Largest Audience For “NBA Tip-Off” Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock

The NBA returned to NBC and debuted on Peacock in thrilling fashion on Tuesday night with the first “NBA Tip-Off” double overtime game in 20 years and star-studded performances across a pair of Western Conference matchups, delivering the largest “NBA Tip-Off” doubleheader audience since 2010 (excluding 2011 opening games on Christmas holiday) with an average of 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics. The 2010 NBA Tip-Off doubleheader (5.7 million viewers) featured LeBron James’ debut with the Miami Heat in the opener.

NBA Opening Night Audience Peaked at 7.1 Million Viewers on NBC and Peacock for Thrilling Conclusion (10:45-11 p.m. ET) of Oklahoma City Thunder’s One-Point Win over Houston Rockets in First Double OT “NBA Tip-Off” Game in 20 Years

Tuesday night’s audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime. Alperen Sengun led Houston with 39 points and Kevin Durant scored 23 points in his Rockets’ debut.

For the full game, Thunder-Rockets averaged 5.9 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. It was only the sixth tip-off game to reach double overtime in NBA history and the first since 2005. In the entire 2024-25 season, there were only four double OT games.

The Golden State Warriors-Los Angeles Lakers nightcap averaged 5.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock (measured from 11:02 p.m. ET, when the game was joined in progress on NBC, to 12:42 a.m. ET). Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and the Warriors hit 17 three-pointers in a 119-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Dončić, who scored a game-high 43 points.

NBC’s Nielsen-only viewership powered the NBC broadcast network to win the night in primetime among Adults 18-49 against all networks.

Tuesday night’s Average Minute Audience (AMA) for NBA “Tip-Off” on Peacock and NBC Sports Digital was 1.0 million viewers, based on data from Adobe Analytics, marking NBC Sports’ largest simulstream audience ever, excluding NFL and Olympics.

In addition, Tuesday’s “Roundball Rock” show open delivered 5.6 million impressions on NBC Sports’ social media platforms.

The NBA on NBC Delivers Unrivaled Results for Brands

According to data from EDO, NBC’s NBA Tip-Off audiences were +20% more likely to search for advertisers vs the 2024-2025 NBA season average.

NBA Tip-Off games drove more social engagements than any other programming on Tuesday and were the #1 and #2 trending searches on Google, further showcasing the power of broadcast.

NBC delivered for its sponsors from the start, as viewers believed key sponsorships in the Tip-Off telecasts were a +31% stronger fit than those in the NBA last regular season. (Marketcast TVBE).

As previously announced, NBCUniversal has already exceeded advertising expectations for the return season of the NBA to NBC, with nearly all inventory already sold out.

Sources: EDO AdEngage, Search Data, 2025-26 NBA Tip-Off on NBC vs. 2024-25 NBA Season on ABC/ESPN/TNT. Talkwalker, Social Content Ratings, 10/21/25. Google Trends, 10/21/25.

4 Days to Debut of Peacock NBA Monday: Cavaliers-Pistons and Nuggets-Timberwolves Doubleheader Tips Off next Monday, Oct. 27

Peacock NBA Monday debuts next Monday, Oct. 27 with an exclusive streaming doubleheader beginning with Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers facing Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., at 7 p.m. ET. In the second game at 9:30 p.m. ET, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves host Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.