Game 5 most-watched since 1998; peaked at 33M

June 16, 2026 No Comments

Knicks’ title-clinching win most-watched Game 5 since 1998Associated PressMultiple AuthorsJun 16, 2026, 06:26 PM ET

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks’ 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night to capture their first NBA title in 53 years averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, making it the most-watched Game 5 since 1998.

The audience peaked at 33 million, as Finals MVP Jalen Brunson was putting the wraps on a 45-point performance as the Knicks rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

The Finals averaged 20.6 million according to Nielsen, the highest since ABC and ESPN started carrying it in 2003. It is only the third time since 1999 the Finals have averaged at least 20 million.

Jalen Brunson and the Knicks’ title-clinching win over the Spurs on Saturday night averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, making it the most-watched Game 5 since Michael Jordan and the Bulls’ “Last Dance” season in 1998. Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty ImagesGolden State’s victory over Cleveland in five games in 2017 averaged 20.47 million, while the 2016 Finals, where the Cavaliers defeated the Warriors in seven games, averaged 20.2 million.

Last year’s Finals between Oklahoma City and Indiana averaged 10.31 million across seven games.

The 1998 series between Chicago and Utah, where Michael Jordan won his sixth and final NBA title, averaged 29.04 million in six games.