For most basketball fans, the NBA Finals marks the culmination of an eight-month journey from the beginning of the regular season to and through the NBA playoffs. The beauty of the NBA Finals is always the storylines and implications the outcome has on legacies and how players will be remembered, likely forever. This holds true whether it is a player’s Finals debut or the last time we may ever see an NBA legend on the court. The anticipation of every game is always intense and at its peak when it comes to the Finals.
- 10. 2010 NBA Finals Game 7 – 28.2 Million Viewers
- 9. 1987 NBA Finals Games 4 And 5 – 28.67 Million Viewers
- 8. 1998 NBA Finals Game 4 – 30.0 Million Viewers
- 7. 1988 NBA Finals Game 7 – 30.1 Million Viewers
- 6. 1993 NBA Finals Game 4 – 30.3 Million Viewers
- 5. 1998 NBA Finals Game 5 – 30.6 Million Viewers
- 4. 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 – 31.0 Million Viewers
- 3. 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 – 31.02 Million Viewers
- 2. 1993 NBA Finals Game 6 – 32.1 Million Viewers
- 1. 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 – 35.89 Million Viewers
Today, we will be counting down the most watched NBA Finals games in NBA history based on viewership. It could be Game 7 of the greatest upset in NBA playoff history or perhaps the last game for the greatest player that ever lived. Whatever the reason why these NBA Finals games were among the most viewed, tens of millions of people stayed glued to their television until the game reached its conclusion. These games were the epitome of what it means for the game’s top competitors to do battle on the NBA’s biggest stage, and the outcomes had an impact on basketball history that is still felt today.
These are the most-watched NBA Finals games of all time.
10. 2010 NBA Finals Game 7 – 28.2 Million Viewers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZgDY_tyZ40
The biggest rivalry in NBA history has been the one between the Lakers and Celtics that dates back to the 1960s. These two teams have met more than any other two opponents have met in the NBA Finals, and in 2010, another chapter was written in their history books. After a 2008 Finals that saw Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen take down Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, the two storied franchises met again in 2010 on the game’s greatest stage.
The series was an all-out war, with both teams unwilling to concede momentum to the other. It would all come down to Game 7 in which over 28 million people tuned in to see if Bryant and the Lakers would exact revenge for their 2008 loss, or Pierce and company would take home their second title in three years. The game was your typical 2000s/early 2010s defensive battle that saw the Celtics shoot just 40.8% from the field and the Lakers shoot 32.5%. In the end, it would be Kobe Bryant’s 23 points, Metta World Peace’s late three-pointer, and Pau Gasol’s 18 rebounds and 2 blocks that would lead the Lakers to victory, 83-79. The Lakers were back-to-back NBA champions, and Bryant added championship number five to his mantle.
9. 1987 NBA Finals Games 4 And 5 – 28.67 Million Viewers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABC66DY_e8o
The 1987 NBA Finals marked the beginning of the end of the greatest player rivalry in NBA history. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers had already battled in the NBA Finals twice before 1987 rolled around in 1984 and 1985. The Celtics picked up the win in 1984, while the Lakers took the championship home in 1985. The 1987 rubber match between the two giants of the game would be the most watched Finals they ever faced off in.
Games 3 and 4 were clearly the most intriguing to fans while the series remained up in the air. In Game 3, the Celtics went into the game desperately needing a win after falling down 2-0 in the series. They would get the much-needed win led by none other than Bird, who scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the 109-103 win. In Game 4, 28.67 million fans tuned in to see if Bird could repeat the magic he had captured in Game 3 to even the series at two games apiece. Instead, it would be Magic Johnson and James Worthy’s 50 points combined that all but wrapped up the series in favor of the Lakers. With a chance to win the game at the buzzer, Bird narrowly missed a jumper from the corner that went long and missed the rim by centimeters. The Lakers would wrap up the series in six games, and Magic was awarded the third Finals MVP of his career.
8. 1998 NBA Finals Game 4 – 30.0 Million Viewers
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were publicly in their final season as a unit during the 1997-98 season, aptly dubbed “The Last Dance”. For obvious reasons, this made the 1998 Chicago Bulls one of the most intriguing and most-watched teams in NBA history. Was it truly Michael Jordan’s final run in a Bulls uniform? Was Jerry Krause seriously considering blowing everything up after winning five NBA titles from 1991 thru 1997? Fans and players were perplexed, and every game was a must-watch situation.
In Game 3, the Bulls held the Jazz to an awful 54-point performance as a team to take a 2-1 series lead over Karl Malone, John Stockton, and company. In Game 4, 30 million fans tuned in to see if the duo of Stockton and Malone could rally the troops for a much-needed win on the road in Chicago. Instead, what they got was 62 combined points from Jordan and Scottie Pippen, an 86-82 victory, and a 3-1 series lead for Chicago. With the Bulls up 3-1, the “Last Dance” was nearly complete, but there was still some fight left in Utah after all.
7. 1988 NBA Finals Game 7 – 30.1 Million Viewers
By 1988, the Los Angeles Lakers had already established themselves as the team of the decade, but the Showtime era was coming to an end slowly but surely. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar looked to be on the last legs of his playing career, but the Lakers continued to fight with the likes of Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Byron Scott shouldering the load. In the NBA Finals, the Lakers were matched up with the Detroit Pistons, who were led by the Bad Boy mentality of Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer.
After an inspiring performance from Thomas in Game 6 for Detroit, the Lakers still managed to secure a one-point win to force a Game 7 back on their home floor. In this game, James Worthy would be the one that stepped up and delivered one of the great performances in NBA Finals history to secure the Lakers’ fifth title of the 1980s. Worthy finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists while earning both a Finals MVP award and the nickname “Big Game James” which has stuck around with him over the last 35 years.
6. 1993 NBA Finals Game 4 – 30.3 Million Viewers
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were chasing history during the 1992-93 season seeking to become the first team since the Boston Celtics of the 1960s to three-peat as NBA champions. The Bulls were coming off an impressive 1992 run that saw them secure an NBA championship and look almost impossible to beat in doing so. The 1992-93 Bulls would win 57 games, led by Michael Jordan’s 32.6 PPG and supporting players such as Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.
In the NBA Finals, the Bulls were set to take on MVP Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. Seeing Barkley win MVP and a Jerry Krause favorite in Dan Majerle across from him was the only motivation he needed. The Suns had picked up a crucial win in Game 3, making Game 4 all that more important for both teams. In the end, 30.3 million people witnessed a masterpiece turned in by the GOAT Michael Jordan, who finished with 55 points on 56.8% shooting to deliver a 3-1 lead for Chicago with Game 5 on their home floor. The Bulls would wrap up the series in six games, with Jordan claiming his third straight Finals MVP award.
5. 1998 NBA Finals Game 5 – 30.6 Million Viewers
Once again, the 1998 NBA Finals make an appearance on our list with the potential of it being Michael Jordan’s final game in the NBA. The Bulls had all of the momentum after three straight games to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game 5 would be held on the Bulls’ home floor in the United Center, which was just one more factor going against the Utah Jazz, who were trying to prolong their season for at least one more game.
With the Jazz holding a slim lead after three quarters, the fourth would be a battle back-and-forth between the best teams in the league. Michael Jordan had a rough shooting night, going 9-26 from the floor, but teammate Toni Kukoc kept Chicago afloat with 30 points of his own. Unfortunately for Chicago, winning the championship on their home floor was not in the cards as Karl Malone went for 39 points and 9 rebounds in a slim 83-81 win to force a Game 6 back in Utah.
4. 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 – 31.0 Million Viewers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yygCeetlF4
The NBA Finals in 1997 also featured the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz and would go down as the most viewed game in the entire series. It had been reported all day long that Jordan was under the weather with what everyone was calling the flu. We know now that Jordan was suffering from food poisoning caused by a pizza he had eaten late the previous evening. With Jordan not at full health, everyone wondered if this was finally the fall of the great icon in the NBA Finals. What followed was one of the greatest performances in his Finals career.
Clearly fatigued and in tremendous discomfort, Jordan did everything he could to stay on the court with his teammates. This included Scottie Pippen and other teammates helping him to the sidelines for timeouts as Jordan was too exhausted to stand. Regardless, Jordan came alive in the second half, finishing the game with 38 points on 48.1% shooting from the field to lead the Bulls to a 90-88 win. The victory took all the wind out of Utah’s sails as they knew if they couldn’t take Jordan down at his weakest, then they weren’t going to take him or the Bulls down at all. Jordan and the Bulls finished the series off in Game 6 for their fifth NBA title since 1991 and Jordan’s fifth Finals MVP award.
3. 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 – 31.02 Million Viewers
Everyone remembers where they were when LeBron James and the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the impossible against the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Going up against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors and the unanimous MVP Stephen Curry, nobody gave Cleveland a chance in the series from the beginning. When they fell down 3-1 in the series, the idea that James could lead a comeback was laughed at. In the end, it would be James, Kyrie Irving, and the whole City of Cleveland as the ones laughing.
After storming back to force a Game 7, over 31 million viewers tuned in to what would be the greatest Game 7 ever played. The implications of this game and the pressure the players were under could be felt through the television screens as the two teams battled back and forth for the entirety of the matchup. It would come down to two of the most iconic plays in NBA history to sway the series for Cleveland. James’ chase-down block on Andre Iguodala shocked the crowd just as Kyrie Irving’s game-sealing three over Stephen Curry did moments later. With that, the Cavaliers were champions for the very first time amid the greatest upset in NBA playoff history.
2. 1993 NBA Finals Game 6 – 32.1 Million Viewers
After we covered Game 4, the Suns took care of business in Game 5 on Chicago’s home court to swing the series back to Phoenix for Game 6. Many thought the Bulls were in serious trouble due to abysmal performances from Chicago’s Horace Grant during the previous two games. The Suns seemed to have found some momentum, with Barkley, Dan Majerle, and Kevin Johnson all coming up big in their Game 5 win. Unfortunately for Phoenix, that is where the fun stopped.
Over 32 million people tuned in to see if Michael Jordan and the Bulls were about to make history with the first three-peat in nearly 30 years in the NBA. Once again, these two teams battled and battled into the final seconds of the game. With seconds left on the clock and Chicago with the ball, they ran a beautiful basketball play to seal the championship. Jordan brought up the ball and got it to Pippen. He would then find Horace Grant in the paint, who kicked it out to John Paxson for a wide-open three-pointer which he knocked down for the win. Jordan would have 33 points in the game and received Finals MVP honors with 41.0 PPG for the series, one of the most unbreakable records and the highest-scoring Finals MVP performance in NBA history.
1. 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 – 35.89 Million Viewers
For the third time on this list, the 1998 NBA Finals appear on our list. Of course, the narrative around Jordan’s pending retirement was looming over everyone’s head, as was the potential of Chicago having to face a Game 7 for the first time in any of their Finals runs. The Jazz had taken back a bit of momentum in Game 5 after winning by two points and headed back to Utah. What followed would be one of the most iconic moments in NBA history.
It was yet another nail-biter for both teams as the game proceeded to be extremely close as the clock ticked down to its final seconds. The Jazz had the ball while up one. On an entry pass to Karl Malone, Michael Jordan would come around his right side to strip the ball as soon as Malone tried to pull it down into his chest. Jordan then proceeded to bring the ball up the court and isolate Bryon Russell for one final shot. Jordan made his move toward the foul line with one hand on Russell’s back. In one swift action, Jordan stopped and pulled up with Russell stumbling by him. As the shot fell in with 5.2 seconds left, Jordan had etched his name into the history books forever with six Finals MVPs and Chicago’s second three-peat of the decade, solidifying them as the greatest dynasty in NBA history.
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