Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The three games of this year’s NBA Finals have brought two overtime thrillers and a near-comeback that netted LeBron’s Cavaliers a 2-1 series lead. It’s been incredibly entertaining, and the viewers are watching in record numbers.

Last week’s Game 1 was the most watched opening game of a Finals since the Kobe/Iverson showdown in 2001. With the thrilling overtime win for the Warriors, Game 2 was even bigger, boasting the biggest Game 2 numbers since the Bulls/Jazz matchup in 1998. And last night?

Game 3 delivered a 13.7 rating – the best any NBA Finals Game 3 has ever done for the network. Last night’s Cavs’ win, which gives them two Games to the Warrior’s one victory, was up 10% from the previous Game 3 record holder of the 2004 battle between the L.A. Lakers and the Detroit Pistons. Compared to last year’s Game 3 court match-up between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs, last night’s game leap up 33% in MM results.

Additionally, in the Cleveland TV market, the game got a 49.0 rating, meaning literally half of the TVs in Cleveland watched the game. It’s probably also safe to bet that the ratings were pretty high in Australia — homeland of Andrew Bogut and Matthew Dellavedova — and the game’s tip-off took place at 11AM. If the Cavs go to a 3-1 or 3-2 lead, they might as well just close Cleveland for the day.