NBA Finals Game 1 ratings hit record highs not seen since LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry

Adam Silver has probably not stopped grinning since the 2026 NBA Finals matchup became official. That is unlikely to change following the latest television ratings. Wednesday night’s Game 1 clash between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 16.93 million viewers on ABC, which is 90 percent up from last year’s series-opening showdown, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

Only the 2018 battle between the LeBron James/Kevin Love-led Cleveland Cavaliers and the Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors posted better Game 1 numbers on the network. The news gets even better for league higher-ups, ABC executives, advertisers and hoop heads. Amid this struggle to become the No. 2 sport in America, this latest Finals contest drew a bigger audience than 15 of the last 16 World Series Game 1s, per Siegel. That list includes the Los Angeles Dodgers’ collision with the New York Yankees in 2024.

While this is certainly a massive development, it should not come as much of a surprise. Just look at the story that is being written.

Knicks and Spurs are treating fans to a page-turner

Jalen Brunson is redefining what a supposedly undersized point guard can accomplish. He is also a historic fourth-quarter competitor who is determined to lead a deep Knicks squad to their first championship in 53 years. His teammate Karl-Anthony Towns is smashing the “soft” narrative and forcing fans to acknowledge his excellence. Their opponents pack quite the cinematic punch themselves.

Standing 7-foot-4 with a mind-boggling skill set, the 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama is trying to will the Spurs to possibly the most incredible title run the sport has ever known. He is bold and intent on becoming the unquestioned face of the league. He may already be there. Mitch Johnson can hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at just 39 years of age and in just his first full season on the job. Conversely, the 56-year-old Mike Brown can finally gain widespread validation if the Knickerbockers go all the way.

Two loaded teams that play high-level basketball on both sides of the floor, exude star power and are replete with history. Texas versus New York. Wembanyama/Stephon Castle/De’Aaron Fox/Dylan Harper versus Brunson/Towns/OG Anunoby/Mikal Bridges. Capping off a meteoric rise with an improbable banner versus a battle-tested group desperate to end a half-century championship drought. This is what they call appointment television.

Although the Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry had grown rather anti-climactic by 2018, it still offered legendary players and easily digestible storylines. The same is happening in 2026, but the results should be more compelling this time around. When elements of a gripping underdog tale merge with media mayhem and a unique brand of greatness, people will assuredly invest in the product.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals tips off inside Frost Bank Center at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

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