The anticipation was high, fans were hyped, and the whole basketball world was on the edge over perhaps the biggest game of the current NBA season. Luka Dončić was up against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for the first time since his surprising send-off to the Los Angeles Lakers. The eagerness to witness how the rising NBA superstar will perform in his revenge game pushed the viewership numbers to the skies.
It was a relief for the NBA in general since it’s been grappling with declining viewership in recent times. The recently concluded NBA All-Star game was a glaring example of declining viewership as the ratings toppled 13% from last year with the second-lowest viewership ever. But things were different during the super-hyped Mavs vs. Lakers game.
Luka Dončić’s Revenge Game Delivers TNT’s Biggest Audience Since Opening Night
Dončić’s first game against the Mavericks turned out to be a massive ratings success. The game averaged 2.5 million viewers across TNT, TruTV, and Max, marking a 210% increase from the comparable game last season. It was also the night’s most-watched program among viewers under 50 and TNT’s most-watched game since Opening Night.
Social media buzz further highlighted the game’s impact. The Mavericks-Lakers showdown generated 358 million views across all social media platforms in the first 12 hours alone, making it the most-viewed NBA game of the season online.
Dončić was the No. 1 trending topic on X before, during, and after the game, with nine of the top trending topics in the U.S. tied to the matchup.
Internationally, Dončić’s revenge game also broke records. On NBA League Pass, it was the most-watched game of the season and the second-most-watched regular-season game ever on the platform.
The record-breaking viewership was a welcome sight for the NBA, which has struggled with declining ratings this season. League-wide TV viewership is down 5%, and early-season ratings were down by 19% year over year. But high-profile matchups like Dončić vs. the Mavericks have helped narrow the gap.
Incidentally, for viewers, every minute spent watching the Mavs-Lakers faceoff was worth it. The Slovenian star didn’t disappoint as he lit the scoreboard with 19 points, 12 assists, and 15 rebounds. LeBron James led the way with 27 points, while Kyrie Irving’s massive 35-point effort kept the game competitive, adding to the drama and keeping viewers hooked.
It was certainly the kind of adrenaline rush and thrilling experience that basketball fans crave, and they got it in plenty at Crypto.com Arena.
