NBC audio issues strike during Game 1 of NBA Western Conference Finals

NBC made its highly anticipated return to televising NBA games this season, and its first conference finals broadcast in 24 years featured audio issues that frustrated viewers on Monday night.

During Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, audio issues showed up as soon as the first quarter.

For over a minute straight of action, for example, viewers heard noises like static and beeping rather than the NBC broadcast crew of Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, and Jamal Crawford.

Here’s how it looked and sounded on the NBC telecast:

NBC audio issues during Spurs-Thunder Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. 🏀📺🎙️🔊😵‍💫 #NBA pic.twitter.com/Tn3FQGu75b

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 19, 2026

Audio issues continued at various points of the first half.

NBC viewers vented about the audio problems on social media.

Continuing in the late 2nd period with beeps and audio going completely away for 3-4 seconds. It’s happened 3 times in 5 minutes that I’ve watched. There is SCREAMING I’m sure in their truck/NYC etc. #NBA https://t.co/cGRoQHKajJ

— TJ Rives (@BucSidelineGuy) May 19, 2026

For a second, I thought it was me.

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— Michael B. Grant (@michaelbgrant.bsky.social) May 18, 2026 at 6:49 PM

NBC audio needs new dilithium crystals

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) May 19, 2026

Is the NBC sound messed up for everyone or is that my cable?

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) May 19, 2026

NBC Audio pic.twitter.com/3qKwsaPZ0Q

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) May 19, 2026

What’s up with NBC’s audio???

— Justin Odell Lundy (@_JustinLundyTV) May 19, 2026

Is NBC having audio problems during the Spurs/Thunder game? Anyone else experiencing some bad audio.

— Raul Dominguez Jr. (@DominguezCinco) May 19, 2026

So, that’s not great for NBC as it returns to the big stage, and when the network, historically, has been known for delivering in a big way for major events. Hopefully, Game 1’s audio issues won’t be a recurring trend in the rest of the Western Conference Finals, with each game of the best-of-seven series being on NBC/Peacock.