For 11 years, the NBA and NBC enjoyed high Nielsen ratings that made advertisers happy. Then in 2012, NBC had their lowest Finals ratings ever as Shaq and the Lakers steamrolled and swept the New Jersey Nets.
The following year, ABC took over and in their first NBA Finals, they had Nielsen ratings barely above half of what NBC did in the previous few years. The numbers were so bad, the other major networks were getting higher ratings while showing reruns.
Before you blame the John Tesh-less ABC openings, remember NBC's run ended with a Lakers 3-Peat and ABC, unfortunately, had to start their run with a San Antonio Spurs vs New Jersey Nets series. A series which lasted six games with only one team ever breaking the 100 point mark. A series which saw both teams score a combined 153 points in Game 4, with neither team breaking the 80-point mark.
To put the interest and ratings into perspective, Game 2 had a Nielsen rating of 5.2; Game 7 between the Lakers and Kings in the previous year had a rating of 14.2.
But what most people missed out on during this series were a few monster fantasy games from Tim Duncan. In Game 1, the GOAT power forward had 32 points (13 in the 4th), 20 rebounds, 7 blocks, 6 assists and 3 steals while shooting 65%. He followed that game up with four impressive double-doubles and then finished off the Nets in Game 6 with a near quadruple-double: 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks.
According to some, Duncan was robbed of two blocks that would have given him the only quadruple-double in NBA Finals history. In case you were wondering about triple-doubles, there's been 38 in NBA Finals history and this is Duncan's only one. LeBron holds the Finals record with 10 and Magic Johnson is second with 8.
Here's YouTuber Ball Talk on the quadruple-double controversy.
Back to the ratings, only a third of the number of people who watched Michael Jordan win his last championship watched this game, but I'm sure the minority who did, will tell you how impressive Duncan was....and how boring the 88-77 victory was.
The ratings would spike the following year as the Lakers made their return to the Finals and remained decent until 2007 when you can guess which team made their return to the Finals.
FAQs
Tim Duncan (born April 25, 1976, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) American collegiate and professional basketball player who led the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to five championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014).
How many times has Duncan been to the finals? ›
Tim Duncan had 6 appearances in the NBA Finals in his career.
What did Tim Duncan average in the finals? ›
Tim Duncan averaged 20.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 34 games in the NBA Finals in his career.
How was Tim Duncan so good? ›
Duncan's greatness came from his deliberate style. He was always measured, always in control. His work in the post was like a workshop in technique for big men. The only nickname that truly ever stuck to him came from Shaq; O'Neal dubbed him “The Big Fundamental.”
Why was Tim Duncan called the Big Fundamental? ›
Shaq was known for his physical dominance, but he wanted to express how great he thought Tim Duncan was in his own way. Not flashy, physical dunks, but sound, old school basketball fundamentals. Tim was always in position, passed well, worked on his shooting and could play in the post.
Was Tim Duncan's finals MVP? ›
TIM DUNCAN CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The 1998 Rookie of the Year was named NBA MVP twice (2002, 2003) and NBA Finals MVP three times (1999, 2003 and 2005). In his NBA career, the 15-time All-Star appeared in a total of 1,392 games and averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.17 blocks in 34.0 minutes.
How old was Tim Duncan when he won his first championship? ›
Tim Duncan was 22 years old when winning >0 championships in 1998-99.
How many MVP trophies does Tim Duncan have? ›
The perennial All-Star and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player spent his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs, where in only his second season he won the first of five NBA championships.
Why does Kobe Bryant speak Italian? ›
When he was six, his father retired from the NBA and moved his family to Rieti in Italy to continue playing professional basketball. After two years, they moved first to Reggio Calabria, then to Pistoia and Reggio Emilia. Kobe became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak fluent Italian.
Is Tim Duncan a top 10 player of all time? ›
The two big men established themselves as some of the best players in NBA history, but Duncan took things to another level. He's widely viewed as a top 10 player of all time, as he led the Spurs to five championships during his time with the organization.
Tim Duncan had his most points in a game versus the Mavericks on December 26, 2001, with 53 points.
How many 40 point games does Tim Duncan have? ›
Tim Duncan played in 5 games with 40+ points.
How many 40 or more point regular-season games does Tim Duncan have?
How many 3s has Tim Duncan made? ›
Tim Duncan sank 30 shots from beyond the arc in his career.
How many 3 point shots did Tim Duncan make? ›
Tim Duncan buried 30 shots from beyond the arc in his career.
What are some fun facts about Tim Duncan? ›
4. Tim Duncan holds the Virgin Islands record in the 50-and 100-meter freestyle events for swimming, and was a nationally ranked swimmer in the U.S. in the 400-meter freestyle by 13 years old. His sister, Tricia, represented the Virgin Islands while swimming in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke in the 1988 Olympics.
How many 3 pointers did Tim Duncan make? ›
Tim Duncan sank 30 shots from beyond the arc in his career.
How many ring does Tim Duncan have? ›
Tim Duncan won 5 championships in his career.
