Oklahoma City vs Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Game 2 viewership hits 18-year low
Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers drew an average of 8.76 million viewers, marking the lowest viewership for a Game 2 in the Finals since 2007 — not counting the 2020 bubble season.
The Thunder's 123-107 blowout win on Sunday, which evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1, failed to generate strong national interest. Viewership was down 30 percent from last year's Game 2, when the Boston Celtics faced the Dallas Mavericks, and also lagged behind the 2021 series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, which was still affected by lingering COVID-19 disruptions.
The last time Game 2 of the Finals had fewer viewers was in 2007, when only 8.55 million tuned in to watch the San Antonio Spurs face off against LeBron James's Cleveland Cavaliers. The only year since then with worse ratings was 2020, when the Finals were held in the Disney World bubble during the height of the pandemic. That Game 2, featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, drew just 7.54 million.
Through two games, the Finals are averaging 8.84 million viewers, a drop of at least 24 percent from each of the past three Finals series.
While the Thunder and Pacers feature exciting young stars and compelling narratives, the lack of big-market teams or marquee superstars has clearly impacted national interest. With the series tied and shifting back to Indianapolis, the NBA will be hoping for more competitive games — and perhaps a spike in viewership — as the Finals continue.
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