Through Sunday, first-round games averaged 3.84 million viewers across NBCUniversal, ESPN/ABC and Amazon Prime Video, up 20% year on year.
NBCUniversal averaged 5.1 million for its first 10 playoff games, up 53%, helped by exclusive broadcast windows; Celtics-Sixers drew a postseason-high 6.3 million and Lakers-Rockets 6.2 million.
ESPN and ABC saw declines in some moved or disrupted windows, while Prime Video posted double-digit gains, underscoring how the new rights package and broader broadcast exposure are reshaping playoff audiences.
Is the NBA's ratings boom a true revival or just an illusion from new viewership tracking methods?
Did the NBA trade its fan-favorite studio show for a bigger paycheck and a more confusing fan experience?