The 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals, which the San Antonio Spurs won in seven games over the Oklahoma City Thunder, was the most watched conference final in 24 years, according to the league.
An average of 10.8 million viewers per game watched the series on NBC/Peacock, and San Antonio’s 111-103 victory in Game 7 that eliminated the Thunder, the league’s defending champions, averaged 15.9 million viewers and peaked at 17.7.
This year’s NBA playoffs are the most watched in 28 years, averaging 5.3 million viewers per game on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video.
The NBA Finals, pitting the Spurs against the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks, get underway Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET in San Antonio. It marks San Antonio’s first appearance in the finals since 2014, when the Spurs beat the Miami Heat.
The Knicks, who have won 11 straight games since falling behind the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in the first round, are in the finals for the first time since losing to the Spurs in 1999.
New York is vying for its first NBA championship since 1973.
