NBA Finals Ratings Rise in Game 3, but Still Trail Recent Years

INDIANAPOLIS — The NBA Finals had its most-watched game in a closely contested Game 3, but the numbers are still a far cry from previous years.

Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder averaged 9.19 million viewers Wednesday on ABC, down nearly 20% from the 11.43 million from the same game last year between the Celtics and Mavericks. Indiana won, 116–107, to take a 2–1 lead in a close game where neither team led by double-digits.

The competitive game helped the series see a 5% increase in viewers compared to Game 2, even if that was held on Sunday. The three-game average viewership is now up to 8.95 million viewers, which is down 23% from last year. It’s lower than the three-game average of other low-rated NBA Finals series, including 2007 between the Cavaliers and Spurs (9.08 million) and the 2021 series between the Suns and Bucks (8.99 million).

Game 3 Win Moves the Line

The Pacers win, however, is a positive sign for the series that was considered one of the most lopsided in NBA history before Game 1. The Thunder remain betting favorites, but at only around two-to-one odds versus seven-to-one at the beginning of the series, according to DraftKings.

A closer and more competitive series could help the viewership towards the latter games. And even if the viewership remains the same, more games also mean more volume for the NBA and its broadcast partner, ESPN. An average of 9 million viewers may not be great relative to its past viewership, but the games are still some of the most-watched TV programs since the Super Bowl.

The NBA has not had a six-game Finals series since 2022, a series between the Warriors and Celtics. Game 6 drew 14 million viewers, 12% more than the series average. The last NBA Finals series to go seven games was in 2016, the height of the Warriors vs. Cavaliers rivalry, and the do-or-die game drew 31 million viewers.