Let’s be real for a second—if the NBA Finals were a sitcom, Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder would’ve been that critically acclaimed episode that nobody watched live but everybody caught on Twitter the next morning.

According to the league’s PR team (who were clearly working overtime), Game 1 averaged 8.91 million viewers, making it the least-watched NBA Finals opener since 1988—unless you count the pandemic-era weirdness of 2020 and 2021, which we really shouldn’t.

And yet, paradoxically, the same game also broke records on social media. Over 500 million views across platforms, and a peak of 11 million viewers just as Tyrese Haliburton casually ripped the soul out of OKC with a game-winner that felt like Reggie Miller had re-entered his body for one possession.

Confused? So is Adam Silver. But he’s got some explaining to do.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: Why are fewer people watching the NBA Finals on TV than ever before? Is it the matchups? Is it the market size? Is it because fans think “Hali 1s” are a brand of organic oat milk? Here’s the diagnosis.

Small Market Syndrome: Indiana and OKC are basketball heaven but TV hell. No coasts, no LeBron, no Steph. Just vibes. And while that’s enough for hoopheads, the casual crowd that tuned in to watch Shaq vs Kobe back in 2002 probably asked if the Pacers were still an ABA team.

Load Management Fatigue: All-Star players now play fewer games than your uncle checks his fantasy team. In 2023, All-Stars averaged 64.4 games, way down from 79.2 in 2003. That’s a 15-game disappearing act. And when your favorite star sits out like it’s a PTO day, it’s hard to stay loyal.

The Triple Threat of Threes: Teams are chucking 37.5 threes per game now, compared to 22.5 a decade ago. It’s raining 3s like it’s Seattle in February, but at what cost? The artistry of mid-range masters like Rip Hamilton and Dirk is being replaced by 40-foot shots that either ignite the crowd or hit the side of the backboard like a Shaq free throw.

Haliburton’s Heroics, But No Ratings?

Now let’s talk about that moment. The Pacers had no business stealing Game 1 in Paycom Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 38 points and was auditioning for the role of Finals MVP early. But in classic “Larry Legend is watching” fashion, Tyrese Haliburton, after doing practically nothing all game, pulled a Kawhi-in-Toronto level stunner with 0.3 seconds left.

Even Obi Toppin brushed it off like this happens every week: “It’s normal.” Myles Turner added, “He just keeps finding a way.” And T.J. McConnell summed it up best: “He’s just an incredible player who loves having the ball in his hands in those moments.”

Sure, ratings are down, but Silver’s league isn’t exactly crying poor. Adam Silver admitted that TV ratings for the Finals could take a hit without big-market teams like the Knicks or Lakers. But he made it clear the NBA isn’t sweating short-term dips. Thanks to the league’s massive $76 billion, 11-year media rights deal with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon signed in 2024, Silver noted, “The NBA is not on the hook for anything. This is the network’s problem.” He even called the regular-season ratings drop of just 2% a “victory,” considering the ongoing decline in cable subscriptions.

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Media rights are still cash cows, and social media engagement is exploding. If you ask Adam Silver, this is less a crisis and more of an evolution. People might not sit through all four quarters anymore, but they’ll gladly consume 20 highlight reels and meme the game into immortality.

And oh, did we mention that nearly half of all 18-to-34-year-olds watching TV that night were watching the NBA Finals? That’s dominance, even if they’re watching with one eye while doom-scrolling through trade rumors.

The NBA knows this isn’t just about Indiana vs. OKC. It’s about how people watch basketball. Whether it’s on ABC, through a YouTube reel, or an X clip with “Hali Ice in His Veins” captions, the magic is still alive.

Tyrese Haliburton just made a Finals debut that legends are made of. The question is whether the NBA can bottle that magic and remind fans that greatness doesn’t always wear purple and gold.

Because if this series continues like Game 1, the numbers might just catch up.