According to Nielsen estimates that include same-night DVR playback, Fox’s 2.5 rating/8 share in 18-49 topped ABC’s 2.2/7, with NBC third (1.9/6), followed by CBS (1.7/5), Univision (1.3/4) and USA (0.8/2).

Fox also led in adults 25-54 (2.6/8) and persons 12-34 (2.3/8), while CBS led in total viewers (7.2 million vs. 6.5 million for runner-up Fox).

Improved numbers this year for both the NBA Finals and hockey’s Stanley Cup Finals on NBC helped the broadcast networks achieve something they haven’t done at all in 2008: outperform the same week of a year ago. The major nets and CW were up a combined 5% in both 18-49 and total viewers vs. the second summer frame of 2007.

Depending on who wins the series, and how many games it takes, ABC might have the edge in ratings this upcoming week. We shall see.

ABC averaged an 8.4 rating/14 share for the night, topping second-place CBS (7.3/12) by 1.6 million viewers. FOX finished a distant third at 3.1/5. NBC, 2.5/4, came in fourth, while The CW managed only a 0.9/2.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, ABC’s 4.7 rating was far and away the night’s best. CBS, 2.6, came in second, followed by FOX at 2.4. Neither NBC (1.3) nor The CW (0.5) made much of a dent.

CBS’ “60 Minutes” drew a 7.0/13 at 7 p.m. to win the hour. The finale of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” registered a 5.0/9, beating out “Dateline,” 3.0/6, on NBC. Reruns of “King of the Hill” and ” The Simpsons” averaged 2.1/4 for FOX. The CW re-aired the “America’s Next Top Model” finale.

The big trouble for ABC is, of course, that the season can only one time a year!