The New York Knicks’ first championship-clinching win since the 1970s set a ratings record dating back to the 1990s. Saturday night’s Game 5 telecast averaged 24.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA Finals Game 5 since 1998, according to Nielsen ratings figures.

NBA Finals Ratings

NBA Finals ratings have sagged in recent years, just like the ratings for many other major events, and last year’s Game 5 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder averaged 9.5 million viewers. But this year’s showdown between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs electrified sports fans all across the country, thanks in part to New York’s multiple, highly dramatic comeback victories.

Overall, according to ESPN, the NBA Finals averaged 20.6 million viewers across five games, fully doubling last year’s seven-game finals. On Saturday night, the Game 5 audience peaked in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, with about 33 million watching as the Knicks completed one last comeback to clinch their first title since 1973.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.