{"id":51086,"date":"2025-05-23T02:56:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T02:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/51086\/"},"modified":"2025-05-23T02:56:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T02:56:15","slug":"tnt-strikes-ratings-gold-with-pacers-thrilling-comeback-over-knicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/51086\/","title":{"rendered":"TNT strikes ratings gold with Pacers’ thrilling comeback over Knicks"},"content":{"rendered":"

A comeback that left Larry David speechless<\/a> courtside at Madison Square Garden proved to be ratings gold for TNT.<\/p>\n

Game 1 of the last Conference Final series that TNT will air for at least the next 11 seasons got off to about as great of a start as possible. The Indiana Pacers\u2019 absurd late-fourth-quarter comeback win over the New York Knicks averaged 6.6 million viewers on TNT. It was the most-watched Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 since 2018 when LeBron James\u2019 Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Boston Celtics in a game that aired on ABC (7.24 million viewers).<\/p>\n

.@NBAonTNT<\/a>\u2018s instant classic between @Pacers<\/a> & @nyknicks<\/a> averaged 6.6 million viewers, the most watched ECF, Game 1 since 2018. Viewership peaked with 8.5 million viewers at 11 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n

ECF, Game 2 coverage tomorrow night on TNT, truTV & @SportsonMax<\/a> starts at 7 p.m. ET. https:\/\/t.co\/6J0FNrh9Hj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) May 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The audience peaked at 8.5 million in the 11 p.m. ET quarter-hour, coinciding with the game\u2019s thrilling finish, which included a ridiculous buzzer-beater by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton to send the game into overtime.<\/p>\n

Compared to last season, when the Pacers took on the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, viewership increased by 2% (6.4 million viewers). That series aired across both ESPN and ESPN2. Interestingly, Game 1 of last year\u2019s Western Conference Finals on TNT averaged a larger audience<\/a>, 7.02 million viewers for Mavericks-Timberwolves, per Sports Media Watch.<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s game proved to be the complete opposite<\/a> from a ratings perspective than Tuesday\u2019s Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on ESPN. The opener in the Minnesota Timberwolves-Oklahoma City Thunder series averaged just 5.36 million viewers across the ESPN networks, making it the least-watched conference finals game since Game 5 of the Hawks-Bucks series in 2021.<\/p>\n

As is usually the case when it comes to sports viewership, the quality of the game matters. Games that are close down the stretch, like Wednesday night\u2019s game, tend to rate. Games that get out of hand, like Tuesday\u2019s game, tend to flop.<\/p>\n

Of course, the Eastern Conference Finals is buoyed this year by including the New York Knicks, who bring with them the New York City media market.<\/p>\n

Game 1 may prove to be a viewership spark for the remainder of the series.<\/p>\n

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