The NBA, NBC and fanboys continue to tout deeply misleading ratings data | Bobby Burack

OutKick tries to enjoy the NBA conference finals, even though all the explosions make it difficult for fanboys keep demanding We make comments based on ratings.

It seems like every other day NBC or the NBA releases another celebratory graphic highlighting the audience.

“The Western Conference Finals is averaging 9.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched Western Conference Finals through three games,” NBC wrote on X on Thursday.

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The network also noted, “Sunday’s Thunder-Spurs Game 4 drew 10.3 million total viewers, making it the most-watched Western Conference Finals Game 4 since 1999.” he said.

Earlier this season, the NBA claimed the playoffs were the highest-rated games since 1993.

Predictably, blogs and podcasters seized on these numbers as evidence that the NBA has fully regained the popularity it lost over the last decade. According to them, the numbers show that: damn conservatives We were wrong about the league. At this rate, Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo I request once again OutKick’s take on the numbers.

Here’s the problem: This postseason ratings rhetoric is extremely misleading.

Consider the claim that Thunder-Spurs was the most watched Western Conference Final in 26 years. This is the first series of conference finals to air on NBC in 23 years. All comparable series since then have aired on cable, either TNT or ESPN.

This distinction is important.

Broadcast television reaches many more homes than cable television. In fact, the current Western Conference Finals, which feature two small-market teams that have historically struggled to draw national audiences, are averaging two to three million more viewers than the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the New York Knicks. This difference suggests that for most conference finals, especially those without the Knicks, the cable-broadcast increase will be even larger.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the second half of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 24, 2027 in Cleveland. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)

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There’s another issue that NBA-friendly media rarely acknowledges. Nielsen measures television audiences differently than when the NBA last aired on NBC. In fact, Nielsen measures viewers differently than it did a year ago.

Since September, Nielsen has implemented a new measurement system called Big Data + Panel. Industry estimates suggest the updated methodology increases viewership averages for live sports events by approximately 10% compared to the previous system.

And then there’s Peacock, whose streaming figures cannot be independently verified.

Simply put, the numbers raised by NBC and the NBA do not prove that the league is more popular than at any time since the late 1990s.

Consider the NBA’s claim that the first round was the most-watched opening round in 33 years. Beyond changes to Nielsen methodology and a return to broadcast television, the league also stopped airing first-round playoff games on regional sports networks for the first time.

In previous years, fans in major markets like New York and Los Angeles were able to watch local Knicks and Lakers broadcasts instead of the national television broadcast. This year, these audiences had no local alternative.

This change alone almost certainly inflated the national figures. Combined with Nielsen adjustments and the NBC broadcast advantage, these factors likely explain most, if not all, of the reported 20% increase in first-round viewership.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts after scoring a goal in the second quarter of Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

To be clear, NBA viewership is only a hot topic of discussion right now because the league and its unusually friendly media ecosystem insist on making it one. No other sports league promotes selective ratings data as aggressively as the NBA. Similarly, no fan base seems more willing to play “gotcha” with numbers on television than NBA fans online.

Maybe they think talking about ratings distracts from the real product: underachievement, inconsistent officiating and lack of competitive playoff basketball.

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The Thunder-Spurs series in particular has fallen flat since a perfect Game 1. Every game since then has been decided by double digits. In the East, the Knicks defeated the Cavaliers in four games. After an exciting opening, New York won the last three games by an average of 22 points.

Still, the NBA and its fans have legitimate reasons to be optimistic. The Knicks are headed to the Finals for the first time since 1999, and this is undeniably compelling television. Victor Wembanyama has also emerged as a bona fide superstar this postseason, although the Spurs still appear to be a step behind Oklahoma City.

And yet, for whatever reason, fans and media personalities challenging OutKick focus on ratings; Despite all the criticism and self-congratulations, it’s hardly worth bragging about.