The NBA Finals opened with a strong television audience, as the Knicks’ Game 1 victory over the Spurs attracted an average of 16.93 million viewers on ABC.
According to Nielsen data, it was the network’s most-watched NBA Finals opener since 2018 and the most-viewed program of the day across all television among key adult and male demographics.
Interest in the matchup continued to climb throughout the night, with viewership reaching a peak of 19.63 million viewers at 11 p.m. ET.
The game also became the most-watched NBA Finals Game 1 in ABC history outside of the Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry and the most-watched Finals contest overall since Game 6 of the 2019 championship series.
Compared to last year’s Finals opener, audience numbers increased by an impressive 90%, highlighting the significant interest generated by the Knicks’ return to the NBA Finals.
NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Surges 90% Compared To 2025, Most Viewers Since 2018 https://t.co/sqU8tsIvsg
— RealGM (@RealGM) June 5, 2026
