NBA Finals Topped 13M Viewers for Game 5

By George Winslow
published

The Denver Nuggets NBA Championship-clinching win over the Miami Heat peaked with 17,883,000 viewers in the final minutes of the ABC broadcast

NBA Finals logo
(Image credit: NBA)

NEW YORK—ABC has released Nielsen data showing that 2023 NBA Finals Game 5 viewership was up compared to last year’s Game 5 between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics, averaging 13,084,000 viewers. 

The Denver Nuggets NBA Championship-clinching win over the Miami Heat peaked with 17,883,000 viewers in the final minutes of the ABC broadcast. Last year’s Game 5 averaged 13,016,000 viewers.

ABC’s NBA Finals Game 5 broadcast easily won the night across all of television and in every key demographic. Overall, viewership for the 2023 NBA Playoffs on ESPN platforms was up two percent from 2022 and was the most-watched in four years. After 36 postseason games, ESPN platforms averaged 6,397,000 viewers.

George Winslow
George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.