On Sunday evening, Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals took place in Oklahoma City. Thunder lost Game 1, 111-110 and bounced back in Game 2. OKC won 123-107 to mark the 1-1 series.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals peaked at 11.1 million with an average of 8.9 million viewers. In Game 2, the average viewer fell to 8.76 million, with a peak of 9.9 million. The average viewer of Game 2 of 8.76 million was the lowest since 2007. It was the Spurs vs. the Cavaliers.
Why did the ratings go down in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals?
Sunday’s Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals Game 2 averaged 8.76 million viewers on ABC, down 29% from the Mavericks Celtics (12.31M), and was the viewer for the finals’ smallest game 2 for the Heatlaker on the night when the Heatlaker was hospitalized for the Community (6.78m). pic.twitter.com/sxyirgd32o
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After the Pacers’ thrilling comeback in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, we assume that the rating will increase in Game 2. But the league saw the exact opposite happen. Game 2’s viewers fell from an average of 8.9 million to 8.76 million. In Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals between Dallas and Boston, the average viewer was 12.3 million. Since 2007, ratings for Game 1 to Game 2 have dropped only three times. The 2025 final is one of three.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t understand his obsession with ratings. He said focusing on ratings undermines court basketball products. Silver said he felt it was “a little unusual.” While traditional Nielsen ratings may be reduced, overall online NBA consumption is strong.
Content from the 2025 NBA Finals has generated 32 billion views across all digital platforms. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton have accounted for 1.5 billion views. Additionally, Commissioner Silver said the new $76 billion television contract would help protect the decline in valuation. Disney, NBC, and Amazon are part of the new NBA regular season TV deals from 2025-26. Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals is Wednesday at 8:30pm ET in Indiana.