NEW YORK :Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers averaged 16.4 million viewers on Sunday, making it the most-watched Finals game in six years, the league said on Monday.
The Thunder beat the Pacers 103-91 to clinch the title in a physical affair that unravelled for Indiana in the second half after point guard Tyrese Haliburton left with an Achilles injury early in the game.
The viewership was welcome news for the NBA after the clash of two small-market teams yielded disappointing ratings early in the best-of-seven series.
The Game 1 opener averaged 8.91 million viewers on ABC, according to Sports Media Watch, the lowest viewership for the Finals opener in the Nielsen era, outside of the two COVID-affected seasons.
The series that was short on starpower ended with the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capping one of the best individual seasons in NBA history.
The 26-year-old became only the fourth player – and the first since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 – to earn the scoring title as well as league and Finals MVP honours in the same season.