[Boquillas]

I believe that game 1 still led prime-time in numbers, despite the low ratings. I would blame Stern for fixing it the last few years so that most games are on TNT or ESPN, rather than network tv. Basketball is disappearing from the national spotlight because games aren't on the national networks the way football or even baseball are. You could always count on seeing a Saturday or Sunday afternoon baseball game even if you don't have cable. For me, trying to see Spurs games in Montana without cable has been impossible. I barely get to see any basketball at all, and I love the sport. People just aren't reminded that it exists as often as they used to because of the lack of national network support, and it's becoming a niche sport like hockey or tennis. Large markets could drive ratings up a little higher, but the non-local fans aren't getting a chance to see teams other than their own as often, and so aren't tuning in for the playoffs anymore if their teams isn't represented. This unfamiliarity with other teams is also what has allowed "myths" and other misinformation about teams to propagate. Too many casual fans who don't actually "watch" teams are parroting sports pundit talking points (intended to be controversial to increase readership), rather than deciding for themselves whether, say, the Spurs are really "boring," or if LeBron is being unfairly compared to Jordan so early in his career. And true fans, who can see something worth watching in any playoff team, are the only people who tune in.