• Most-watched Eastern Conference Finals since 2023

ESPN and ABC delivered strong viewership for the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, with the four-game series averaging an audience of 7.4 million viewers across ESPN and ABC — marking the most-watched Eastern Conference Finals since the seven-game series in 2023 and a 37 percent increase compared to the 2025 Western Conference Finals on ESPN, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.

Individual games also saw notable gains, as Game 2 on ESPN averaged 7.1 million viewers, the highest for an Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 since 2018, while Game 3 on ABC drew 8.1 million viewers, the most-watched Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 since 2011. Additionally, Game 4 on ESPN averaged 7.2 million viewers, marking the most-viewed Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 across any network since 2018.

ABC serves as the exclusive home of the 2026 NBA Finals, beginning Wednesday, June 3.

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