Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo want OutKick to talk more about the recent NBA ratings. So, here we are.
The first round of the playoffs is up for the year, driven by a 13% increase on ESPN. That’s a win. However, the driving force behind the increase was just eliminated.
As OutKick predicted, the Lakers’ shock trade for Luka Doncic in February completely turned the league’s luck around. For reference, the Lakers-Timberwolves Game 4 matchup last Sunday afternoon drew an impressive 7.3 million viewers.
But Luka, LeBron, and the Lakers are no longer part of the equation. On Wednesday, the Timberwolves eliminated them in just five games.
According to FanDuel, the most likely conference finals matchups are the Thunder-Timberwolves and Celtics-Cavs. That’s three small market teams and Boston.
And while the Celtics are traditionally a draw, this current iteration isn’t. For example, the Celtics-Mavs Finals last year drew just 11.3 million viewers, down from the Nuggets-Heat the year prior.
See, as much as Simmons and Russillo enjoy watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flop his way to double-digit free-throw attempts, the rest of the country doesn’t. Likewise, Anthony Edwards is a favorite among NBA Twitter but has yet to move the needle in terms of television viewership.
Put simply, the NBA needs either the Warriors or the Knicks to make a deep playoff run. And we are skeptical that either can.
LOS ANGELES, USA – APRIL 30: Lebron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers seen spitting as he argues with the ref over a controversial foul during game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images)
If the Knicks advance past the Pistons, they will meet the Celtics. Golden State could make the Western Conference Finals if they find a way to finish off Houston (GSW currently leads three games to two), then advance past the second round. However, stealing one game against the Thunder is probably their ceiling.
The point is that the NBA is overly reliant on one or two teams and two or three players. The league’s overall health is still very much a question.
As a whole, the NBA brand is as weak as it has been in nearly three decades. Notably, four of the five lowest-rated NBA Finals of the past 30 years have occurred in the past four years.
One of the most stunning trades in American sports history, seeing one of the league’s youngest stars land alongside LeBron James, doesn’t change that.
Still, to appease our friends at The Ringer, OutKick vows to cover the playoff ratings, no matter what. We just hope Simmons and Russillo are available for a quick comment should the Thunder and Cavs square off in June.
