Record-Low Ratings Plague 2025 NBA Finals As Thunder vs. Pacers Game 2 Becomes Least Watched NBA Finals Fixture in 18 Years

Akash Vaishnav

Last updated: June 11, 2025 - 2 min read

Game 2 numbers mark worrying trend for the league

Image Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Pacers vs. Thunder NBA Finals 2025 is hitting record lows in terms of viewership, striking a concern for the league management. Game 2, a one-sided affair at the Paycom Center, highlighted how legacy teams continue to anchor strong national viewership figures.

According to Nielsen, the Pacers vs. Thunder NBA Finals 2025 game 2 had the lowest viewership since the 2007 Finals. However, this record does discount the bubble era games, which hit record lows as well. But that was primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sunday night game 2 drew an average of 8.76 million audience on ABC. While the 2020 NBA Finals, game 2 had an average viewership of 7.54 million. This was despite featuring two of the NBA’s most iconic franchises, the Lakers and the Heat. Many fans had already anticipated lukewarm enthusiasm for the Pacers vs. Thunder Finals series.

Digital trophies added to the floor for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

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— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 9, 2025

It became the least watched game 2 NBA Finals since 2007. The San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2007 finals managed to draw an average of 8.55 million. The recent years’ trends have been promising, raking up big numbers.

Last year’s game 2 from the finals series had an average viewership of 12.3 million. The Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks series drew massive viewership across the 5 games played. In comparison, this year’s finals are down by 30 percent it terms of viewership.

Drama Fails to Deliver Ratings

The surprising factor here is that the game 1 drama between the Indiana Pacers and the OKC Thunder has had no effect in attracting viewers. Tyrese Haliburton, who hit a game winning shot with 0.3 seconds left on the clock had the NBA world taken by storm.

It was expected that the thrilling event would help fans reconnect with the league finals. Instead, the opposite happened, as Game 2 saw a clear drop in viewership compared to Game 1. The first match had an average viewership of 8.91 million.

The downward trend has the league executives worrying and has resurfaced the debate over the reach of smaller-market teams in marquee matchups. This was one of those rare NBA Finals when none of the legacy teams made it. However, this has affected the league wide viewership rates.

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Akash Vaishnav

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I cover NBA at the Playoffs. I specialize in covering breaking news, Previews, in in-depth analysis (breaking down numbers, complex stats, nuances of the game, and converting them into reader-friendly content). Furthermore, I got into the sports media while looking for an entry into the media industry. I love International Relations, and since entry without majoring in the subject was difficult, I got into sports. Now, while majoring in International Relations on one side, I also like covering sports as part of the journey as a young Journalist.