Spurs happy with Finals, but ABC not

San Antonio Spurs fans celebrated in the streets Sunday night after the Spurs won the franchise’s fifth NBA title. The party was more subdued, however, in the executive offices of ABC after the ratings for the NBA Finals were reported.

San Antonio Spurs fans celebrated in the streets Sunday night after the Spurs won the franchise’s fifth NBA title. The party was more subdued, however, in the executive offices of ABC after the ratings for the NBA Finals were reported.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Spurs happy with Finals, but ABC isn’t

The San Antonio Spurs are happy it took only five games to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, but the same can't be said for ABC.

The series averaged 15.5 million viewers, topped by the 18 million who watched the Spurs' clinching game on Sunday, the Nielsen Co. said.

Quote of the day

“He came up with at least four miracles.”

Brazil striker Fred, on Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa after the two teams played to a 0-0 in the World Cup

Overall, the series was down from the 17.7 million average for the 2013 series between the two teams. But last year's series went to the seven-game limit, with a memorable comeback from Miami in the sixth game. This year's five-game series averaged slightly higher than last year's series did through five games, Nielsen said.

The fifth and deciding game of the NHL Stanley Cup Final, shown Friday on NBC, had just over 6 million viewers.

Taking time

In an era of sound bites and one-sentence answers, Martin Kaymer tends to speak in paragraphs. Except for talking about his swing -- he has done that ad nauseum for the last two months -- the 29-year-old German offers insight and plenty of detail to any question.

There's a reason for that.

"Otherwise, people write something which is not true," Kaymer said. "And I'd rather take a minute longer to explain it properly what I mean than if you make something up."

Once the laughter subsided, Kaymer added, "I like to be in control here."

Impressive streak over

When you talk about Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Bronson Arroyo and his best attribute, it's not any particular pitch he throws. It's his durability.

Durability is one of the reasons Arroyo, 37, got a two-year, $23.5 million contract from the Diamondbacks this past offseason. Fifteen years into his MLB career, Arroyo had never gone on the disabled list. That changed Monday, when the D-backs announced Arroyo was going on the DL with right elbow tendinitis.

Thus, his streak of 369 consecutive starts without a trip to the disabled list was snapped. It was the second longest such streak in MLB. Mark Buehrle of the Toronto Blue Jays currently has a streak of 443 consecutive starts.

Debate ends

The San Antonio Spurs whipped LeBron James and the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals.

Wrote Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind.: "I think we can finally end the heated debate about who's the better player once and for all: Chris Andersen is no Dennis Rodman."

Sports quiz

On Aug. 10, 2003, Bronson Arroyo pitched a perfect game for this minor league team.

Answer

The Pawtucket Red Sox

TIM COOPER

Sports on 06/18/2014