NBA Finals help ABC top TV ratings

With its three NBA Finals games sweeping the top three spots in the ratings, ABC had its most-watched week between Memorial Day and Labor Day in six years.

Game 5 of the series between the Lakers and Boston Celtics on Sunday was the most-watched program between June 7 and Sunday, averaging 18.65 million viewers, according to live-plus-same day figures released Tuesday by the Nielsen Co.

Game 4 Thursday was second for the week, averaging 16.37 million viewers, the most for a Game 4 since the Lakers-Detroit Pistons series of 2004. Game 3 Tuesday was third, averaging 15.96 million, the most for a Game 3 since 2004.

ABC was the most-watched network for the second consecutive week, averaging 7.96 million viewers, its most for a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day since the week of June 7, 2004, when it aired three games of the Lakers-Pistons series.

CBS finished second, averaging 7.07 million viewers. CBS had 13 of the week’s 14 most-watched scripted programs.

CBS’ coverage of Sunday’s Tony Awards was 22nd, averaging 6.98 million viewers, 5.8% less than last year, but more than four of the previous six years.

Fox was third, averaging 5.32 million viewers. Its most-watched program was the season finale of “Glee,” sixth overall averaging 11.08 million viewers, its most for an episode that did not follow “American Idol.”

NBC was fourth, averaging 5.11 million viewers. It had the most-watched program other than the NBA Finals, “America’s Got Talent,” fourth overall averaging 13.09 million viewers.