INDIANAPOLIS — “Pacers in five! Pacers in five!” shouted some Indiana fans, perhaps with the rush of adrenaline and some liquid courage, within the halls of Gainbridge Fieldhouse moments after Indiana took a 2–1 series lead in the NBA Finals.
The bold prediction was not as prevalently expressed around the streets of Indianapolis just a few hours before Game 3. But on Wednesday night, the Pacers are now just two wins away from clinching the 2025 NBA Finals, which was once considered one of the most lopsided in history.
Indiana, however, is still not favored to win despite a 2–1 lead and home court advantage. DraftKings has the Pacers at +185 to win the series, while the Thunder are -220, essentially 2-to-1 favorites. But that’s a far cry from -700 before Game 1 and -525 before Game 3.
This series is officially competitive—and that’s a win for the Pacers, the NBA, and particularly ESPN/Disney.
Ratings Recovery?
The 2025 NBA Finals viewership hit a historic low through the first two games. The series has lacked the ingredients to attract viewers: big market franchises, marketable stars (even with 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), and an ostensibly competitive series.
The first two games have averaged about 8.84 million viewers, down around 30% from last year’s series between the Luka Dončić–led Mavericks and Jayson Tatum–led Celtics. That number is less than half of the first two games of the 2018 Finals, the last time Steph Curry and the Warriors played LeBron James and the Lakers.
It’s unlikely Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton will achieve the stardom of their predecessors, at least within this 2025 Finals. (NBA commissioner Adam Silver essentially admitted so himself before Game 1.) But a more competitive series at least provides one of the ingredients needed to pull more fans and perhaps bridge the gap with last year’s numbers.
A competitive series also means a longer one—and volume is a win for ESPN, the league’s NBA Finals broadcast partner. Even with low ratings, nearly 9 million viewers per game is a massive number for a live TV broadcast (outside of the NFL, at least). This series is guaranteed to last five games and will likely push to at least six.
Other Winners
A longer series also means additional gate revenue for both teams. The average purchase price for the NBA Finals before the series started was $1,147, per TickPick. While that’s down 25% from last year—when games were played in Dallas and Boston—an extra game still means tens of millions of revenue for both the Thunder and Pacers from tickets, merchandise, and concession sales.
Players looking to boost their stock also have more opportunities with the additional games. Game 3 hero Bennedict Mathurin is extension-eligible this summer, and his performances could make him more valuable, even though Indiana is already expected to enter the luxury tax for the first time in two decades.
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