NBA: Spurs-Thunder most-watched conference finals in 24 years

The San Antonio Spurs’ thrilling seven-game victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 Western Conference Finals was the most-watched conference final in 24 years, according to data released by the league.

The high-stakes series averaged 10.8 million viewers per game across NBC and Peacock. The viewership peaked during Game 7, where San Antonio’s 111-103 victory to eliminate the defending champion Thunder drew an average of 15.9 million viewers, with a peak audience of 17.7 million.

A Banner Year for NBA Playoff Viewership

This historic matchup caps off a monumental postseason for the league. The 2026 NBA playoffs have become the most-watched in 28 years, averaging 5.3 million viewers per game across its media partners:

ABC

ESPN

NBC / Peacock

Prime Video

The Stage is Set: Spurs vs. Knicks

The NBA Finals will feature a historic showdown between the Spurs and the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks. The series kicks off this Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET in San Antonio.

This series carries immense historical weight for both franchises:

San Antonio Spurs: Making their first NBA Finals appearance since 2014, when they defeated the Miami Heat.

New York Knicks: Making their first finals appearance since 1999—a series they ironically lost to the Spurs.

The red-hot Knicks enter the series on an 11-game winning streak, a dominant run that began after they fell behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. New York is now vying for its first NBA championship since 1973.

—Field Level Media / Reuters