The returns for Game 1’s viewership numbers show that the Knicks and Spurs may have provided the NBA with the recipe to rejuvenate its Finals viewership.
Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs drew 16.93 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel data. It’s the most-watched NBA Finals game since Game 6 of the 2019 Finals between the Raptors and Warriors (18.34 million) and the most-watched finals opener since 2018 between the Warriors and Cavaliers (17.56 million).
NBA Finals viewership has lagged in recent years since the height of this century’s viewership was carried by Cleveland and Golden State and their respective stars, LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Last year’s series between the Thunder and Pacers, two small markets, was one of the least-watched in history, drawing 10.3 million viewers over seven games.
But signs were pointing toward a strong 2026 Finals series.
The NBA, as with all sports leagues, has benefited from changes in Nielsen’s measurement system. The company has included out-of-home viewers since 2020, but fully integrated the additional measurements last year.
