1. The first round of the NBA playoffs averaged 3.84 million viewers through Sunday. That is a 20% increase from last year and the highest average for the first round since 1993.
I’m an NBA fan and have no ax to grind with the NBA. However, that 3.84 million number needs a MASSIVE asterisk.
First and foremost, as I’ve told you many times in this column, Nielsen changed the way it measures viewers last September and pretty much every sport and every sporting event outside of the NFL draft has seen healthy increases in ratings.
O.K., fine. The NBA should not apologize for getting the same bump that every sport has gotten.
However, here are the two biggest differences regarding the first round of the playoffs from last season to this season.
For the first time ever this season, the first-round games are exclusive to national partners. The games did not air locally, as they always have in the past. Whether it was Knicks fans, Celtics fans, Sixers fans, Lakers fans, Nuggets fans and on and on and on, they were all brought into the national fold since their games did not air in their home market.
This alone should’ve given the NBA a nice viewership bump for the first round.
Secondly, first-round playoff games last season aired on ABC, ESPN and TNT. This year’s games have aired on NBC, ABC, ESPN, Prime Video and Peacock.
Even in this era of cord cutting and young folks only knowing the streaming world, broadcast still rules. Having a ton of first-round games on NBC instead of TNT is a huge difference when it comes to viewership.
According to Sports Media Watch, there are been 14 first-round games on broadcast (NBC or ABC). That is the most (outside of the Finals) in any postseason since 2002.
This is not to take any shots at the NBA. The viewership numbers are what they are. The league has every right to brag about increases and it deserves credit for partnering up with NBC and getting more games on broadcast.
But a little context is needed with the numbers.
2. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt.
Brandt talks about working again with Peter Schrager at the NFL draft, what it’s been like since ESPN took over NFL Network, and fooling people into thinking he had an on-site fight with WWE superstar Seth Rollins.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Following Brandt, Sal Licata from SNY TV and The Sal Licata Show joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include Netflix’s Hulk Hogan documentary, Dianna Russini’s alleged playlist for Mike Vrabel, a shady practice by the Mets regarding tickets, a bagel store disaster, a Costco disaster and more.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
3. I find it comical that Deion Sanders famously has all these ridiculous rules for his Colorado players, such as no hoodies allowed, and yet his son, Shilo, has no problem publicly hurling a misogynistic insult at a female reporter for the Browns.
Shilo Sanders tells a Browns reporter to "go make a sandwich" over her QB battle comment.
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 30, 2026
Details: https://t.co/1zjIkWyeMm pic.twitter.com/KclH1onWWA
4. The playoffs are always better when the stars are in action and not sidelined by injury. So it’s been good to see Joel Embiid back and doing stuff like this.
JOEL EMBIID BEHIND THE BACK ASSIST FOR THE DUNK. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/rroyYZPJ4x
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 1, 2026
Joel Embiid doing some quick pushups. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/qG5FyaUUIh
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 1, 2026
5. After the Knicks demolished the Hawks on Thursday night, New York star Jalen Brunson revealed that before every game he acknowledges the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns.
Jalen Brunson was asked about Roman Reigns winning about WrestleMania:
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 1, 2026
"See, these are the questions I want asked!... I have a handshake with one of our trainers and we acknowledge him before every game" 😂 pic.twitter.com/iXAIi1aG7H
6. This is a really, really good tweet that made me laugh. (I know it’s not a “tweet” anymore, but I still say tweet.)
Currently at a wine bar for my girlfriend’s birthday and one of her friends just brought up the Vrabel Russini affair pic.twitter.com/OcBWrFtEWF
— General Steez (@generalsteez69) May 1, 2026
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: The Devil Wears Prada 2 comes out today so this is a good time to post the best Devil Wears Prada related piece of content that’s out there.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as A Little Perspective on NBA Playoff Ratings.
