Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals tallied the highest viewing average in any Game 1 of Finals games since 2018.
The 2026 NBA Finals already lived up to the hype as early as the series opener, matching the peak viewership numbers tallied eight years ago when LeBron James and Stephen Curry battled it out for their final championship clash.
San Antonio Spurs / Schedule
According to ESPN, last Wednesday's Game 1 between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs generated 16.93 million average viewers, 90 percent higher compared to last year's Finals Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
More importantly, this year's Game 1 has tallied a peak audience viewership of 19.63 million.
As such, it is now the most-watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals since 2018, when the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors collided for the fourth consecutive year.
In addition, Game 1 of this year's Finals is the most-viewed Finals game on average since Game 6 between the Warriors and the Toronto Raptors (18.34 million viewers).
Led by Jalen Brunson, the Knicks prevailed over Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs to steal Game 1, 105-95, in San Antonio.
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