US EditionKnicks-Pacers Game 1 Draws NBA's Biggest Audience in Nearly a Decade
- The New York Knicks hosted the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals on TNT and truTV, featuring a dramatic overtime finish.
- The game followed a season of intense rivalry and was anticipated after their previous playoff meeting and historical 1990s tensions, which fueled high expectations.
- Indiana overcame a 15-point deficit with under five minutes left and key plays by Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton, who hit a buzzer-beater to force overtime.
- The game averaged 6.6 million viewers with a peak of 8.5 million at the 11 PM quarter-hour, marking the highest Game 1 Eastern Conference Finals audience since the 2018 Cavaliers-Celtics matchup.
- The Pacers' comeback win not only delighted their fans but also produced TNT's final NBA conference finals broadcast before the league transitions to NBC and Amazon next season.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Wild Knicks-Pacers Game 1 was huge ratings boon not seen in seven years
Drama between the Knicks and Pacers turned into ratings gold for TNT, which aired the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night. The Pacers’ comeback win, which broke Knicks fans' hearts and delighted their Indiana counterparts, averaged 6.6 million viewers and peaked at 8.5 million at 11 p.m., the network announced less than 24 hours after the “instant classic.”
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Knicks & Pacers Reignite Rivalry in Eastern Conference Finals Face-Off
Source: Al Bello / Getty The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are set to clash in the Eastern Conference Finals, marking the Knicks’ first trip to this stage in 25 years. Game 1 kicks off tonight at Madison Square Garden, reigniting one of the NBA’s most memorable rivalries. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions). This unexpected matchup between the No. 3 seed Knicks…
Pacers' Comeback Win Most Watched Game 1 Of East Finals Since 2018
The Indiana Pacers' comeback victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday averaged 6.6 million viewers, making it the most watched Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 since 2018. The 2018 Eastern Conference Finals featured LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Boston Celtics in a repeat matchup of the previous year's playoffs. Viewership for the game peaked with 8.5 million viewers at 11PM. Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton led th…
Knicks-Pacers showdown becomes most-watched Eastern Conference Finals Game 1, averaging 6.6 million viewers
The Game 1 barnburner between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers became the most-watched Eastern Conference Final Game 1 since the Celtics and Cavaliers squared off in 2018. According to TNT, Wednesday’s game at Madison Square Garden averaged 6.6 million viewers and peaked at 8.5 million viewers at 11 p.m. ET, around when the game was in its final minutes. Advertisement Advertisement The Knicks are in their first Eastern Conference Final ser…
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