This is a list oftelevision ratings forNBA Finals in theUnited States, based onNielsen viewing data.[1]
The highest rated and most watched NBA Finals series was the1998 NBA Finals between theChicago Bulls andUtah Jazz, which averaged an 18.7 rating / 33 share and 29.04 million viewers onNBC. That series also featured the highest rated and most watched NBA Finals game, as the Sunday night averaged a 22.3 rating / 38 share and 35.89 million viewers. The1987 NBA Finals between theLos Angeles Lakers andBoston Celtics was the highest rated and most watched NBA Finals series onCBS, averaging a 15.9 rating / 32 share and 24.12 million viewers. Game 7 of the1988 NBA Finals registered the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with a 21.2 rating / 37 share.
The2015 NBA Finals between theGolden State Warriors andCleveland Cavaliers was the highest rated NBA Finals series onABC averaging an 11.6 rating / 21 share and 19.94 million viewers. The2017 NBA Finals featuring the same two teams was the most watched NBA Final series onABC averaging an 11.3 rating / 22 share and 20.38 million viewers. Game 7 of the2016 NBA Finals registered the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with an average 15.8 rating / 29 share and 31.02 million viewers.[2] It was the firstbasketball game to draw more than 30 million average viewers in 18 years, and only the seventh non-NFL sports telecast (excluding theOlympics) to have done so since 1998.[3]
The2019 NBA Finals between theGolden State Warriors and theToronto Raptors had a drop in American viewership however combined North American viewership. Analysts cited the presence of a Canadian team (Canadian viewership does not count towards U.S. Nielsen ratings, leading to only one U.S. home market being reflected in viewership), as a factor in the drop.[4][5] At the same time, the presence of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals boosted Canadian viewership to record levels.[6]
For the2020 NBA Finals, the ratings dropped to a historic low, with one of the games drawing only 5.1 million viewers.[7] The average viewers figure over 6 games was 7.5 million, which is a 51% decline from the previous year.[8] Some have claimed this was due to the players' political activism; others have claimed this was due to the finals being played out of season caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic, as other sports such as theNHL playoffs and theMLB playoffs also showed a significant decline in ratings.[7][9]
Highest rated[edit]
Lowest rated[edit]
| Most watched[edit]
Least watched[edit]
|
Figures are expressed asRating/Share.Rating represents the percentage of US TV households that watched the game,Share represents the percentage of TV setsin use that were tuned to the game. Note that game-by-game viewership for pre-2000 series were generally unavailable.
| Most viewers for each Game (1 through 7) orAverage | |
| Fewest viewers for each Game (1 through 7) orAverage |
| Year | Network | Results | Avg | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ABC | Oklahoma City Thunder 4, Indiana Pacers 3 | 5.1 (10.27M Viewers) | 4.7 (8.91M Viewers) | 4.5 (8.76M Viewers) | 4.8 (9.19M Viewers) | 4.6 (9.40M Viewers) | 4.9 (9.54M Viewers) | 4.8 (9.28M Viewers) | 7.6 (16.35M Viewers)[10] | |
| 2024 | ABC | Boston Celtics 4, Dallas Mavericks 1 | 5.8 (11.31M Viewers) | 5.7 (10.99M Viewers)[11] | 6.2 (12.31M Viewers)[12] | 6.0 (11.43M Viewers)[13] | 4.7 (9.62M Viewers)[14] | 6.3 (11.22M Viewers)[15] | No Game | ||
| 2023 | ABC | Denver Nuggets 4, Miami Heat 1 | 6.1 (11.64M Viewers)[16] | 6.0 (11.58M Viewers)[17] | 6.0 (11.91M Viewers)[18] | 6.0 (11.24M Viewers)[19] | 5.4 (10.41M Viewers)[20] | 7.0 (13.08M Viewers)[21] | No Game | ||
| 2022 | ABC | Golden State Warriors 4, Boston Celtics 2 | 6.6 (12.40M Viewers)[22] | 6.4 (11.90M Viewers)[23] | 6.2 (11.91M Viewers)[24] | 6.2 (11.52M Viewers)[25] | 6.2 (12.06M Viewers)[26] | 7.0 (13.03M Viewers)[27] | 7.5 (13.99M Viewers)[22] | No Game | |
| 2021 | ABC | Milwaukee Bucks 4, Phoenix Suns 2 | 5.2 (9.91M Viewers)[28] | 4.5 (8.56M Viewers) | 5.1 (9.38M Viewers) | 4.7 (9.02M Viewers) | 5.3 (10.25M Viewers) | 4.8 (9.55M Viewers) | 6.6 (12.52M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2020 | ABC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Miami Heat 2 | 4.0 (7.45M Viewers) | 4.1 (7.41M Viewers)[29] | 3.6 (6.61M Viewers)[30] | 3.1 (5.94M Viewers)[30] | 4.4 (7.54M Viewers)[31] | 4.8 (8.89M Viewers)[32] | 4.2 (8.29M Viewers)[33] | No Game | |
| 2019[a] | ABC | Toronto Raptors 4, Golden State Warriors 2 | 8.8 (15.14M Viewers) | 7.9 (13.51M Viewers)[34] | 8.0 (14.05M Viewers)[35] | 7.8 (13.44M Viewers)[36] | 7.6 (13.16M Viewers)[37] | 10.6 (18.34M Viewers)[38] | 10.7 (18.34M Viewers)[39] | No Game | |
| 2018 | ABC | Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 0 | 10.0 (17.56M Viewers) | 10.0 (17.67M Viewers)[40] | 10.3 (18.47M Viewers)[40] | 10.4 (17.85M Viewers)[40] | 9.3 (16.24M Viewers)[40] | No Game | |||
| 2017 | ABC | Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 1 | 11.3/22 (20.38M Viewers) | 10.5[41]/20 (18.70M Viewers)[42] | 10.7[41]/20 (19.69M Viewers)[43] | 11.3[44]/21 (20.05M Viewers)[45] | 10.7[46]/22 (19.01M Viewers)[47] | 13.5[48]/25 (24.47M Viewers)[49] | No Game | ||
| 2016 | ABC | Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Golden State Warriors 3 | 11.4/21 (20.28M Viewers) | 11.1[50]/20 (19.20M Viewers)[51] | 9.8[52]/17 (17.49M Viewers)[53] | 9.7[54]/18 (16.47M Viewers)[55] | 9.8[56]/19 (16.57M Viewers)[57] | 11.8[58]/21 (20.53M Viewers)[59] | 11.8[60]/22 (20.70M Viewers)[61] | 15.8[3]/29 (31.02M viewers)[62] | |
| 2015 | ABC | Golden State Warriors 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 2 | 11.6/21 (19.94M Viewers) | 10.6/20 (17.77M Viewers) | 10.8/19 (19.17M Viewers) | 11.1/20 (18.77M Viewers) | 11.7/21 (19.84M Viewers) | 11.8/21 (20.86M Viewers) | 13.4/24 (23.25M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2014 | ABC | San Antonio Spurs 4, Miami Heat 1 | 9.3/16 (15.54M Viewers) | 9.0/15 (14.85M Viewers) | 9.0/15 (15.13M Viewers) | 9.0/15 (14.78M Viewers) | 9.3/15 (14.96M Viewers) | 10.3/18 (18.00M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 2013 | ABC | Miami Heat 4, San Antonio Spurs 3 | 10.4/17 (17.47M Viewers) | 8.8/14 (14.24M Viewers) | 8.5/15 (14.57M Viewers) | 8.5/14 (14.05M Viewers) | 10.0/16 (16.23M Viewers) | 9.5/16 (16.27M Viewers) | 12.3/21 (20.64M Viewers) | 15.3/26 (26.32M Viewers) | |
| 2012 | ABC | Miami Heat 4, Oklahoma City Thunder 1 | 10.1/17 (16.88M Viewers) | 9.9/16 (16.20M Viewers) | 10.4/17 (16.67M Viewers) | 8.8/16 (15.55M Viewers) | 10.5/18 (17.50M Viewers) | 10.9/18 (18.46M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 2011 | ABC | Dallas Mavericks 4, Miami Heat 2 | 10.2/17 (17.39M Viewers) | 9.0/15 (15.17M Viewers) | 9.3/15 (15.52M Viewers) | 9.1/15 (15.34M Viewers) | 9.6/16 (16.13M Viewers) | 10.8/18 (18.32M Viewers) | 13.3/23 (23.88M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2010 | ABC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 3 | 10.6/18 (18.14M Viewers) | 8.6/14 (14.09M Viewers) | 9.2/15 (15.72M Viewers) | 9.6/16 (15.96M Viewers) | 9.9/18 (16.37M Viewers) | 10.8/18 (18.65M Viewers) | 10.4/18 (17.96M Viewers) | 15.6/27 (28.20M Viewers) | |
| 2009 | ABC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Orlando Magic 1 | 8.4/15 (14.35M Viewers) | 7.8/14 (13.04M Viewers) | 8.2/14 (14.06M Viewers) | 8.6/15 (14.20M Viewers) | 9.4/17 (15.96M Viewers) | 8.0/14 (14.17M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 2008 | ABC | Boston Celtics 4, Los Angeles Lakers 2 | 9.3/17 (14.94M Viewers) | 8.7/16 (13.38M Viewers) | 8.5/15 (13.50M Viewers) | 9.2/16 (14.51M Viewers) | 8.7/16 (13.76M Viewers) | 10.2/19 (16.88M Viewers) | 10.7/19 (17.39M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2007 | ABC | San Antonio Spurs 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 0 | 6.2/11 (9.29M Viewers) | 6.3/11 (9.21M Viewers) | 5.6/10 (8.55M Viewers) | 6.4/11 (9.49M Viewers) | 6.5/12 (9.91M Viewers) | No Game | |||
| 2006 | ABC | Miami Heat 4, Dallas Mavericks 2 | 8.5/15 (12.97M Viewers) | 7.8/14 (11.51M Viewers) | 8.0/14 (12.41M Viewers) | 8.0/14 (12.25M Viewers) | 7.8/14 (11.56M Viewers) | 9.1/17 (14.32M Viewers) | 10.1/18 (15.71M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2005 | ABC | San Antonio Spurs 4, Detroit Pistons 3 | 8.2/15 (12.54M Viewers) | 7.2/13 (10.57M Viewers) | 6.9/12 (10.66M Viewers) | 7.2/13 (10.63M Viewers) | 7.2/13 (10.92M Viewers) | 8.4/15 (13.09M Viewers) | 8.8/15 (13.47M Viewers) | 11.9/22 (19.00M Viewers) | |
| 2004 | ABC | Detroit Pistons 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1 | 11.5/20 (17.94M Viewers) | 9.8/17 (15.36M Viewers) | 10.7/19 (16.13M Viewers) | 10.5/19 (16.21M Viewers) | 12.7/22 (20.30M Viewers) | 13.8/23 (21.84M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 2003 | ABC | San Antonio Spurs 4, New Jersey Nets 2 | 6.5/12 (9.86M Viewers) | 6.4/11 (9.60M Viewers) | 5.2/10 (8.06M Viewers) | 7.0/12 (10.76M Viewers) | 6.6/12 (9.66M Viewers) | 6.2/12 (9.31M Viewers) | 7.5/14 (11.57M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 2002 | NBC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, New Jersey Nets 0 | 10.2/19 (15.68M Viewers) | 10.6/20 (15.85M Viewers) | 9.1/18 (14.05M Viewers) | 10.2/18 (16.21M Viewers) | 10.8/19 (16.56M Viewers) | No Game | |||
| 2001 | NBC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 1 | 12.1/23 (19.00M Viewers) | 12.4/23 (18.58M Viewers) | 11.6/22 (18.72M Viewers) | 12.7/23 (20.28M Viewers) | 12.6/23 (19.97M Viewers) | 11.2/22 (17.36M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 2000 | NBC | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Indiana Pacers 2 | 11.6/21 (17.40M Viewers) | 10.5/18 (10.56M Households) | 9.9/20 (10.02M Households) | 10.7/19 (10.84M Households) | 13.1/24 (13.17M Households) | 10.0/20 (10.04M Households) | 14.7/26 (14.85M Households) | No Game | |
| 1999 | NBC | San Antonio Spurs 4, New York Knicks 1 | 11.3/21 (16.01M Viewers) | 11.5/20 (16.57M Viewers) | 9.6/19 (13.98M Viewers) | 12.1/21 (17.01M Viewers) | 12.0/22 (16.76M Viewers) | 11.0/22 (15.53M Viewers) | No Game | ||
| 1998 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Utah Jazz 2 | 18.7/33 (29.04M Viewers) | 18.0/32 (26.70M Viewers) | 16.6/31 (26.30M Viewers) | 16.2/28 (15.8M Households) | 19.1/33 (18.7M Households) | 19.8/37 (30.60M Viewers) | 22.3/38 (35.89M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 1997 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Utah Jazz 2 | 16.8/30 (25.59M Viewers) | 15.8/27 (15.3M Households) | 15.1/27 (14.6M Households) | 14.2/27 (13.7M Households) | 16.9/30 (16.4M Households) | 20.1/35 (19.5M Households) | 18.5/35 (17.9M Households) | No Game | |
| 1996 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Seattle SuperSonics 2 | 16.7/31 (24.86M Viewers) | 16.8/31 (16.1M Households) | 13.9/27 (13.3M Households) | 15.8/28 (15.2M Households) | 18.1/33 (17.4M Households) | 17.2/33 (16.5M Households) | 18.8/35 (18.0M Households) | No Game | |
| 1995 | NBC | Houston Rockets 4, Orlando Magic 0 | 13.9/25 (20.10M Viewers) | 14.7/26 (14.0M Households) | 12.0/23 (11.4M Households) | 14.1/25 (13.4M Households) | 14.9/26 (14.2M Households) | No Game | |||
| 1994 | NBC | Houston Rockets 4, New York Knicks 3 | 12.3/23 (17.25M Viewers) | 12.6/23 (11.9M Households) | 10.7/21 (10.1M Households) | 12.4/24 (11.7M Households) | 12.9/23 (12.1M Households) | 7.8/14 (coverage affected byO.J. Simpson'sBronco Chase) | 11.3/24 (10.6M Households) | 17.9/31 (16.9M Households) | |
| 1993 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Phoenix Suns 2 | 17.9/33 (27.21M Viewers) | 16.8/29 (15.6M Households) | 14.6/29 (13.6M Households) | 17.0/32 (15.8M Households) | 19.8/35 (18.4M Households) | 19.0/36 (17.7M Households) | 20.3/39 (32.10M Viewers) | No Game | |
| 1992 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Portland Trail Blazers 2 | 14.2/27 (20.84M Viewers) | 13.5/25 (12.4M Households) | 13.7/26 (12.6M Households) | 13.6/26 (12.5M Households) | 16.0/29 (14.7M Households) | 13.9/28 (12.8M Households) | 14.7/29 (13.5M Households) | No Game | |
| 1991 | NBC | Chicago Bulls 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1 | 15.8/34 (23.91M Viewers) | 12.6 | 16.1/29 (15.0M Households) | 15.7/31 (14.6M Households) | 15.2/30 (14.2M Households) | 19.7/36 (18.3M Households) | No Game | ||
| 1990 | CBS | Detroit Pistons 4, Portland Trail Blazers 1 | 12.3/25 (17.19M Viewers) | 11.8 | 12.2 | 10.8 | 13.4 | 13.2 | No Game | ||
| 1989 | CBS | Detroit Pistons 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0 | 15.1/30 (21.26M Viewers) | 14.0 | 15.6 | 13.2 | 17.4 | No Game | |||
| 1988 | CBS | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Detroit Pistons 3 | 15.4/31 (21.70M Viewers) | 13.9 | 14.8 | 12.0 | 14.8 | 16.1 | 14.4 | 21.2/37 | |
| 1987 | CBS | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 2 | 15.9/32 (24.12M Viewers) | 13.8 | 14.6 | 11.9 | 18.9 | 18.9 | 17.3 | No Game | |
| 1986 | CBS | Boston Celtics 4, Houston Rockets 2 | 14.1/31 (14.43M Households) | 9.9 | 14.8 | 13.4 | 15.4 | 16.9 | 14.2 | No Game | |
| 1985 | CBS | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Boston Celtics 2 | 13.5/30 | --- | 14.3 | --- | 17.0 | 15.3 | 15.3 | No Game | |
| 1984 | CBS | Boston Celtics 4, Los Angeles Lakers 3 | 12.1/26 | --- | 12.3 | --- | 13.1 | 12.1 | --- | 19.3 | |
| 1983 | CBS | Philadelphia 76ers 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0 | 12.3/26 | --- | 12.9/23 | --- | --- | No Game | |||
| 1982 | CBS | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2 | 13.0/28 | ||||||||
| 1981 | CBS | Boston Celtics 4, Houston Rockets 2 | 6.7/27 | ||||||||
| 1980 | CBS | Los Angeles Lakers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2 | 8.0/29 | ||||||||
| 1979 | CBS | Seattle SuperSonics 4, Washington Bullets 1 | 7.2/24 | ||||||||
| 1978 | CBS | Washington Bullets 4, Seattle SuperSonics 3 | 9.9/25 | ||||||||
| 1977 | CBS | Portland Trail Blazers 4, Philadelphia 76ers 2 | 12.7/33 | ||||||||
| 1976 | CBS | Boston Celtics 4, Phoenix Suns 2 | 11.5/29 | ||||||||
| 1975 | CBS | Golden State Warriors 4, Washington Bullets 0 | 10.1/28 (11.38M Viewers) | ||||||||
| 1974 | CBS | Boston Celtics 4, Milwaukee Bucks 3 | 13.5/32 | ||||||||
| 1940s |  | |
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See also:WNBA Finals | ||