Thunder Defeat Spurs in Western Conference Finals Game 2 Draws Record Audience

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are putting on an amazing show in the Western Conference Finals, and fans are taking notice. In Game 2, the Thunder tied up the series with an impressive performance, led by NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who scored 30 points. This game was a record-breaker, averaging 10.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched Game 2 in WCF history. The excitement peaked with 12.2 million viewers between 10:45 and 11:00 p.m. ET, according to NBC.

NBC Sports reported that the game also set a new record with 2.3 million AMA (average minute audience) on Peacock, becoming the most-streamed NBA game on the platform. On NBC alone, 7.8 million viewers tuned in, making it the most-watched primetime program since 2020, excluding the Olympics.

This impressive viewership follows the double-overtime victory for the Spurs in Game 1, which set the record as the most-watched WCF opening game in NBA history, with an average of 9.2 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. Overall, the Western Conference Finals are currently capturing the attention of 9.6 million viewers, the highest ever through Game 2.

The data comes from Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel and Adobe Analytics, though it’s important to note that out-of-home viewing was not factored in until 2020. The emergence of stars like Victor Wembanyama facing off against SGA and the defending champions has fans on the edge of their seats. This level of excitement is a testament to the quality of play and the thrilling competition unfolding in the NBA.