NBA Playoffs

By Renee Washington

The NBA is entering the playoffs with real momentum — and the numbers are backing it up.

According to The Associated Press, the league announced that 170 million people in the U.S. tuned in to NBA games during the regular season. National NBA viewership also increased 16% year-over-year, averaging 1.78 million viewers per game.

This comes in the first year of the NBA’s new $77B media rights deal, with games now spanning ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock, and NBA TV — a major shift in how fans are engaging with the league across platforms.

And what’s been especially interesting to watch is how this season has unfolded:

The introduction of the play-in tournament continues to create real stakes late in the season — and plenty of debate. But from a fan perspective, it’s delivered exactly what the league has been leaning into: high-pressure games, late-game heroics, and win-or-go-home energy before the playoffs even begin.

Now, as we officially head into the postseason, the storylines feel wide open — and the audience is clearly engaged.

I’ll be joining NBC News Now’s Morning News Now tomorrow to preview the NBA Playoffs and talk through some of these trends, matchups, and what to expect as the postseason begins.

It’s a great moment for the league — not just in terms of competition, but in how fans are showing up across platforms and continuing to drive the conversation forward.