Nellie Andreeva

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UPDATE 2PM: Game 7 of the NBA Finals was watched by an average of 28.2 million viewers and drew an 11.4 rating/33 share among adults 18-49. It scored the highest total viewer and 18-49 numbers for any NBA Finals game in 12 years, since the series-clinching Game 6 of the 1998 Bulls-Jazz series. The 2010 NBA Celtics-Lakers finals were the most watched ever on ABC. Overall, the series was the most-watched since 2001. Jimmy Kimmel’s game night specials were up 13% from last year.

PREVIOUS 8AM: Folks, it’s going to be a big one! According to very early numbers, last night’s nail-biting Game 7 of the NBA Finals will probably set an all-time record for ABC. The game, won by the LA Lakers, averaged an 18.2 overnight rating, making it the highest-rated NBA playoff game on ABC ever and the top NBA game overall in 12 years, since 1998 (Bulls/Jazz). In Los Angeles, the decider drew a 39.7 rating, the highest-ever for a playoff game on ABC. In Boston (33.9), it was the second-highest ever behind Game 6 of the 2008 series between the Lakers and Boston Celtics, which the Celtics won in a landslide.

Needless to say, the NBA Finals completely dominated Thursday night. Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance (2.2 rating/6 share among adults 18-49 in the fast nationals), was down 15% from last Thursday. CBS and NBC stayed out of the fray with repeats as well as a new 100 Questions (0.7/2), which was flat with last week and once again the lowest-rated program on the Big 4 nets Thursday night. It barely edged out reruns of Vampire Diaries (0.5/2) and Moonlight on the CW (0.5/1).

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.