NBC Sports’ NBA Playoff Viewership On NBC & Peacock Up 58% Vs. Comparable Coverage Last Year Through First 13 Games

NBC Sports is averaging 4.9 million viewers through its first 13 games of the NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock, up 58% vs. comparable coverage last year and the most-watched for comparable windows since 1996. This is the first time in 24 years that NBC Sports is presenting the NBA Playoffs.

With compelling matchups and stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Nikola Jokić, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Jalen Brunson, and more, NBC Sports’ second week of NBA Playoffs coverage, April 25-28, averaged 4.9 million viewers for seven games across NBC and Peacock, the most-watched for comparable windows since 2001.

Following are viewership* highlights for NBC Sports’ NBA Playoffs coverage from Saturday, April 25, through Tuesday, April 28 (all viewership is Total Audience Delivery across NBC and Peacock unless noted).

Viewership highlights for NBC Sports’ NBA Playoffs coverage

Saturday, April 25

• Thunder-Suns Game 3 (3:30-6:08 pm ET) averaged 3.3 million viewers, up 64% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the most-watched game in the comparable window since 2014. It peaked at 4.5 million viewers.
• Knicks-Hawks Game 4 (6:08-9:00 pm ET) peaked at 5.8 million viewers and averaged 5.3 million, up 58% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the most-watched game in the comparable window since 2001.

Sunday, April 26

• Celtics-76ers Game 4 (7:00-9:38 pm ET) peaked at 7.0 million viewers and averaged 6.3 million for the game, making it the most-watched game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to date and the most-watched First Round Game 4 in primetime ever.
• Lakers-Rockets Game 4 (9:38pm-12:20am ET) peaked at 7.2 million viewers -- the highest peak of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to date – and averaged 6.2 million for the game, up 128% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the second-most-watched game of the playoffs to date.
• The two-game average of 6.2 million viewers ranks as the most-watched second Sunday of the NBA Playoffs since 2002.

Monday, April 27

• Pistons-Magic Game 4 (8:00-10:59 pm ET) peaked at 6.8 million viewers and averaged 5.4 million, up 155% vs. the comparable game last season and making it the most-watched Round 1 Game 4 on a weekday ever.
• Timberwolves-Nuggets Game 5 (10:59pm-1:21am ET) peaked at 5.2 million viewers and averaged 3.9 million.

Tuesday, April 28

• Hawks-Knicks Game 5 (8:07-10:52 pm ET) peaked at 4.3 million viewers and averaged 3.8 million viewers. It was the most-watched sporting event of the night.

* Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, and digital data from Adobe Analytics

NBC Sports also streamed two games on Peacock and NBCSN from April 25-28. Click here for viewership information for NBC Sports’ NBA Playoff games from April 19-21.

Upcoming NBA Playoff Coverage on NBC and Peacock

The two best words in sports: Game 7! Six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, and the Eastern Conference No. 2 seed Boston Celtics host two-time NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey, 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, and the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers in a winner-take-all contest as NBC Sports’ live coverage of the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs continues tomorrow, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Live on-site coverage begins with NBA Showtime at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.