FIRST OFF . . .

The final game of the National Basketball Assn. playoffs between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night attracted the highest TV ratings of any NBA game in history, with an estimated 18.8 million homes tuned in nationally, CBS reported Wednesday. The game--which the Lakers won 108-105 and in so doing repeated as world champions--garnered a 21.2 in the A.C. Nielsen ratings. The tally was not as high as some popular TV series get during the regular season, but it was better than the previous NBA record of 19.3, posted for Game 7 of the NBA championship in 1984 between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics. In Los Angeles, about 60% of the homes with TV on between 6 and 8:45 p.m. were tuned to the game.