Daigneault Sends Thunder 'Better Team' Message Ahead of Game 2 Against Pacers originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The first game of the finals averaged a 4.7 rating and 8.91 million viewers on ABC. It was one of the lowest-rated and least-watched NBA Finals openers since Nielsen tracking began in 1988. The viewership was more than the 2020 and 2021 finals, but those were impacted by COVID-19.

🏀 Indiana's Game 1 victory over Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals on ABC peaked with 11 million viewers at the end of the 4th quarter when Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-winning shot. 🏀 Game 1 averaged nearly 3 times more viewers than the next most-watched program on any other...