ESPN’s first Wednesday NBA doubleheader of the season – Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder – averaged a 1.7 overnight rating, up 55 percent from the first ESPN Wednesday doubleheader last season, according to Nielsen. Last year’s doubleheader – Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers – averaged a 1.1.

Last night’s telecasts both averaged a 1.7 overnight rating. Last season’s 76ers-Pelicans game delivered a 0.9, while Spurs-Clippers posted a 1.2.

Local highlight

The Tulsa market averaged a 3.6 rating for the Mavericks-Thunder game, which is the third-highest rated NBA regular-season game on ESPN ever in Tulsa.

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