Is 2024-25 Playoffs Best Ever Post-Season For NBA? The Games Getting Intense, Numbers Getting Up
On April 18, when the Playoff picture was clear, many had their picks to advance. Possible winners were also decided, just to get ‘wronged’. Now it’s OKC vs Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals – with game 7 looking to be a history maker for either side. It really felt like an NCAA bracket with no certain winners. Top seeds are no longer favourites, and play-in teams are not a pushover for sure. Is this the best postseason for fans and the league? It is helping recapture the fanbase for sure…
Over the recent seasons, there were times when the NBA arenas were half full, viewership was down, even for the special games like the Christmas Games and the All-Star Games, with the league trying to win back the fans. The numbers for the regular season were out with an average of 1.53 million viewers tuning in to watch 82-game rounds across ABC, ESPN and TNT in the 2024/25 season. This marked a slight decline in the number of viewers from the previous season. But in the postseason, the tables were turned.
The entire first round of the 2025 playoffs averaged 3.27 million viewers across all platforms. That was up 6 per cent over last year, which was a breath of fresh air for the league, which had experienced a constant decline since 2022. Reasons for this? Unpredictability, stretched games and a new era of superstars and teams stepping up. The OKC vs Indiana Pacers NBA Finals series had four games with comeback wins, keeping fans glued to the game till the final whistle.
The audience for the 2025 NBA Playoffs on ESPN platforms (ESPN and ABC) is up 12% from last year, according to Nielsen. Through the Conference Semifinals (22 games), ESPN is averaging 4,883,000 viewers, making it the second-most watched NBA Playoffs since 2011.
Each Team Contributing With Fair Share to Improve NBA Viewership.
After the conclusion of the first round, there were three major upsets and only two clean sweeps. The losses of the Lakers, Rockets, and Bucks might have hit hard after their impressive runs late in the regular season, but the Wolves, Warriors, and Pacers (respectively) proved that momentum is not the only decision factor at the highest level. The following teams attracted more eyeballs and engagement from fans.
Indiana Pacers: Beating Giannis Antetokounmpo (no other Bucks player was a worthy contributor) was their mission, and they succeeded in five games, making it look easy. Though the match scores were not flashy, the action and reactions on the court certainly became the talk of the town. Indiana Pacers, pulling in fewer spectators than their WNBA team, Indiana Fever (had to add this point) now back in business. At the time of writing, the Pacers defeated top-seeded Cavs with a buzzer-beater from ‘overrated’ Tyrese Haliburton. Proving it was not a fluke to beat the former champion Bucks team. Now, will Haliburton deliver one more buzzer-beater in the OKC vs Indiana Pacers game 7?
Golden State Warriors: The Team with Stephen Curry normally doesn’t need to work hard on marketing. The brand itself stands strong. But the 37-year-old guard did it once again with a new ‘robin’ in the building. The seven-game series against the Rockets was the most viewed in the 2025 playoffs as the young Houston side tested Steve Kerr’s side’s limits.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards and co proved the famed line true – ‘Lakers in 5’ but just added ‘lost’ word ahead of ‘in’. Edwards famously mocked the prediction in a press conference, too. Though the series received just above average viewership, it was a massive hit on digital platforms. Right now, he takes the crown as the most viewed NBA athlete on social media. And they are up against the Warriors in round 2 – complete cinema.
Also Read: Phoenix Suns Dressing Room Fight: Kevin Durant Confirms Situation As DeMarcus Cousins Makes Bold Claims.
New York Knicks: Is this the year for the Knicks? Age-old question, and fans might get the answer by June may be. They are leading the series against the favourites Boston Celtics, and both wins were comeback wins. Jalen Brunson proved why he was named clutch player of the season, and the Knicks’ side is also watching their heavy investments getting results (after all). The side is looking to end a five-decade-long title drought and, more importantly, play an exciting ball game.
Denver Nuggets: Apart from off-court drama, there is drama on the court for the Nuggets. A seven-game thriller against the LA Clippers and a game 1 win over the top seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nikola’s fouling out might have handed the OKC a chance to level the series, but energised Jokic was a great sight and Russ… no need to mention his impact on viewership, fans are used to former OKC star’s star power.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Memphis Grizzlies without Ja Morant could have been a bit easy series for the Western Conference leaders, but their young core will now be tested in the second round. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing an MVP performance and is well supported by the big duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. After the 2012 roster, the team looks serious contender and is grabbing reasonable attention. The OKC vs Indiana Pacers has certainly made its mark in the playoffs history.
To get the overall perspective, the NBA League Pass had its best first-round watch time with a 24% rise from last year. Will this trend continues is still one aspect to analyse, the final numbers will be out after the OKC vs Indiana Pacers game 7 on June 22, but the signs are positive and we, as basketball fans, shall embrace this.
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