Fast National returns have ABC's coverage of game 1 of the NBA Finals coming in shy of last year -- but easily topping the night by key measures. The first showdown between Miami and San Antonio earned a 4.9 rating among adults 18-49. Last year's game, which aired on a Tuesday, was adjusted to a 6.9 adults rating with final returns.
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Elsewhere on the net, Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night (2.1 adults) was up from last year's preliminary returns, as was NBA Countdown (2.5 adults). ABC averaged an early 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 and 10.4 million viewers, though both numbers should see significant adjustments later on Friday.
Fox lead the other nets with a steady Hell's Kitchen (2.1 adults) and a boosted Does Someone Have to Go? (1.2 adults). The latter was up two tenths of a point from last week, pushing the network to an average 1.6 rating with adults 18-49 and 3.95 million viewers.
A block of encores averaged a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49 and 6.6 million viewers for CBS.
On NBC, back-to-back new episodes of Save Me (0.7 adults) were each up a tenth of a point from last week. Hannibal (0.9 adults), facing competition from the NBA, was down a tenth of a point to a series low. NBC averaged a 0.7 rating with adults 18-49 and 2.3 million viewers.
The CW, airing repeats, pulled a 0.2 rating with adults 18-49 and 828,000 viewers.
Univision averaged a 1.3 rating with adults 18-49 and 3.3 million viewers.
