sports
Game 5 most-watched since 1998; peaked at 33M
Key takeaways
- The audience peaked at 33 million, as Finals MVP Jalen Brunson was putting the wraps on a 45-point performance as the Knicks rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
- The Finals averaged 20.6 million, according to Nielsen, the highest since ABC and ESPN started carrying it in 2003.
- Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty ImagesGolden State's victory over Cleveland in five games in 2017 averaged 20.47 million, while the 2016 Finals, where the Cavaliers defeated the Warriors in seven games, averaged 20.2 million.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks' 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night to capture their first NBA title in 53 years averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, making it the most-watched Game 5 since 1998.
The audience peaked at 33 million, as Finals MVP Jalen Brunson was putting the wraps on a 45-point performance as the Knicks rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Finals averaged 20.6 million, according to Nielsen, the highest since ABC and ESPN started carrying it in 2003. It is only the third time since 1999 that the Finals have averaged at least 20 million.
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