Updated: December 26, 2011, 3:17 pm ET

NBA season openers net banner ratings

By HOOPSWORLD
Basketball News & NBA Rumors

ABC and ESPN received a nice Christmas present in the form of solid ratings for the return of the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls-Los Angeles Lakers matchup drew the third-highest preliminary rating for a regular-season game on ABC. The 6.5 overnight rating trailed only a 7.3 effort for last year’s Miami Heat-Lakers showdown and a 7.9 for another tilt between the teams in 2004.

Derrick Rose hit a runner in the lane with 4.8 seconds left and finished with 22 points as the Bulls overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out an 88-87 victory over the host Lakers on Sunday.

Chris Paul’s debut for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Golden State Warriors earned a 2.3 overnight rating on ESPN.

Paul finished with 20 points and nine assists as the Clippers pulled away late in the fourth quarter for a 105-86 victory over the Warriors.

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