The whispers about the NBA's demise have turned into a deafening silence. After years of hand-wringing over declining TV ratings, the league just dropped a ratings bomb that's left its critics speechless.
Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged a staggering 23.8 million viewers, peaking at 26.3 million. That's the best for any NBA Finals Game 3 in 28 years—not since Michael Jordan's Bulls faced the Jazz in 1998. It was also the most-watched program on all of television since the Super Bowl, per Nielsen.
For years, the narrative was that the NBA was losing its grip on the American sports fan. TV ratings were down, blamed on everything from player activism to the so-called "player empowerment" era. Meanwhile, the NFL and college football seemed to be eating the NBA's lunch. But as any sports fan knows, trends are cyclical. The NBA is roaring back, and it's doing so in spectacular fashion.
The 2026 Finals have been a perfect storm. The Knicks, playing in the country's largest media market, are chasing their first title since the 1970s—a story of long-suffering fandom and redemption. On the other side, the Spurs boast a global following and a young superstar who is rapidly becoming the new face of the league. The matchup has captured the imagination of casual and die-hard fans alike.
The ratings jump from last year is nothing short of eye-popping—up 159%. That's not a blip; it's a statement. The quiet crowd at Madison Square Garden for a recent game is a distant memory now, replaced by a deafening roar from coast to coast.
Game 4 is set for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off on ABC, and all eyes will be on whether the momentum continues. If the ratings so far are any indication, the NBA isn't just surviving—it's thriving. The critics, for now, have nothing to say.
