NBA Restart Debut Averaged 3.4 Million Viewers, Doubling Regular Season Audience

After 141 days without basketball, both of Thursday's games were exciting and came down to the final minute.

The NBA restart double-header on Thursday averaged  3.4 million total viewers, more than doubling TNT's average viewership for a regular season telecast, according to the network. 

The marquee game of the double-header between the Lakers and Clippers peaked with an average of 4.1 million viewers between 6:45 and 7 p.m. PT. 

After 141 days without basketball, both of Thursday's games at Walt Disney World near Orlando were exciting and came down to the final minute. The Utah Jazz beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 106-104. Then the Lakers beat the Clippers, 103-101. 

It was a great start for the resumed NBA season after the league was paused for more than four months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each team that's part of the 22-team restart will play eight seeding games before the playoffs begin Aug. 17. 

The Finals are scheduled to start on Sept 30, with Game 7, if necessary, set for Oct. 13.