NBA: First round of NBA playoffs most watched since '93

Game 7 of the Boston Celtics–Philadelphia 76ers series capped off what the NBA described as the most-watched first round of its playoffs since 1993, the league announced on Tuesday.

Fueled by a highly competitive slate of matchups, six of the eight first-round series went at least six games. As a result, the opening round averaged four million viewers per game across the league’s television partners.

The decisive Game 7 between the Celtics and 76ers drew the largest audience in first-round Game 7 history. Philadelphia’s 109–100 victory, which completed its comeback from a 3–1 series deficit, averaged 11 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. It also marked the most-watched first-round playoff game in 27 years.

The strong ratings underscore renewed fan interest in tightly contested postseason series, with multiple matchups going deep into the schedule and producing high-stakes finishes across the league.

-Field Level Media/Reuters