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Despite two entertaining conference finals being played, the NBA TV ratings are down, according to a report by RealGM. The Game 2 thriller between the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets - which went right down to the wire and concluded with an Anthony Davis three-point shot - averaged only 3.7 million viewers. That made the Lakers-Nuggets Game 2 the least-watched conference finals game since 2003. With so much going on in the Orlando bubble, it is difficult to keep up with the latest NBA news updates.
Here are some NBA news updates that might not have made your feed:
NBA TV ratings down: What's the reason behind it?
USA President Donald Trump has often come out in the media and expressed his displeasure over the 'highly political' NBA. Trump and the Republicans believe that athletes should concentrate on their sport instead of indulging in political activism.
Notably, LeBron James and other NBA stars have been criticized by Trump for their involvement in fighting social injustice and police brutality. Trump had used this as an excuse for the NBA TV ratings being down, insinuating that viewers were not interested in a politically active league.
But the actual reason for the NBA TV ratings being down is the fact this is the first time the playoffs have clashed with the NFL season (as well as other sports, such as the NHL and MLB, which have also returned). This has led to a sharp drop in the viewer count.
NBA News Update: Boston Celtics-Miami Heat records 17-year low in viewership
In the other NBA news update, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat also dropped to a 17-year low. That game, broadcasted by ESPN, also went up against an NFL game on NBC last Thursday.
Along with that, ratings for the first round of the playoffs dropped 27 percent since last season and a surprising 40 percent from two years back.
