NEW YORK (AP) -Television ratings for the NBA finals are up big from last season but falling short of the last time the Lakers were involved.

Game 2 on Sunday drew an 8.5 fast national rating on ABC, the network said Monday. That's an increase of 52 percent from the 5.6 last year for the Spurs-Cavaliers series.

But the Boston Celtics' 108-102 win over Los Angeles didn't come close to the Game 2 rating during the Lakers' previous finals appearance in 2004. That matchup between LA and the Detroit Pistons earned a 10.7.

The rating is the percentage watching a program among homes with televisions.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.