• ESPN and ABC’s Combined Viewership for NBA Playoffs Up 42 Percent From 2020

ESPN’s coverage of the 2021 NBA Playoffs will continue on Friday, June 4, at 9 p.m. ET when the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Dončić host the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard in Game 6 of their first round series. The Mavericks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Curt Gowdy Media Award-winner Mike Breen will provide commentary with analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Rachel Nichols. The team will call the action from site in Dallas. Officiating expert Steve Javie will also be available for commentary from the NBA Replay Center. Game 6 will also be available on ESPN Radio as Marc Kestecher describes the action with analyst Jon Barry. If a Game 7 is necessary, it will air on ABC as part of a doubleheader this Sunday, June 6, at 3:30 p.m.

NBA Countdown Presented by Mountain Dew will precede Game 6 with a one-hour pregame show starting at 8 p.m. ET. Maria Taylor hosts NBA Countdown with analysts Jalen Rose and Jay Williams and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Additionally, SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith will air a special Friday episode from 7-8 p.m. leading into NBA Countdown. NBA Countdown Presented by Hotels.com will return for a 30-minute show on Sunday, June 6, at 12:30 p.m. ahead of the ABC NBA Playoffs doubleheader.

The NBA Playoffs will continue on ABC at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, as the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons open their second round series at home against the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young. As noted, ABC will then air either the Mavericks vs. Clippers Game 7 at 3:30 p.m., or Game 1 between the Mavericks and the Utah Jazz.

ESPN and ABC’s NBA Playoffs Viewership Up 42 Percent

ESPN and ABC’s NBA Playoff viewership is up 42 percent from the 2020 NBA Playoffs first round average. Game telecasts across ESPN and ABC have averaged 3,233,000 viewers, including the Play-In Tournament, according to Nielsen. The Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 4 on May 31 generated 5,379,000 viewers, peaking with 6,332,000 viewers between 5:45-6 p.m. It was the most-watched telecast of the day across television in every key adult and male demo and is the most-watched first round game in two years.

Hoop Streams will lead into Friday’s Game 6 with its pregame show on the ESPN App and ESPN’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube platforms. Christine Williamson, Gary Striewski and Treavor Scales will provide commentary.

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