The 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs only lasted five games, but it delivered plenty of must-see basketball.
That fact was reflected on Tuesday when ESPN reported that the 2026 Finals were the most-watched Finals since 1998, when Michael Jordan won his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls.
TOP NEWS
This year’s viewership saw a 157% increase compared to the 2025 Finals while this year’s Game 5 peaked at over 33 million viewers.
On social media, the series drew in historic numbers. New York’s five-game series victory generated a record-breaking 15 billion views and counting, nearly tripling the previous record set last season.
This series was certainly entertaining as the Knicks erased double-digit leads in all four of their wins. In Game 4, they pulled off the largest comeback in Finals history when they dissolved San Antonio’s 29-point advantage and grabbed a one-point win.
As the Knicks took home their first championship since 1973, superstar guard Jalen Brunson was named Finals MVP after averaging over 32 points in the series.
Most impressively, he left $113 million on the table when he signed an extension with the Knicks in 2024, allowing the team to use that money to build a championship-level roster.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
