Philippines ranked high in early 2020-21 NBA fan consumption metrics

The time and format may have changed for the ongoing 2020-21 season of the NBA, but some things never change, namely the Filipino appetite for the sport.

The NBA revealed some metrics involving NBA Tip-Off Week and Christmas Day earlier this week, with NBA Tip-Off being the most viewed week in the fifteen-year history of the league's official channel on YouTube.

Fans consumed over five million watch hours from the videos, a five-fold increase compared to last season's NBA Tip-Off. Most of that boost involved the Philippine audience, whose data shows they spent ten times more watching NBA YouTube content in the same time frame than last season, particularly with the licensed game recaps. Similar increase was noted from the US audience.

The league also reported that the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Dallas Mavericks drew the league's largest average audience of all measured international markets for its five Christmas Day games. That game, which the Lakers won, 138-115, was the lone one shown on free tv via TV5 for the Filipino audience.

Notable amongst such markets is a 345% increase in viewing from the Philippines comparing the last two seasons. A portion of the 2019-20 NBA Season had been shown on CNN Philippines, including the Christmas Day matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and the aforementioned Lakers, before the league secured a multi-year local broadcast rights deal with Cignal TV. Otherwise, fans could watch games only through NBA League Pass, which remains an option for this season and beyond.

Other markets that had a significant increase in viewing for the 2020 NBA Christmas Day games compared to last year are: Portugal (72%), Spain (63%), Denmark (51%), Taiwan (38%), and Mexico (23%)

In addition, Filipino NBA fans generated triple the amount of views and watch time on the league's YouTube channel for Christmas Day 2020 compared to its 2019 counterpart.

The NBA on Christmas: By the Numbers

Here are some numbers to watch from this season's slate of Christmas Day games


338. LeBron James is third all-time in points scored during Christmas. Only Kobe Bryant (395) and Oscar Robertson (377) have scored more.

140. That is the number of NBA Cares' Season of Giving events that have been conducted this season so far, serving over 130,000 meals and distributing over ten thousand gifts. Among those activities is the "12 Days of Khrismas" that Khris Middleton conducted in Milwaukee.

60. That is the scoring record for a Christmas Day game, which Bernard King accomplished 35 years ago.

31. That is the number of years that passed before Philadelphia will host a Christmas Day game, a streak that will end this year against the Milwaukee Bucks.

30. That is the number of international players that are currently on the rosters of the teams participating in the Christmas Day games, covering seventeen countries.

28. The number of All-Stars currently on the rosters of the teams participating in the Christmas Day games. Voting for the All-Star Game starters commences at midnight, Manila time, by the way.

25. Scottie Pippen led the Chicago Bulls to a 107-104 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on this day 25 years ago, putting up 36 points, sixteen rebounds, and five steals.

23. The number of wins on this day by the Los Angeles Lakers, which is the most in the league.

15. The number of appearances in Christmas Day games for Doc Rivers, broken down into four as a player and eleven as a head coach.

14. If he plays against the Los Angeles Clippers, LeBron James will move into solo second in games played during Christmas. Only Kobe Bryant (16) has played more during that day.

12. Twelve straight seasons that the NBA has opted for a quintuple-header for their holiday showcase.

10. If James can help tow the Los Angeles Lakers to a victory over the Clippers, he would match Dwyane Wade's record of ten Christmas Day victories.

6. That is the number of players who have pulled off a triple-double on this day: Robertson (1960, 1961, 1963, 1967), John Havlicek (1967), Billy Cunningham (1970), James (2010), Russell Westbrook (2013), and Draymond Green (2017).

4. The number of Kia NBA Most Valuable Players playing on this day: James Harden, Westbrook, James, and its latest winner, Giannis Antentokounmpo

3. The number of 2019 NBA All-Stars playing their first Christmas Day Game: Nikola Jokic, Kyle Lowry, and Kemba Walker

1. For its US broadcast, ESPN tweaked its pregame coverage this season, with this new set-up making their first Christmas. Before the Bucks-Sixers game, NBA Countdown hosted by Maria Taylor with Jalen Rose, Jay Williams, and Adrian Wojnarowski will take place. The Jump hosted by Rachel Nichols with Paul Pierce and Scottie Pippen will have a 30-minute pregame show before the start of the Clippers-Lakers game. Occurring simultaneously as The Jump is Hoop Streams, which is hosted by Cassidy Hubbarth with Kendrick Perkins and Amin El-Hassan and will be shown on ESPN's digital platforms. All three shows will also be on the ESPN app.

NBA set for Christmas extravaganza

NBA on Christmas

The NBA is once again set to be the front and center of sporting action on Christmas Day, with the 72nd edition sporting a five-game special that will last the whole day, with the whole world watching, as fans in 215 countries and 46 languages will have the opportunity to see some of the best and brightest show their skills on the basketball court.

In the Philippines, fans will have the chance to watch one of them on local television, with the Clippers vs Lakers matchup on CNN Philippines at 9am LIVE. Also, the Celtics vs Raptors matchup will be shown on the social media platforms of NBA Philippines live at 1am. For League Pass subscribers, all games are accessible to be watched from whatever device you choose to watch it on.

What can we watch from each of the games scheduled?

Celtics at Raptors

• This is the second game the Raptors have played on the holiday and the first at home.
• A lot of the players on both sides will be making their Christmas debuts, including Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam for Toronto, and Kemba Walker for Boston.
• Both teams have overcome the departure of their respective leading scorers with Siakam and Jayson Tatum making their case to be potential All-Stars.
• Expect a defensive battle, with both teams being ranked in the top 5 in Defensive Rating.

Bucks at Sixers

• This is the first Christmas game in Philadelphia since 1988.
• Both head coaches (Mike Budenholzer and Brett Brown) are from the Gregg Popovich coaching tree, having served as Spurs assistants before they were hired to take over head coaching duties elsewhere.
• Tobias Harris was the 19th overall draft pick by the Bucks in 2011. He's now fresh from signing a long-term deal with the Sixers.
• Kyle Korver was the 51st overall draft pick by the Sixers in 2003. He's now with the Bucks, reunited with Budenholzer who coached him with the Atlanta Hawks earlier this decade. The Creighton alum is also one of three remaining players from that fabled draft class still in the league, alongside LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 43-15.7-7.7 in his three regular-season meetings against Milwaukee. The Greek Freak is looking to raise to ante after becoming the Most Valuable Player last season, averaging 31 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks, and shooting 56.6% from the field (34.2% from three-point range) so far.
• Joel Embiid contributed a 34-13-13 triple-double against the Bucks last season, and he is currently putting up 23 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, .9 steals, and 1.4 blocks so far for the Sixers, who are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Rockets at Warriors

• They have met in the postseason in four of the last five seasons, but this is the first time they have met at Christmas.
• James Harden is averaging 38.6 points so far this season and is on pace to be the third-highest scoring average in NBA history.
• Draymond Green (2017) and Russell Westbrook (2013) have netted triple-doubles during Christmas, joining four others who have done the feat on that particular day. In what would be his tenth Christmas Day game, Westbrook has a chance to move up the all-time assists charts during the holiday, as four assists would move him past Dwyane Wade (80) for fourth place and nine assists would move him past Kobe Bryant (85) for third place.
• Only one player on the NBA active roster has a birthday on Christmas: Eric Gordon. The former Sixth Man of the Year winner will be sidelined due to a knee injury, though.
• Golden State may have struggled this season due to the absence of their key cogs that brought them championships, but a couple have stepped in to help try to fill the large hole: D'Angelo Russell was able to put up 52 points in a game last month, while Eric Paschall has been a positive surprise this season. The Villanova alum and the 41st pick in this season's NBA Draft is putting up 15.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in just under 50% shooting for the Warriors.

Clippers at Lakers

• The Clippers are currently 24-5 against their fellow Staples Center tenants since the 2012-13 season, including their 112-102 win on Opening Night.
• The Lakers are a Christmas Day staple. They have been playing on this day for the last 21 seasons., including this upcoming one. They have 23 wins on this day, which is the most amongst any team.
• LeBron James is the league leader in assists at 10.6 per game. He and Anthony Davis are currently questionable to play due to their respective injury knocks (muscle strain in rib for LeBron, right knee for AD).
• James is at the cusp of Christmas Day history if he plays. It would be his 14th Christmas Day game (only Kobe Bryant has more with 16), winning nine of those (only Dwyane Wade has more with ten). He will need to score forty points to move past Oscar Robertson for second place all-time in scoring during Christmas. He would also move past Oscar in field goals made if he makes eight buckets.
• The Clippers will be coming into the game without any injury issues. They are coming off a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder where both Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley sat out.
• Players in this game who have played for both the Lakers and Clippers: Avery Bradley and Jared Dudley for the Lakers and Lou Williams and Ivica Zubac for the Clippers.

Pelicans at Nuggets

• This is the first Christmas game in Denver since 1994.
• Even with their struggles, one of New Orleans' eight wins this season came against the Nuggets, a 122-107 Halloween blowout.
• Along with Westbrook, JJ Redick has played in nine Christmas Day games. Only LeBron James (13) and Udonis Haslem (10) have played in more such games among active players.
• The Nuggets have a template to which the Pelicans emulate their future. Denver's core is predominantly homegrown, with Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray coming through the draft, with veterans like Will Barton and Paul Millsap providing leadership. The Pelicans have a young core centered on this season's top overall draft pick Zion Williamson, alongside the youngsters that comprised the Anthony Davis trade in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart.