With LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant combining for a single win and nine total games, viewership for the first round of the NBA Playoffs unsurprisingly trailed last year.
The first round of the NBA Playoffs averaged a 1.7 rating and 3.14 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT/truTV and NBA TV, down 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.44M), but flat and up 5% respectively from 2022 (1.7, 2.99M). This year’s first round trails only last year and 2018 (3.17M) as the most-watched in the past decade, with the caveat that out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen estimates until 2020.
Excluding games on NBA TV, the first round averaged a 1.9 and 3.50 million — down 9% and 10% respectively from last year (2.1, 3.91M), but the second-highest average since 2018. Compared to 2022, ratings fell a tick but viewership inched up from 3.49 million.
Last year’s first round featured James, Curry and Durant each winning competitive series. The trio played a combined 19 first round games, including a Game 7 for Curry’s Warriors that neared the ten million mark. The three combined for just nine games this year, as James’ Lakers were eliminated in five, Durant’s Suns were swept and Curry’s Warriors failed to even make the playoffs.
The first round concluded Sunday with Magic-Cavaliers Game 7 at a 2.4 and 4.32 million on ABC — down 17% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Heat-Knicks in the same window last year (2.9, 5.38M). Outside of the 2020 “bubble,” Cleveland’s win was the least-watched NBA Game 7 since Spurs-Nuggets on TNT in 2019 (3.49M), no surprise given the low profile of the participating teams.
Game 7 was still Sunday’s most-watched sporting event. ABC did not carry its usual NBA playoff doubleheader to accommodate the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, which set a viewership record at 3.1 million — but still fell well short of what an NBA game would have averaged in the late afternoon window.
The apparent changing of the guard in the NBA is showing some signs of catching on with viewers. Saturday’s Timberwolves-Nuggets second round Game 1 averaged a 2.4 and 4.93 million across TNT and truTV Saturday evening, up 12% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Suns-Nuggets last year (2.1, 4.10M), despite an earlier 7 PM ET start time that put the game in competition with the Kentucky Derby.
Each of Minnesota’s first five playoff games increased over the equivalent windows last year, with four in a row posting double-digit gains. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who are undefeated in the postseason, are emerging as a favorite to come out of the West.
NBA first round playoff viewership, past 30 years
