No LeBron, No Curry, No Problem: NBA Playoffs Ratings Are Booming

NBA Playoffs Draw Second-Highest Ratings in Over a Decade

The 2025 NBA Playoffs have been a major hit with viewers, delivering the second-highest ratings since 2014 — a time when LeBron James was still in a Miami Heat jersey.

According to recent data, playoff games are averaging 3.85 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, ESPNU, TNT, and NBA TV, marking a 2% increase from last year. When excluding ESPNU and NBA TV, the average jumps to 4.17 million viewers, up 3%, and still ranks as the second-best since 2014. Only the 2023 playoffs had stronger numbers, thanks to a series of record-breaking early-round matchups.

Surprisingly, this ratings success comes without some of the league’s biggest stars. LeBron James and the Lakers are out, and while Stephen Curry’s Warriors made it to the second round, Curry only appeared in one game.

Instead, the Conference Finals spotlight four teams not typically associated with NBA dominance: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers. While the Knicks represent the league’s largest media market, they’ve only recently returned to national prominence.

Regardless of who’s playing, fans are clearly tuning in. With compelling storylines, fresh faces, and high-energy matchups, the 2025 playoffs are proving that exciting basketball doesn’t always need superstar headliners — just great competition. And that’s something everyone seems eager to watch.