Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves drew just 5.36 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2, according to Sports Media Watch.
That figure makes it the least-watched Conference Finals opener since the Clippers-Suns matchup on Father’s Day in 2021, which averaged 4.72 million on ABC.
Tuesday’s broadcast included a secondary “InsightCast” on ESPN2, which brought in 366,000 viewers.
Despite being a matchup between the No. 1 seed Thunder and a Timberwolves team that reached Conference Finals last year, national interest failed to materialize.
The Thunder ran away with a 114-88 victory behind a 31-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 20 after halftime.
Minnesota held a 48-44 lead at the break, but Oklahoma City responded with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter and never looked back.
Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Jalen Williams added 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Thunder bench combined for 32 points, including nine from Alex Caruso and a key stretch from Kenrich Williams in the third.
Oklahoma City shot 50 percent from the field and limited the Timberwolves to just 34.9 percent shooting, including 15-of-51 from three-point range.
Julius Randle led Minnesota with 28 points but scored only eight after halftime.
Anthony Edwards was held to 18 points, while Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid combined to shoot 4-for-25 from the floor.
The 26-point margin and one-sided second half may have discouraged casual viewership, especially with the Thunder pulling away early in the fourth.
Additionally, both teams lack recent deep playoff exposure on national television compared to franchises like the Lakers, Celtics, or Warriors.
With Oklahoma City up 1-0 in the series, Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night at Paycom Center.
The Thunder are seeking their first Finals appearance since 2012, while Minnesota is aiming to reach the championship round for the first time in franchise history.
