The Golden State Warriors are the hottest team in professional sports, winners of 23 straight games to open the 2015-16 regular season. They feature the most electrifying player in the league, Stephen Curry, who was last year’s NBA MVP en route to the 2015 NBA Title.
The Warriors had too much firepower and poured in 44 first-quarter points to keep the winning streak alive. [Photo: Frank McGrath/PS&E]
The Warriors jumped out to a 44-28 lead after the first quarter, led by as many as 32, and kept their winning streak alive with a 131-123 victory.
NBA TV picked up the broadcast and was rewarded with record ratings.
The broadcast averaged 823,000 total viewers, was the network’s most-viewed game of the season and its fourth most watched regular season game of all-time. (NBA TV is averaging 310,000 total viewers during the 2015-16 regular season, up three percent over last year.)
Also, it ranks first all-time on the network among men 18-34 (273,000 total viewers) and men 18-49 (428,000). Among people 18-49, it was second all-time.
Total viewers were up 131 percent compared to a similar broadcast last year.
FOX Sports Indiana, the local affiliate who is televising all 82 games for the first time ever, also benefitted from the matchup. Their local broadcast received a 6.4 household rating, the highest number FSI has received for ar egular-season game since April 11, 2014 at Miami.
Ratings are up 22 percent for FSI this season, primarily because of the return of Paul George … resulting in more wins. Through 20 games, their broadcasts have averaged a 3.4 rating, which is on pace for its second-best season in the last 10 years — trailing only the 2013-14 season.