Knicks win NBA Finals in five games, draw record viewership
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 16, 2026, 9:10 PM
Last updated Jun 16, 2026
The New York Knicks secured their first NBA championship in 53 years with a title-clinching Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The game averaged 24.5 million viewers, marking the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998. Across the series, viewership averaged 20.6 million, nearly doubling last year's Finals viewership. Each game was competitive, contributing to the high audience numbers, particularly as Game 5 peaked at 33 million viewers. This series outperformed previous Finals that extended to six or seven games, underscoring the Knicks' broad appeal and competitive matchups.
- •Knicks win their first NBA title since 1973
- •Game 5 averaged 24.5 million viewers
- •Series viewership averaged 20.6 million
- •Knicks are the largest TV market
- •Every game was competitive into the fourth quarter
- 10:14 PMYahoo Sports — Knicks' NBA title-clinching victory over Spurs averages 24.5 million viewers
- 9:10 PMYahoo Sports — ESPN/ABC secures most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 for Knicks win
- 9:04 PMYahoo Sports — Knicks-Spurs Totals Most-Watched NBA Finals Since 1998
"Jalen Brunson and 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 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.
"The New York Knicks’ first championship in 53 years provided ESPN the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998. Saturday’s title-clinching Game 5 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC, good for the most-watched NBA game since Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State…
"The Knicks’ series-clinching Game 5 attracted 24.5 million viewers.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 16, 2026, 10:14 PMKnicks' NBA title-clinching victory over Spurs averages 24.5 million viewers
Jalen Brunson and 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 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.
- Yahoo SportsJun 16, 2026, 9:10 PMESPN/ABC secures most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 for Knicks win
The New York Knicks’ first championship in 53 years provided ESPN the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998. Saturday’s title-clinching Game 5 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC, good for the most-watched NBA game since Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State…
- Yahoo SportsJun 16, 2026, 9:04 PMKnicks-Spurs Totals Most-Watched NBA Finals Since 1998
The Knicks’ series-clinching Game 5 attracted 24.5 million viewers.
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