The Lakers and Warriors rivalry just got real. The “Battle of LA” matchup between the Lakers and Clippers got moved from ESPN and got replaced by the Warriors vs. Suns rematch.

Per Turner Sports PR, the Suns-Warriors game on Nov. 30 drew an average of 2.4 million viewers, making it TNT’s most-watched non-opening night game since 2019.

The last game that drew that many viewers was the Lakers-Bucks game on Dec. 19, 2019, which drew an average 2.8 million viewers. Many viewed that game as a potential Finals matchup of that season before the pandemic forced the league to adapt the playoffs with “The Bubble.”

TNT had a great day on Tuesday’s double-header, with the Knicks-Nets game averaging 1.8 million viewers, and at one point, peaking at 2.7 million around 10 pm EST.

In comparison to other networks, TNT has delivered the most viewed games throughout the regular season.

This is huge. When was the last time you saw a game featuring Lebron James of all players get demoted to the local broadcast instead of being featured on ESPN? The answer: never.

The Warriors have once again proven that they are indeed must-see TV led by the fireworks of Stephen Curry.


The Warriors exploded to an 18-3 record and made themselves legit title contenders once again. A few months into the season, they were able to change the narrative from making noise in the playoffs to be being a legit championship contender.

I mean, who doesn’t want to see Curry and Jordan Poole drill threes from 30 feet out and the high-flying theatrics of Gary Payton II? Who doesn’t want to see Draymond Green’s excellence on defense, once again proving the critics wrong?

The Suns-Warriors game on Nov. 30 certainly had a Western Conference playoffs vibe to it. The intensity was at an all-time high, and both teams knew that this wasn’t just another regular-season game.

The Suns have been riding a 17-game win streak at that point (now increasing it to a franchise record of 18), and with the Warriors separating themselves from the pack in the Western Conference, it was easy to see why this was must-see TV.

Additionally, fans have preferred the Turner Sports presentation of the NBA compared to ESPN’s version for a long time. Not only does the broadcast feature top-notch talents like Brian Anderson and Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller, but the Inside the NBA show has been one of the most popular shows in sports.

The combination of Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley provide amazing entertainment combined with top-tier analysis. Simply put, it’s easy to see why people tune into TNT rather than ESPN, and with a regular-season game drawing 2.4 million views, it’s easy to see why ESPN would be quick to pick up on the rematch.

(Photo credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic)