The New York Knicks’ 53-year championship drought didn’t just end with a historic celebration on the hardwood; it also captivated an unprecedented audience on television. Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on ABC averaged a staggering 24.54 million viewers, becoming the most-watched NBA game of the last decade.
The clinching matchup, which saw the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs to capture the title, peaked at a massive 33 million viewers. With these numbers, Game 5 surpassed the 2017 Cavaliers-Warriors Game 5 (24.53 million) to become the most-watched NBA game since the legendary Game 7 of the 2016 Cavaliers-Warriors Finals (31.02 million). Additionally, this historic clash stands as the most-watched NBA Finals Game 5 since the 1998 showdown between Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz (30.59 million).
The five-game Knicks-Spurs series averaged 20.6 million viewers overall. It outperformed the 2017 Warriors-Cavaliers series average of 20.41 million, marking the most-watched NBA Finals series since the 1998 Bulls-Jazz Finals. It also sets the record for the highest average viewership since ABC took over broadcasting rights for the Finals in 2003.
Media experts point out that recent methodology changes by Nielsen—such as integrating out-of-home viewing and smart TV data—make direct historical comparisons complex. However, there is a clear consensus that the Knicks’ championship run generated unprecedented mainstream interest across the country.
With this phenomenal performance, the NBA Finals climbed to the top of North America’s major sports championship broadcasts. The Knicks-Spurs series became the most-watched championship event in North American sports since the 2016 MLB World Series (23.4 million), when the Chicago Cubs ended their infamous 108-year curse. The viewership numbers also comfortably outpaced recent baseball finals, beating the 16.1 million average of last year’s Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series and the 15.8 million level of the 2024 Dodgers-Yankees matchup.
The resurgence of the NBA Finals ratings signals a definitive end to a recent downward trend. Following LeBron James’ stretch of eight consecutive Finals appearances, viewership had seen a decline, hitting historic lows during the pandemic years. However, momentum has officially shifted, as six consecutive Finals games—starting from Game 7 of last year’s Thunder-Pacers Finals—have now crossed the 16-million-viewer threshold.
The success of the 2026 Finals is even more remarkable considering the scheduling hurdles. To avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup, the league bypassed its traditional Sunday night slots. Despite playing on a Saturday night—typically the lowest-viewed night of the week for television—the championship-clinching game shattered expectations, cementing itself as one of the top five most-watched NBA games since 1998.
Compared to last year’s seven-game Thunder-Pacers Finals, which averaged 10.27 million viewers, the Knicks-Spurs Finals increased total viewership by 100 percent. The jump for the deciding game was even more dramatic, skyrocketing by 157 percent compared to last year’s Game 5.
By ending their 53-year wait, the New York Knicks didn’t just lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy; they single-handedly carried the NBA back to ratings heights not seen since the days of Michael Jordan.