Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 4/26/23: Warriors-Kings Game 4 draws largest first round audience in over 20 years

Good Morning Dub Nation,

The series between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings has arguably been the most entertaining matchup of the postseason thus far. The numbers continue to support this claim as their Game 4 matchup on Sunday drew an average audience of 7.5 million with a peak of 10.4 million — the largest audience for a first round series since 2002, according to The Athletic.

The Warriors remain one of the NBA’s biggest draws when it comes to viewership. The star power of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green along with their fun and free-flowing style of play continues to capture the appeal of fans all over the world. Not to mention, the team’s longevity and productivity over the past decade has people watching to either cheer them on or pray for their downfall.

Sunday’s game added to the mix the fallout from Green’s one-game suspension, the familiarity between Kings’ head coach Mike Brown and his former team, the geographical rivalry between the two Northern California teams, and topped it off with a huge serving of playoff drama to give fans everywhere a taste of peak NBA basketball.

Via The Athletic:

What this monster viewership represents is a perfect nexus of premium programming windows (the game aired on over-the-air ABC and tipped at 3:30 ET on Sunday), star power (Steph Curry and company in a meaningful game), the increase in viewership sports programming has enjoyed because of Nielsen’s out-of-home measurement, limited sports competition and an exciting brand of basketball between the two teams.

While it’s no surprise that the Warriors can bring in a massive audience, the Kings have also done their part in making this an exciting series. Brown – the NBA’s Coach of the Year — brings to the table a fast-paced offensive system predicated on ball movement as he attempts to take down his former team. By combining that with a budding, hyper-athletic superstar in De’Aaron Fox, the Kings boast one of the best offensive showcases across the league as fans everywhere anxiously wait to see the team “light the beam”.

The series is guaranteed to have at least two more games including tonight’s pivotal Game 5 matchup in Sacramento. With a plethora of storylines to follow, it’ll be interesting to see the fate of these two teams as they battle to keep their championship aspirations alive.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• Preview: Warriors look to take big road game from Kings in Game 5
• Warriors have won 77% of Game 5’s in Steve Kerr-era
• Mailbag: Road woes, bench play, and momentum
• Fractured finger won’t keep Fox out of Game 5
• Former Warrior JTA calls Game 5 a ‘must-win’ for Golden State

Other Warriors News:

• Kings’ De’Aaron Fox (finger) plans to play G5 vs. Warriors (ESPN)
• NBA rumors: Warriors want to retain Draymond Green after 2022-23 NBA season (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Warriors must find road success in biggest test of season vs. Kings (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Warriors-Kings: Will Steve Kerr put Draymond Green back in starting lineup, or continue to prioritize spacing?(CBS Sports)
• Kings-Warriors Game 4 records largest audience for first-round NBA playoff game in 21 years (The Athletic)

NBA News:

• Devin Booker goes off for 47 points as Suns eliminate Clippers (ESPN)
• Nuggets finish off Wolves in 5 behind Nikola Jokic’s triple-double (ESPN)
• Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard diagnosed with torn meniscus: What’s his potential recovery timeline? (The Athletic)
• Playoffs Film Study: Hawks spread Celtics out to win Game 5 (NBA)
• Paolo Banchero named 2022-23 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year (NBA)