Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 23.8 million viewers, up 159% from the Game 3 of last year's NBA Finals, ESPN announced Wednesday.
The contest, which was won by the Spurs, also peaked at 26.3 million viewers.
It was the most watched NBA Finals Game 3 since the 1998 series between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz. It was also the most watched NBA Finals Game 3 ever on ABC and ESPN, and the largest television audience since Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in February.
Game 1 of the series averaged nearly 17 million viewers. It was the most-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since 2018.
The massive New York market and the star power of Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama are undoubtedly contributing factors to the increased viewership. The Knicks lead the series 2-1 entering Wednesday's Game 4.
