday and Games 4 and 7 of the Warriors-Kings matchup on ABC during the first round, which drew 7.52 million and 9.84 million viewers, respectively. Impressively, the Warriors have played in the five most-watched games of the playoffs and six of the top nine.
The NBA and Disney have been collaborating on a schedule to increase viewing, and clubs like the Warriors and Lakers stand to benefit from the increased attention. Regardless of how the series turns out, it’s apparent that basketball fans all around the country are captivated by the epic showdown between these two legendary teams.
Western Conference semi-finals are fixed between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have won Game 1. In Game 2 at the Chase Centre, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors prevailed over the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 127-100. The Lakers were great in Game 1 against the Warriors but somehow lacked in Game 2 which led to their defeat. The Warriors exploited the weak points of the Lakers’ defense and scored with great ease hence they won by a big margin. After a resounding victory, the series is even at 1-1 and moving on to the Crypto.com Arena.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the heart of the Warriors, came out swinging in Game 2. Thompson scored 30 points, the most of anybody, thanks to an 8-for-11 performance from beyond the arc. To go along with his 12 assists. The Warriors tied the series thanks to Klay Thompson’s outstanding performance in Game 2.
In reaction to AD’s incredible performance in Game 1, Draymond Green took over at center. Green limited AD to 11 points while forcing him to commit four mistakes.
Steph Curry had 20 points, and 12 assists, while Draymond Green had 11 PTS, 11 REB, and 9 Ast. The Warriors relied heavily on the Pick and Roll with Draymond Green in the middle after Anthony Davis’ defensive domination in the paint in Game 1.
To defend shooters like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, AD had to move out to the wing, which opened up space in the paint for those players. The Warriors’ offense got going in the second half, making 21 three-pointers (matching the team playoff record) on 50 percent shooting from the field.
Klay Thompson delivered at crucial moments, making eight of his eleven 3-point tries (73%). All through the first three quarters, Thompson continued extending their advantage with clutch baskets, most of which were not easy looks. Thompson held his own defensively against Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and the rest of the league’s best.
Although he had shot just 18% from beyond the arc in these playoffs, LeBron James got off to a hot start in Game 2 by making back-to-back 3-pointers. In the opening 20 minutes, James scored 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting. The Warriors then unleashed an avalanche in the third quarter, increasing their advantage to a staggering 28 points by the period’s conclusion. In the second half, LeBron shot a miserable 1 for 5 from the field, scoring only 2 points.
To compete with the league’s most potent offensive unit, the Los Angeles Lakers need more of his scoring prowess. Can the Warriors win Game 3 at the Crypto.com Arena and reclaim the lead in the series? Or will the Lakers be able to mount a comeback? On Saturday, we’ll have our answer. The Golden State Warriors are playing at a high level of consistency and have a good shot at winning the series and the title.