Tag: In the News

Spurs’ win nets area-best ratings

By Jerry Garcia, jgarcia@express-news.net

The Spurs not only pulled off a win over Memphis on Monday. They also beat local programming to be the area’s top-rated show of the night.

Overnight Nielsen ratings released Tuesday say the Spurs’ 95-82 win over the Grizzlies on Fox Sports Net Southwest nabbed an 8.8 rating and a 14 share.

San Antonio has 880,690 homes counted by Nielsen, making the city the 36th-largest media market in the U.S. A ratings point represents 1 percent of the market’s universe. The share marks the percentage of homes or people with sets tuned into a specific program.

An estimated 77,500 homes watched the telecast, with 14 percent of area TV viewers looking at the Spurs game at any point during the 2½-hour telecast.

Viewership peaked in the fourth quarter with a 10.5 rating and 17 share.

The game had higher ratings than “Monday Night Football” between the Falcons and Saints, and “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” special.

Spurs rank 11th among shortest odds to title

The Spurs haven’t exactly captured the attention of Las Vegas bettors as they prepare for the upcoming season.

The latest odds from the website indicate the Spurs rank 11th among the NBA teams with the lowest odds for an NBA title. San Antonio’s odds are 30-to-1 for claiming its fifth title in team history this season.

Odds to win 2012 NBA Championship

  • Miami Heat 9/4
  • Los Angeles Lakers 9/2
  • Chicago Bulls 7/1
  • Oklahoma City Thunder 15/2
  • Dallas Mavericks 10/1
  • Boston Celtics 14/1
  • Los Angeles Clippers 15/1
  • New York Knicks 18/1
  • Memphis Grizzlies 25/1
  • Orlando Magic 25/1
  • San Antonio Spurs 30/1
  • Portland Trailblazers 35/1
  • Atlanta Hawks 40/1
  • New Jersey Nets 50/1
  • Denver Nuggets 65/1
  • Houston Rockets 75/1
  • Indiana Pacers 75/1
  • Phoenix Suns 75/1
  • Golden State Warriors 100/1
  • Milwaukee Bucks 100/1
  • New Orleans Hornets 100/1
  • Philadelphia 76ers 100/1
  • Utah Jazz 100/1
  • Charlotte Bobcats 150/1
  • Minnesota Timberwolves 150/1
  • Sacramento Kings 150/1
  • Washington Wizards 150/1
  • Cleveland Cavaliers 200/1
  • Detroit Pistons 200/1
  • Toronto Raptors 200/1

Interestingly, the Clippers were 40-to-1 and New Orleans was 75-to-1 before the Chris Paul trade was announced.

How about it Spurs Nation? Do you have confidence that a bet on the Spurs would bring back any money at the end of the season?

Normal lineup expected tonight against Houston

Coach Gregg Popovich told the media that all of his players will see action tonight against Houston.

Popovich will start with what would appear to be his normal starting lineup of Richard Jefferson and Tim Duncan at forward, DeJuan Blair at center and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker at guard.

Duncan and Parker both got the night off for the opener against the Rockets Saturday night in Houston. Both players have said this week that they hoped to play in the Spurs’ preseason finale as a way to build the team’s continuity.