By all accounts, the Chicago Bulls have yet to hit full stride on court, but CSN Chicago is charging with team telecasts.

Through Feb. 4, CSN Chicago has scored a 65% rise in household ratings to a 4.8 mark in the DMA, up from a 2.9 average at that stage of the 2013-14 season, according to Nielsen data. That translates into some 167, 2500 households on average in the Windy City.

The demo growth has been even stronger, with the RSN ringing up gains in all demos, notably a 113% increase among adults 18 to 49 and 116% against adults 25 to 54.

Deliveries have benefited from the Jan. 5 game against Houston that notched a 7.59 rating and 264,000 households to stand as the network’s second-highest-rated Bulls regular-season telecast behind the 8.73 mark versus Indiana on Jan. 25, 2012.

Meanwhile, the ratings for Bulls Pregame Live presented by Miller Lite household ratings rose 38% compared to la while Kia Bulls Postgame Live ratings were up 35%.

On the digital side of the court, CSN Chicago’s rookie season of in-market, live streaming of Bulls game simulcasts on CSNChicago.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app has generated some 3 million total minutes watched thus far, according to Adobe Reports & Analytics.

The Jan. 27 Bulls-Golden State game ranks as the most-streamed game to date, with some 326,000 minutes, 5,800 in-game visits and 12,000 live starts.

Although the Bulls currently reside atop the NBA Central, many believe the club is not yet playing its best basketball, as it looks to better integrate the talents of oft-injured point guard Derrick Rose and free-agent acquisition Pau Gasol. Many deem Chicago to be one of the favorites to emerge from the Eastern Conference to reach the NBA Finals, and a strong run-up to the playoffs would potentially serve to boost CSN's ratings roll even higher.

Nielsen families placed gifts under TNT's viewing tree, as the network scored the most-viewed game and primetime doubleheader on Christmas in cable history.

Viewers were also attuned to the trio of games that aired on The Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC and ESPN, each of which scored gains over the 2013 holiday.

Event without the NBA's version of Father Christmas, Kobe Bryant, TNT averaged a 2.0 rating and 3.9 million viewers with its coverage of Derek Rose (pictured) and the Chicago Bulls' 113-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to rank as the highest-rated and most-viewed primetime cable game ever on Christmas, according to Nielsen data. 

The telecast, which likely would have scored bigger numbers if the Lakers star would have extended his record Christmas appearance run to 16 consecutive yuletides,  peaked with 4.2 million total viewers in the 10 p.m. half hour.

The nightcap --  the Los Angeles Clippers surged past the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter -- averaged a 1.7 rating and nearly 3.08 million viewers, gains of 70% and 96%, respectively, over the comparable Christmas telecast on TNT in 2008.  The Warriors-Clippers game peaked with 4.1 million total viewers from 10:45 p.m. -11:15 p.m.

Together, the Thursday night twinbill averaged 3.5 million total viewers to become the most-viewed primetime doubleheader on Christmas in cable television history., while propelling TNT to win the night across all of cable television. 

The doubleheader was up 94% over the 1.8 million watchers in 2008, the last time TNT aired a primetime doubleheader on Jesus' birthday. 

The 2014 Christmas Day doubleheader also generated significant audience advances across all key demos, including a 92% increase in persons and men 18 to 34, as well as 74% amelioration against people 18 to 49.

The holiday NBA fare also played well for Disney's outlets. ABC’s late afternoon/early evening coverage of the Miami Heat's win over old mate LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers posted up a 4.7 rating from 5  p.m. to 7:50 p.m.. a 12% bounce from Heat-Lakers in the same window last year. ABC's audience averaged 9.3 million viewers, up 19% from 2013.

Earlier on the Alphabet network, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 114-106 win over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2014 Western Conference Finals generated a 3.3 rating, 10% higher than the corresponding window on Christmas 2013. That translated into 5.99 million watchers on average -- also a 10% increase.

ESPN tipped off the day’s NBA action at noon with the game between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks, which netted a 1.8 rating and 3.05 million viewers, growth of 13% and 9%, respectively,