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.