NBA Playoffs continue strong run of ratings through second round

The NBA is continuing to post strong playoff ratings this season.

Through the second round, NBA playoff games are averaging 3.85 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, ESPNU, TNT, and NBA TV, according to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch. That figure is up 2% versus the same point last season. And when excluding the ESPNU and NBA TV games, the per game average rises to 4.17 million viewers, a 3% increase versus last season.

ESPN, in particular, has seen a sizeable uptick since last season. Per ESPN PR, playoff games are averaging 4.88 million viewers across the family of networks, up 12% year-over-year.

Through the first 22 games of the ‘25 #NBAPlayoffs on ESPN platforms, @ESPNNBA is averaging 4.88M viewers – up 12% from last year 🏀

Details: https://t.co/4MDyhoKD6Y pic.twitter.com/9GLhiJqXZ8

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) May 20, 2025

So far, this NBA playoffs is the second most-watched through the second round since 2014. Only the 2023 postseason, which featured a Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors series in the second round, has rated higher.

This year’s viewership has been aided by a healthy number of Game 6s and 7s, which tend to rate better than games played earlier in a series.

Friday’s series-clinching Game 6 between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics averaged 5.73 million viewers on ESPN, up 14% versus last year’s Knicks-Pacers Game 6 in the same window. Sunday’s Game 7 between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder averaged 6.34 million viewers on ABC, dipping 2% versus last year’s Game 7 (also Knicks-Pacers).

Whether the NBA can sustain its viewership success through the Conference Finals remains to be seen. Three of the four teams remaining come from smaller markets, though the popularity of the Knicks may be enough to offset that factor. And even with smaller market teams making it through, the Thunder and Timberwolves have proven themselves to be decent viewership draws in their own right.