ESPN platforms are on a record TV ratings pace early in the NBA playoffs.
After the second weekend of postseason action, the 11 NBA games that aired on ESPN or ABC averaged 4.45 million viewers, up 13% from last year, according to Nielsen ratings.
The most-watched game so far was Sunday’s Game 4 of the Lakers–Timberwolves series, as 7.34 million viewers tuned into ABC for Minnesota’s 116–113 victory to go up 3-1 in the series, one win away from eliminating Los Angeles.
That would also close the door on a potential second-round Lakers-Warriors series, which would be TV ratings gold. TNT and truTV will both air Game 5 of Lakers-Timberwolves on Wednesday night, as well as Game 5 of Warriors–Rockets, with Golden State up 3-1 and looking to clinch the series.
Reversing the Trend
The big TV ratings for ESPN come after the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs was the most-watched in 25 years. Those eight games averaged 4.4 million viewers across ESPN and TNT Sports platforms, which was up 17% over the opening weekend of the 2024 postseason.
The playoff numbers are a good sign for the NBA, which saw its regular season viewership dip 2% year-over-year to 1.53 million viewers on ABC, ESPN, and TNT.
TNT will air its final NBA games during the Eastern Conference finals, as the league moves forward next year with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon under new 11-year, $77 billion media rights deals.
![[Subscription Customers Only] Jun 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Botafogo owner John Textor inside the stadium before the match during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Lumen Field.](https://frontofficesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/USATSI_26465842_168416386_lowres-scaled.jpg?quality=100&w=1024)
![[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 13, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Chelsea FC midfielder Cole Palmer (10) celebrates winning the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium](https://frontofficesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/USATSI_26636703-scaled-e1770932227605.jpg?quality=100&w=1024)
