Monday, June 4 Bucks-Sixers Game 7 draws highest rating this year Associated Press NEW YORK -- Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks drew an overnight TV rating 30 percent lower than Game 7 of last year's Western Conference finals. Sunday night's game, which Philadelphia won 108-91, drew a 10.2 preliminary rating on NBC Sports, the biggest viewership for an NBA playoff game this season. However, it was well below the 14.5 overnight rating produced by the Lakers' victory over Portland in the deciding game of the 2000 Western Conference finals. Game 6 of the 76ers-Bucks series, on Friday night, drew a 7.4 overnight rating, 6 percent lower than Game 6 of last year's Eastern Conference finals, when Indiana eliminated New York. Overnight ratings measure the 49 biggest U.S. TV markets, covering about 60 percent of the country. Each rating point represents 1 percent of the TV homes in those markets. Through the first 28 games of the NBA playoffs -- before the last two games in the East -- NBC was averaging a 4.7 national rating, down 11 percent from 2000. NBC's regular-season ratings this season were down more than 10 percent from 1999-00 and 30 percent from 1998-99. In a bid to draw more viewers during the 76ers-Lakers NBA Finals, which start Wednesday night, NBC will have live halftime performances by U2 and Destiny's Child. Overnight ratings for French Open tennis on NBC over the weekend, meanwhile, were equal to those from a year ago. The four French Open telecasts on USA last week drew ratings 17 percent higher than 2000. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories