Viewership up for NBA on cable and online. NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA's three network partners all drew their second-highest total of viewers for a full regular season, while NBA TV had its highest total. TNT, in its 29th year televising the NBA, averaged about 2 million viewers for its 52 telecasts. Miami's season-opening victory over Boston drew nearly 5.4 million, making it the fifth most-watched NBA regular-season game ever on cable.