What happened?
Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder drew 9.19 million viewers, marking the highest viewership of the series so far. Despite this, the number still lags significantly behind last year’s Finals, where Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks attracted 11.43 million viewers — a 20% decrease year-over-year.
Overall, the 2025 NBA Finals are averaging just 8.95 million viewers through the first three games. That’s a 23% decline compared to the 2024 Finals. Unless viewership trends sharply upward, this year’s championship series is on pace to become the least-watched NBA Finals in history, aside from the unusual COVID-era Finals, which were held out of season.
The NBA typically relies on the Finals to deliver strong ratings, regardless of regular-season struggles or broader league issues. However, this year’s matchup between the Pacers and Thunder appears to lack the star power or broader market appeal needed to attract a larger national audience.
Many observers suggest that the steep drop in viewership may be due to the teams involved, as neither Indiana nor Oklahoma City commands a massive following or features the kind of high-profile rivalries or storylines that boost ratings. The lack of mainstream interest has made it difficult for this series to capture the attention of casual fans.
