No surprise here: After a disappointing and controversial regular season, a sweep in the first round of the playoffs and Kevin Durant’s trade request, the number of Nets national TV games dropped precipitously, from 26 to 13.
The number of games on ABC, ESPN and TNT is a good indicator of how the NBA and national broadcasters value each team, particularly in terms of star power. If you add in games on NBA TV, the number drops from 38 to 23. Also, the number of games on ABC, often among the most viewed games of the season, has gone from five to one.